The First Tanguat Baptism!

As Christians, we are asked to “trust God’s process,” yet inevitably, we wish for God to take us on the shortest, easiest route. It would be nice to see His designs achieved within our human timeline and without complication, but often, some of the most beautiful, rewarding places the Lord takes us require journeys of waiting. Eight years since the birth of the Tanguat church, Derek and Chantal Chen and their team rejoiced as they witnessed the first sixteen baptisms for the church. 

Though missionaries had been working with the Tanguat since 2011, the Chens and Swensons joined the team in 2018. Despite several years away from the field, the Chens have returned to resume their language and culture study while the Swenson family continue to work in Scripture translation, teaching and discipleship.

They explain that “it’s been a long and winding journey for the Tanguat church to get to this point. Since the church was born in August 2015, it has gone through many years of ups and downs. Last Sunday marked the first time Tanguat believers were willing to take that step of obedience to become disciples of Jesus!” It was not only an encouragement for the mission team to hear the Tanguat believers’ verbal profession of their faith in Jesus but also for the Swensons and Chens to see some of their own children be baptized the same day.

Please be praying for the Tanguat believers and for these missionary families as the Lord continues to grow and lead them in their ministry.