A Vision that EVERY Tribe Will Hear…

NTM USA Chairman Larry Brown is determined that no one remains unreached.

“I’m very worried.”

The aging tribesman furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head from side to side. He was a proud member of the Ngaing people in Papua New Guinea. But right now he was envious of his neighbors, the Mibus. He had heard that the Word of God had come to the Mibus, and he thought about visiting them in hopes of learning what God wanted him to know. But he understood only a few words of their language. “Some day, someone may bring this message to my people so we too can understand.”

“But,” he wondered, “what if I die before then? What will happen to me?”

It’s a question shared by countless people across the globe. “What will happen to me when I die?” Tragically, for 2,500 unreached people groups around the world, the answer is still out of reach.

It is estimated that one-fourth of the world’s population consists of people living in “least evangelized” people groups across the globe. For New Tribes Mission and hundreds of partner churches, missionaries and supporting friends like you, this is a formidable challenge. Larry Brown, chairman of NTM USA’s executive team, believes the challenge can be met — and in this generation! In this article, first of a series, he shares how that vision can become a reality …

NTM’s 70-year legacy of reaching the most remote, unreached populations has made significant progress, but in Larry Brown’s view there is still much to trust God for.

“Today, NTM is penetrating a new people group, on average, every 45 days,” Brown remarks. “Yet millions of remote tribal peoples still struggle against the evil forces that dominate their lives.”

A former missionary to Papua New Guinea, Brown knows from experience the enormity of the task that remains. “It’s about fulfilling the Great Commission – making disciples of all nations, or literally, every people group. Accomplishing that mission will take a global effort by all believers, and an uncompromising focus and commitment to complete what Christ asked us to do. Relying on God’s promises and sufficiency, we must accelerate our efforts to mobilize, train and send teams to people groups where there is no gospel witness.”

While communications and Internet technologies have made the world seem like a smaller place, the vast majority of these groups have been untouched by these changes — and remain outside the reach of the Gospel.

“They’re not in a position to receive even a casual exposure to the message of Jesus,” Larry emphasizes. “These are people who have no written language, and no opportunity to hear the Word of God unless someone invests the time to learn their language. They need someone to live within their culture, to build friendships and understand their worldview. To translate the Scriptures into their language. To teach them to read and write, so they can understand and be discipled. And they need the opportunity to become part of a vibrant body of believers where they can grow and mature in their faith, and from which they can take God’s Good News to others.”

Right now, NTM has more than 280 church planting groups engaged at this level. Their work to build disciples is having a tremendous impact as local churches are being established — and then multiplying within neighboring villages and even neighboring people groups.

“Discipling believers and training leaders. Building a maturing church that desires to reach others,” explains Larry. “That’s the New Tribes model and it works.”

A Powerful Vision Toward Fulfilling The Great Commission

Reaching EVERY tribe — in THIS generation. Can you imagine the impact? You can watch a brief video of Larry Brown discussing the challenges for tribal missions — and his vision for reaching unreached peoples.

A vision to accelerate the reach of the Gospel

Successful pursuit of any vision is a matter of faith, determination, passion, and hard work — as well as strategic partnerships. As NTM serves with the body of Christ in obedience to Christ’s mandate, this vision will require the joint efforts of local churches and individual believers.

Assessing what God is doing around the world through His church, Larry is convinced that He is accelerating the reach of the Gospel. And Brown believes strongly that seeing the world reached in this generation is attainable. Every tribe can be reached.

“God continues to invite us into the work He is doing. His promise is that every tongue, tribe and nation will be represented to worship at His throne forever.”

NTM’s vision is to do everything possible to accelerate the reach of the Gospel. With each issue of Partner to Partner in 2013, we’ll unfold a different aspect of that plan. But the key to it all is acceleration, says Brown.

“We can work to reach a new tribal group every 30 days — then every 20 days — then every 10 days. Working alongside churches, other sending agencies, and with the body of Christ across the globe …. That’s what it will take to achieve this powerful vision — reaching them all.”

Together, let’s trust God to finish reaching EVERY people group in this generation!

“ Grandpa” and Other Patpatar Elders Rejoice in the Lord

Changed lives are the reason missionaries stay the course.

Do elderly believers in tribal areas influence others for Christ? In a recent conversation, NTM missionary Aaron Luse shared three brief stories that demonstrated the power of the Gospel to change lives, even the lives of people who spent many decades struggling against spiritual darkness and tribal traditions.

Aaron and his wife Lori serve among the Patpatar people on an island in Papua New Guinea. Aaron related the following:

For months a man I call “Grandpa” sat quietly in the background during the Firm Foundations Bible teaching. He was obviously engaged…but he said nothing. At the end, after months of silence, he slowly stood and summarized all the lessons in less than a minute.

“This teaching through God’s Talk has led me to praise,” Grandpa stated firmly. “It has led me to God’s Son .... I am not a righteous man. But if we know this and believe in Him, God will make us new. That is enough and I will finish my talk like that.”

These words were his first verbal expression of faith.

Another older man expressed his new-found joy in Christ this way: “When you wake up in the morning, you can look out on the ocean and see dolphins jumping in the water. That is like the joy that I have. I have joy jumping up and down because of the teaching from God’s Word.”

The man who made a huge difference in our ministry to the Patpatar people was Blais, an eager witness for Christ and a partner in spreading the Gospel to his people (he had donated the land for the first literacy center to be built in the village). Despite growing concern about a cancerous growth on his neck, Blais was outspoken about his faith and shared this challenge at a meeting of believers:

“I want the Christians in America to know how I came to understand the Gospel so more of them will be missionaries,” Blais said. “And I want my family to know my testimony so that they will also believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins so that they can be in His family like I am.”

Days after he gave this testimony, the growth on his neck began to grow rapidly, affecting his speech, his breathing and his ability to get around.

Despite his pain and physical struggle, he made his way to the believers’ meeting. You wouldn’t have known that day that he was a dying man with little energy. Blais couldn’t stand still as he lifted his hands and sang praises to God for what Jesus had done for him!

Just three weeks later, Blais passed away. Lori and I continue to work among his people, encouraged by his desire to see his entire family — and all his people — join God’s family.

First Kodiak Plane Enters Service in Asia-Pacific!

It took five days, but NTM’s first Kodiak aircraft successfully completed its trans-oceanic flight and arrived safely at its destination in the Asia-Pacific region in July. After passing customs and registration requirements the long-awaited plane was placed into service at an airfield used by NTM missionaries to reach remote locations in this region.

Daren Spence, an NTM missionary in the region, described the excitement that the Kodiak generated when it touched down.

“The landing of NTM’s first Kodiak aircraft brought with it an overwhelming sense of thankfulness to the Lord. There is a tremendous need for an aircraft to serve needs in this region where the islands are mountainous and separated by vast stretches of ocean. Waves kick up for several months each year, isolating various islands by making travel by boat hazardous.

“For those who choose to brave the high seas, travel to outlying islands can consume several days, and travelers often arrive exhausted and seasick. This has frustrated efforts to minister to people in these remote areas.

“You can see why our field members have been praying for the Lord to provide an aircraft to meet the need for safe, reliable, efficient air transportation in this region. And that’s why, as it landed here, there was great rejoicing for God’s provision of the Kodiak.

“I’ve often thought how the Lord used the ‘Kodiak Kids’, a group of Indiana grade school children, to raise the deposit funds for this Kodiak. We praise the Lord for using the Kodiak Kids and many others to provide this tool that will expand the reach of the gospel. This aircraft is the answer to years of prayer.”