The June morning started out beautiful. But by 4 pm, rain was pouring, making a good attendance at the Bible teaching that night less and less likely. The muddy roads and miry paths looked far from inviting.
But in spite of the weather, God answered prayer and 25 Agutaynens braved the elements to attend the teaching on Christ’s death and its sufficiency to pay for our sin.
Missionaries Stephen and Ginger Jordan share that this truth about Christ dying once for all is especially vital in teaching God’s Word to the Agutaynen people. According to their traditions, Jesus dies every year on Good Friday.
Stephen taught clearly from Hebrews. He shared that the Scripture says that Jesus did not die again two months ago on Good Friday.
Ginger shares, “Stephen then asked them, ‘How many times did Jesus need to die?’” And she says the Agutaynens responded, “One time.”
It was the correct answer to the question, but the Jordans’ hearts are heavy. It is heartbreaking for them to see many answer teaching questions accurately, and yet continue to live as though their traditions are more important and impacting to them than the truth of God’s Word.
Yes, Ginger shares, there have been many triumphs in the three years of teaching Firm Foundations Bible lessons to the Agutaynen people. Attendance has been great. In fact, during the first time teaching through the beginning level, attendance at the meetings averaged 200 people.
Following that, they began a re-teaching of that same level, this time with smaller crowds. After this re-teaching ends in several weeks, the teaching team hopes to go into individual homes for smaller group studies that will be structured more like home Bible studies.
Manfred Zimmermann is Stephen’s German co-worker and fellow teacher. Stephen and Manfred work hard to maintain good communication between them so that they can be united in their goal of teaching God’s Word clearly, accurately and powerfully.
Ginger shares, “Each soul saved is a triumph for God’s glory. We rejoice in those who have professed salvation in Christ alone and who show it in their daily lives. We rejoice as they grow to see that salvation is by Jesus’ work alone.”
The Jordans covet your prayers. They share their hearts on what they long for God to do in their ministry.
“Pray for wisdom for our team as we seek to spend one-on-one time with those who have been attending the re-teaching. Pray for discernment to know if they are truly believers. Pray, as we revise our lessons into home Bible studies, that we’ll create a format that can be easily used now and in the future. Pray for open doors for home Bible studies and wisdom for us to know where to start. Pray, above all, that the Agutaynens will trust in Jesus alone and grow in Him.”
Pray that God will work in Agutaynen believers’ lives to help them embrace the Truth of His Word so that their lives, along with their words, will powerfully proclaim “Yes!” to the Gospel.