First of its kind
The first meeting of its kind has just been held in a village where Frank and Mirjam Tertel work among the Abau people.
The purpose of the meeting was to get together as leaders with their wives in order to encourage one another and pray.
Nomo and Aniowa opened their neatly swept, bark-floored home to the leaders of their maturing church. Sitting in a big circle, they were challenged by the Word from 1 Timothy 3. Nomo wanted to encourage everyone there to think again about the qualifications of leaders in the church.
There was the reminder to “walk straight,” honoring God with their lives and testimonies.
As they prayed in small groups, Maikel told God: “God Father, help me to be like Paul. Paul was content in whatever situation he was in. I want to be like that. When I’m hungry, I want to be content and rely on you and when I have plenty, I want to be content and keep trusting you.”
Frank shares that, “Not too long ago the Abau Bible teachers had studied the letter to the Church in Philippi and written their own sermons about the different passages. One of these passages was about Paul’s contentment. This must have really spoken to Maikel.”
The main focus now is on completing the New Testament translation. They have 11 books left. They must have the translation co-workers available to make progress.
At times they say, “Our heads hit the wall … and we realize how incapable we are without God’s help and wisdom.”
Pray for those faithful co-workers in order for the translation to continue and that God would help them break down those walls they often hit.
“I can’t tell you how exciting it is to see the believers growing in their faith. It is an awesome work we are involved in and we would not want to trade it for anything!” Frank says.
There is a confidence that if the missionaries had to leave for any reason there are enough mature believers that would continue to care for the body there and “carry on strong.”
We can praise God together for what He’s done in this maturing church. They are taking very seriously the privilege we have been given to, “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
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