Dinangat believers face decision
Missionaries Jeremiah and April Markley were excited Sunday about the number of Dinangat believers in Papua New Guinea who acknowledged the truth of the Scriptures, but concern remains.
The Dinangats were faced with a decision. Could they abandon three generations of their tribe's teaching, and go against all of their clans that live outside their village, to follow Christ in baptism?
"Yes, we see now that this is true," some of the Dinangats said. "What we have been taught and what we have been doing in the past was wrong."
Jeremiah and April were amazed, but cautious that they were so quick to denounce their former beliefs. A few days later, they presented the Dinangats with a challenge.
They asked if anyone was ready to obey and be baptized. There was hardly a response.
"As we mingled with them individually after the lesson, we [were] sensing that they [were] really afraid to go against … other [beliefs] in such a blatant fashion," April wrote. "They would no longer be able to pretend to be a part of the other group."
These young Dinangat believers have much to lose.
"When most of us were baptized," April wrote, "we had the love, support and encouragement of our friends and family." The Dinangats face "the threat of estrangement, persecution and ridicule."
Please pray that these Dinangats are courageous enough to obey God's Word and to leave their old beliefs behind.
The Dinangats were faced with a decision. Could they abandon three generations of their tribe's teaching, and go against all of their clans that live outside their village, to follow Christ in baptism?
"Yes, we see now that this is true," some of the Dinangats said. "What we have been taught and what we have been doing in the past was wrong."
Jeremiah and April were amazed, but cautious that they were so quick to denounce their former beliefs. A few days later, they presented the Dinangats with a challenge.
They asked if anyone was ready to obey and be baptized. There was hardly a response.
"As we mingled with them individually after the lesson, we [were] sensing that they [were] really afraid to go against … other [beliefs] in such a blatant fashion," April wrote. "They would no longer be able to pretend to be a part of the other group."
These young Dinangat believers have much to lose.
"When most of us were baptized," April wrote, "we had the love, support and encouragement of our friends and family." The Dinangats face "the threat of estrangement, persecution and ridicule."
Please pray that these Dinangats are courageous enough to obey God's Word and to leave their old beliefs behind.