Shielding the Newborns

“I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies” Psalm 18:3, NASB.

I’m married and have one daughter. Before I came to Jesus I was involved in things that should have killed me, and the life that I have now I owe to God’s grace. So when God called my family to move and live among an unreached Muslim people group, we knew that persecution was likely. We also knew that without a preacher to proclaim the Gospel that this entire people group would remain in spiritual darkness, without hope and without God. At first we were welcomed into the community. When two families came to faith, things changed quickly.

The men of the two families were both very bold witnesses. They shared the Gospel with many people, and many responded to them. The police interrogated both of them. Shortly afterwards they showed up at my house. The officers asked me, “Why are you telling people about Jesus?”

I responded, “I have to tell, because my God says I must tell everyone. If I don’t share my God is angry with me.” For the following four hours the officers yelled at me and threatened me in front of my neighbors, wife and young daughter. They told me that I’d be forced to move if I didn’t stop sharing the Gospel.

After they left my wife and I prayed and talked. She not only shared my life, but also my calling to these people. We knew that we must not back down. Regardless of what happened to us we committed to stay and continue sharing with the people.

The following day the officers came back, and brought the village leader with them. For another three hours they yelled and threatened us. “Sir,” I replied. “It is my responsibility and job to share the Gospel with everyone. Just as you must do your job, I must do mine.”

When news of the pressure that authorities where placing us under reached other believers, they encouraged us to leave until things cooled off. Again we prayed, but God gave us no peace about leaving. What kind of message would that give to the new believers if we left them the moment that things got hard? No, for good or ill we committed to stay. We refused to leave these baby believers.

The police continued to make threatening calls, and each time we committed their threats to God. However, we were never forced to leave. And after about a month the authorities tired of direct confrontations. I know that they are still watching me, but I pray that as they watch they too will be drawn to the love of God.

I believe that our willingness to stay and suffer with the new believers has brought all of us to a new level of faith and dependence on God. These new believers have seen first hand that what we told them we believe about God is real. I have no illusions about the persecution being over, and it is likely that I will have to spend time in prison in order to stay faithful to God. Yet, I know that the God who called me is faithful, and His grace will see me through whatever comes to me and my family.

*Testimony of a local partner working in a Last Frontier area of the Pacific Rim.

Pray that:

God will bless the ministry of this evangelist and continue to protect his family.

The boldness of the new believers will not be dampened by opposition, but will grow and their faith will deepen.

Police assigned to watch this believer will be drawn to the Gospel and love that they see being lived out before them.

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