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SIAWIS FACE AN OLD PROBLEM

NEWS

Tom Brendle and Bayeke

March 13, 2007

by Dena McMaster

The Siawi believers in Papua New Guinea are hungering for truth but many are confused by false ideas that are going around the village.

The Siawis were saying "I follow what I learned from Ron" or "I was taught by Tom and Jason" or "I went to school" or "I am following God's Word." Just as the apostle Paul found that to be a problem among the Corinthians, last week missionary Tom Brendle taught that Christ is the only One to follow.

Because of confusion about the Scriptures, many Siawis are teaching things contrary to the Gospel. So Tom taught a lesson on spiritual food and compared it to physical hunger. He told them that they need food to live but "that some had gone off the trail following Christ, and tried to find food other places. … Some found food that tasted sweet but got them off of the trail and lost in the jungle."

He encouraged them that hunger for spiritual truth is a good thing and that truth should come from God's Word, and reminded them of their salvation, showing them once again that Christ is the only way.

Tom talked individually with some of the Siawis. His visit with Beyeme was an encouraging light in the midst of the confusion and discouragement. Beyeme told Tom that man is sinful and unable to please God. He said, "I cannot keep the law." Then he told Tom that Christ's death on the cross and His blood that ran down was payment for our sin. He said that Christ was raised from the dead and we are acceptable to God only because of Christ.

Pray that the Siawi people will hunger for the truth and will diligently search God's Word for it. Pray also for Tom as he teaches and mentors the Siawi believers.