Watching Carefully

“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:12, NASB.

New evangelistic tools are being developed all the time. One of the challenges of reaching an unreached people group (UPG) like the Northern Thai is having the wisdom to decide which tool is going to be best received by the people.  This past Easter Quintin Ratliff, IMB missionary to the Northern Thai, decided to test a new shortened version of the Matthew film.

The Ratliffs showed the movie in their home and invited their cell group to come. On that particular Sunday, Nong Ekk had just received his graduation certificate, and he asked if he could bring nine of his family members with him. Without hesitation Quintin welcomed the extra visitors. It appeared that God had something special planned for the testing of this new evangelism tool!

“I have to admit I was more interested in watching their reactions than I was in watching the movie,” said Quintin. “It is such a wonderful thing to see people react to Bible stories when they see them dramatically presented.”

One man walked out in the middle of the movie. He had been a Buddhist monk, and apparently he found the movie offensive.

“I’m not sure that I’ll use this tool with people who have never heard about Jesus,” said Quintin. “I think it assumes too much knowledge to use it as an introduction to the Gospel, but it will be good for sharing with people who have studied with us for a while to make the Bible stories more alive and real.”

Overall it was a good experiment. Many of the participants shared that they enjoyed watching the movie. Some even defended its message as being okay, despite the negative reaction by the monk. Such experiments are part of the task of reaching the unreached with the Good News.

Pray that:

IMB missionaries and their partners working with the Northern Thai will have wisdom in selecting and using the best tools for sharing the Gospel.

Ekk’s family will be drawn to faith through the seeds that were planted by watching the Matthew film.

The offended monk will have an experience with the Risen Christ, and will become a mighty witness for Him.

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.