Stepping Out, Stepping In and Stepping Up
Namoleya, Max, Marcus, Suduwama and Maile. The names don’t exactly trip off the tongue. Two or three even stubbornly resist it. But they’re names you should know. Names of men you should thank God for, and pray for, as they step out in faith to serve God.
The Bisorios Step In
Namoleya, Max, Marcus, Suduwama and Maile are five of the leaders and teachers of the Bisorio church in Papua New Guinea, and they’ve stepped in to provide exactly what the fledgling church among the neighboring Malaumanda people needs: disciple-makers.
For various reasons, it’s been tough for Western missionaries to endure long-term among the Malaumanda people. This is a problem for stability -- and credibility. And that’s where the Bisorios stepped in. When it came time for the first outreach by the Malaumanda church, to a village two or three days away, two Bisorio leaders went along with two missionaries to disciple, encourage and help in any way they could. And a church was born, with more than 20 people giving clear testimonies of faith in Christ after a series of foundational, chronological Bible lessons.
The Bisorios Step Up
But when it was time to go back to disciple the new believers, only one Malaumanda leader, Jimi, could go. Now the Bisorios stepped up.
Even though it takes almost a week of hiking to get from the Bisorio villages to the Malaumanda people, Namoleya returned with a team of 12 Bisorio leaders and teachers. Some of these men brought their families and gave testimony of God burdening their hearts to come in order to teach and encourage. Namoleya intensively discipled Jimi.
The respect the Malaumanda believers have for their brothers and sisters from the Bisoro people is clear. They listen intently when Bisorios teach, eagerly when they encourage, courageously when they exhort. Please thank God for Namoleya, Max, Marcus, Suduwama and Maile, and the others like them, and pray for Him to strengthen and encourage them.
It’s fitting that this is an answer to the prayer of one of those five Bisorio men when missionaries departed from their work among the Bisorios because a church had been established.