“Jss came and told his d!sc!ples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make d!sc!ples of all the nations, b@ptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the H0ly Sp!r!t. Teach these new d!sc!ples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.” Matthew 28:18-20
For the past 5 weeks, I have had the greatest privilege of worshipping with the new ch.rch in K0nian! I have had the greatest privilege of being a part of a group of Jss d!sc!ples committed to going, making d!sc!ples, teaching the new d!sc!ples to obey the One and Only True G0d!! I have had the greatest privilege of walking side by side with new bel!evers as they come to understand what it means to be a f0ll0wer of Jss, to give your whole life to Him, and to experience the rest and peace that comes with the greatest decision they have ever made. I have had the greatest privilege of watching and experiencing G0d Himself empowers us—His f0ll0wers—with authority and power to stand face to face with evil, the enemy, and all his schemes AND OVERCOME!! I declare His glory to you—He is F@ITHFUL to His W0rd and He is WITH US ALWAYS!!
The 8 new bel!vers have been f@ithful each Sunday to come together to w0rship and grow in their new way of life. In addition to those 8 bel!evers, there have been at least 15 others who have been joining us for w0rship. Some Sundays the people on the outskirts are as many as the ones who openly come to sit with us. Many are coming and asking us to pr@y for them, their family members, for those who have various kinds of struggles. We share a meal together and hang out together continuing to d!sc!ple those who G0d is raising up to be His people in this part of His world. S0 from B@mako has been a part of the team going out to serve among these new bel!vers. He has been doing an incredible job each Sunday taking an informal time to share a story from G0d’s Word with them and lead us through a time of discussion to gain wisdom and understanding from the story!! I cannot express the great joy I have experienced being a part of what G0d is doing in and through His people here in M@li!! My favorite thing of being G0d’s servant has always been watching His people walk by f@ith to do things they never thought they could do—all of it by the power of G0d living within them!! I’m filled up my friends with joy as a servant of our G0d!!!
There are 2 guys from a neighboring village who have been coming to w0rship with us also. They are learning and growing so much—all with the understanding that G0d is beginning something in their village also. They will soon become the leaders of His work there. G0d has revealed to us 5 to 7 villages surrounding K0nian in which He is doing something. We are making plans to send teams out to these villages and begin relationships there through which G0d can open doors for the G0spel. At the end of October, we plan to work with the ch.rch in Dub@n—where FOn was leading w0rship before G0d started the ch.rch in K0nian. We will take a team of M@lian bel!evers to spend the weekend strengthening the bel!evers and sharing the G0spel alongside them.
Please be in pr@yer for us as we prepare for the weekend in Dub@n, as we begin to build relationships in these other villages, and as we continue to make d!sc!ples of the new bel!evers in K0nian!! Please give thanks to G0d for His powerful Presence at work in the lives of people who so desperately need Him and the hope that He alone gives us!!!