NTM

This is it! This is the week we will present the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! This is the moment we have been building toward for the last 11 weeks. On Wednesday we will present the Gospel to the Patpatar people!

We implore you to pray for victory in the lives of the Patpatar this week as the light of the Gospel is explained. Pray for spiritual clarity and understanding. Pray that many will become the children of God. Pray that Satan and his attempts to thwart the Gospel would be hindered. This last week we have seen some of those attempts by the enemy. There was someone that came into the village as the speaker for a big meeting (he’s from the other side of the island). He told everyone not to listen to the “white men’s talk.” This week we were made aware of a small group (who have not attended the teaching) that are claiming that what we are teaching is lies and is not from God’s Word. Also, this week some visitors came in with promises of gold being discovered, which has drawn some people away. We know that the enemy doesn’t want his children to change their course from being bound for hell to becoming God’s children through saving grace and be bound for heaven.

There have also been victories this week. Most of the individuals who have been faithful to attend are still coming. Most are seeing through the lies and their eyes are being opened to the truth of God’s Word. A huge and exciting victory came this week when the two Patpatar men who have been helping me check through the lessons before I teach them came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Both Tamrau and Tokiung gave clear testimonies after the gospel was presented to them in my office. Both men have realized their sinfulness and inability to get to God on their own. Both have clearly understood the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus on their behalf. Both have expressed faith in Christ and His work on their behalf. Both are excited and can’t stop talking about what Jesus did for them.

We are praising God we now have Patpatar brothers in Christ and are praying that this week many more will be added to the family.

Coming This Week:

* The last supper of Jesus with His disciples. * The arrest, trial, and beating of Jesus. * The crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. * The final instructions to the disciples and the ascension of Jesus.

For the glory of our Heavenly Father,

Aaron

After one of the mornings of teaching this week, one of the men stood and recounted an old legend. “There once was a man from another island who came and lived near here. He was very smart and knew all the languages. He knew the trade language of Papua New Guinea, he knew the language of his own tribe, he knew the language of the tribe next to us, he knew the Patpatar language, and he even knew American. One day someone asked him, if he knew all the languages of the world and all the sounds there were. The legendary man responded, ‘I know everything except the letter O.’”

I was left bewildered at the story this man had shared with the captive audience, but then he began to explain. “Are we like that man, have we learned many things but missed the key? Have we learned how to act good with all our works? Have we learned how to do the right things for the spirits? Have we learned how to go to church and follow those rules? Have we learned all that and missed the most important thing there is to know? Have we missed the letter O?” With that he sat down.

As we have been teaching through the Bible, the people have seen that, one by one, the things they have been depending on for the afterlife and for ‘getting to God’ are not enough. This last week as Tammy and Lori reenacted the Pharisee and the sinner praying to God, many of the Patpatar realized that they were like that Pharisee depending on their own good to be accepted by God. They are realizing that they are missing the answer. There is a big hole in their lives. There is a big O.

Only two more weeks until the answer is presented. Only two more weeks until they hear that the Messiah they are learning about has paid the full price of their sins on the cross. The teaching of Christ has been pulling away the crutches they have been leaning on, now they are looking for answers. Many are looking for the big O to be filled. Pray for the Patpatar in these last two weeks of critical teaching. Pray for our team and our health as we work hard to finish well.

Coming this week:

* The seven “I AM’s of Jesus” – He is the Way the truth and the life. * The rich young ruler – even the best have not kept all the laws of God. * The raising of Lazarus – Jesus has power over death. * Hell – Jesus warned people of the place of punishment if they did not believe on Him. * Jesus as King – His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

All for Him,

Aaron

After the teaching one morning this week, one of the men got up and looked at all the guys lined up on the piece of bamboo, “Hey,” he said, then with a smile on his face he continued, “You are all sick and you need a doctor.” The men on the bench laughed, but they knew even though he was teasing them he was serious. One of them responded, “What you say is true, but you need a doctor too.”

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” This was the response the Jesus gave in Luke 5:31-32 when asked why he ate with sinners. I had just taught the Patpatar people about how Jesus had called Matthew, a despised tax-collector, and how he had dined with him and other sinners. The self-righteous Pharisees on the outside in an effort to “follow all the rules to God” criticized Jesus for eating with the sinners. Our team had acted out a skit of two sick people, one who knew they were sick and wanted a doctor and the other who was unaware of their sickness and refused the help of the doctor. The impact of the lesson came when they realized how Jesus was the doctor, He came for those who are spiritually sick; for those who realize their sinfulness and need of a Savior. We are excited to see many of the people begin to understand that Jesus was more than just a great man to follow, but that He is in fact the only hope of sinful dying men. Continue to pray for their understanding and for the deliverance of their spiritual sickness.

Speaking of sickness.this week has been pretty rough physically on our family. Everybody in our family and some of the Kunzers were sick this week with either malaria, fevers, or colds. Thankfully we are all on the road to recovery, but would appreciate your prayers for continued health.

Coming this week:

* The parables of Jesus – Jesus taught through His Words. * The miracles of Jesus – Jesus taught through His Actions. * The Bread of Life – Only Jesus will satisfy our hunger. * The prayers of the Pharisees and the sinners – Self reliance vs. God dependence. * Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the promised Deliverer.

Only 3 weeks left,

Aaron

Only four weeks left until we present the Gospel through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Savior! The last 10 weeks or last 10 updates have been filled with mostly encouraging stories of the way God is working in the lives of the Patpatar. This week there were encouraging times too. I could share about the “Pastor” that told me that he had always been unclear about an area until he heard it taught about this week from God’s Word. I could share about all those who just sat around in groups after each day of teaching to talk about God’s Talk. I could tell you about the ladies showing the deaf mute man in our village all the Bible pictures and trying to explain with actions all that they were learning. But this week I want to share about the other side. We are discouraged at times when we have a smaller crowd or key leaders are gone. We are discouraged when the main discussion revolves around smaller areas of the Bible and the bigger point seems to be missed. We are discouraged when community fights and disputes disrupt or pull people away from the teaching.

This week we ran into more conflict. The Patpatar are a fairly educated tribal group of people. Their location right on the coast has allowed for more access to the outside world including missionaries from years gone by. Unfortunately, many of the churches that were introduced catered to the people’s belief of appeasing the spirits in order to live well in the after life. They simply replace the spirits with God and the appeasement acts with good works in order to go to heaven. Today there is a great misunderstanding of church attendance, baptism, repentance, and living right in order to win favor with God. As we have began to teach in the New Testament we are seeing many of those false doctrines being challenged. For many the truth of God’s Word is clashing with the modern day religious beliefs they have depended on. For some the truth of God’s Word has been liberating as Scripture is being illuminated. For others, they are trying to figure out how to unite and rectify the discrepancies between what they now know and what they have always been taught. For a few the truth is not being accepted.

Last Friday, Butch taught on the temptation of Christ. Satan used God’s Word and twisted it to communicate his own desires to tempt Jesus. Satan is using the same tactic among the Patpatar and has twisted God’s Word into a morphed pseudo belief in God, religion, and the spirits. Please pray for the Patpatar as their traditional thinking of God and the New Testament is being challenged. Pray they will not cling to their own merit, works, and religious beliefs, but fall on their Messiah, Jesus Christ. Pray for the Patpatar to understand what was accomplished through Jesus. Pray that like that Pharisees and Sadducees, their religious beliefs will not cause them to reject the Savior.

Coming this week:

* Jesus’ ministry begins * This is a BIG ONE – Jesus taught you must be born again – John 3:16 * Jesus alone was able to forgive people’s sin. * Jesus predicted his death * The religious leaders began to plot against Jesus

For His Glory,

Aaron

He did not realize I was outside the crowded hut with the rest of the Patpatar people. He was not saying these things to make me happy. He of his own accord, as one of the village leaders, was giving them a different message. His story had changed. Only months before in a similar situation, he had retold the beliefs and traditions of the spirit world which had been passed down from generation to generation. Only months before he had been proclaiming false concepts about God, man, and heaven that he had been told since he was young.

Now he stood, and proclaimed new truths based not on the ancestors, not on tradition, but on the Word of God. Years of lies and deception had been replaced by the truths of God’s Word in just a short few months. He spoke of God’s perfection, holiness, and justice and he showed man’s sinfulness and shortcomings, but part of his story was missing. The true climax of his speech was gone. It was missing the way in which sinful man could be redeemed to a holy God.

This week we start the New Testament. The climax of the story is being unraveled. The foundations have been laid. Now the promised Deliverer is to enter the stage.

Pray:

* Pray for the Patpatar as we begin the New Testament. Many of the Patpatar are familiar with the stories in the New Testament, but often times the truths have been changed or mixed with other beliefs. * Pray that their will be openness in the hearts of the Patpatar. * Pray that there will not be opposition during this time (as the enemy of God will be trying all he can to dissuade people). * Pray for good health for our families and the Patpatar and for good attendance.

Coming this week:

* The announcement of John the Baptist and Jesus. * The birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. * The birth of Jesus, the promised Deliverer. * John baptizes Jesus and proclaims Him as the Lamb of God. * Jesus was tempted by Satan.

By the way, we had a good time celebrating my young bride’s big 30th birthday this last week! She even got an early surprise party last weekend when 2 of her missionary friends came in by boat to see her.

ALL for Him,

Aaron

We had a great 3 days of teaching this week. God had led the Israelites out of Egypt, through the wilderness and up to the edge of the Promised Land, all the while providing for their needs and displaying His power. Then at the edge of Canaan, the Israelites believed the report of the 10 deceiving spies over the promise of God to give them the land. Their disbelief resulted in a year of wandering and ultimately death in the wilderness. Israel’s disbelief and the death made a strong impression on all the Patpatar listeners, right up to when death became a reality in the village.

Two elderly Patpatar folks died this week, one being "Grandma" whom we have asked prayer for. It seems she suffered from a stroke early Thursday morning and died later that day. We praise God that she was able to be with us for as long as she had. We praise Him that she had the opportunity to clearly hear the Gospel. We had several opportunities to share the salvation message with her and each time we did she seemed to understand more and more clearly her position as a sinner before a Holy God and her need to believe in Jesus her Savior.

Only God knew her heart. In her condition it was difficult at times to understand her and what she was trying to express. However, we could see her growth in understanding as the light penetrated the years of darkness she lived in. A month ago when I had asked her of her hope of going to heaven, she was unsure and said she had lived good and hoped her prayers had worked. Last week when I restated our condition as sinners, but God had made a way for us to be with him in heaven, she looked up from her slumped position and as with all the strength she could muster said, "Jesus’ death."

The day before she died Lori and Tammy took her a meal (which ended up being her last) and fed it to her. Grandma seemed to be hungry for the soup and egg they took her, but even more hungry for God’s Word. Lori read her a passage from John 14 when Jesus said to his disciples, "I go to prepare a place for you." The disciples asked how they were to know the way, Lori then explained the gospel for the last time through Jesus response to his disciples, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Thanks for your prayers, we are so grateful for the times we had to share the Gospel with "Grandma." There are funeral customs going on this weekend. Monday we begin teaching again.

Coming this week: (This week we finish the Old Testament!)

* The Judges * The Kings * The Prophets * The prophecies of the Messiah * The setting of the world in which Jesus would enter

Because He died and rose,

Aaron

The audience yelled as the rope was cut and Butch went toppling over the edge of the wall. Only one of the ten ropes had been broken, but he still fell. Later the crowd gasped in unison as the glass bottle shattered into a thousand pieces. The hammer had struck only one of the ten marks on the bottle, nonetheless it was enough to break every part. Another time everybody nodded in understanding as I reenacted the tying of a certain vine around the trees. They began to see that the Holy God, the owner of all things, does have the authority to set the standard and to enforce it. After one of the lessons several adults crowded around the model of the tabernacle to examine the layout. One lady began to point to the priest and recount his duty of continual sacrificing on the part of the people of Israel. Another pointed out the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of God behind the veiled curtain. On the other side kids squeezed around the pictures hanging on the wall and began to point to the Old Testament characters we have covered and recounted the events of the stories.

Our team has had the privilege to illustrate and demonstrate the truths of God’s Word through skits, illustrations, pictures, objects, and even videos. As we teach God’s Word from the beginning incorporating culturally appropriate applications we are beginning to see their false hopes, their false beliefs, and their false understandings unravel. “The spirits we have been trusting in are lies from Satan,” one man confided. “God’s is so different from us, He doesn’t have a wrong, He is over everything,” another man reflected and admitted his inadequacies before a Holy God. A woman talked to Lori and told her, “I am guilty of breaking God’s laws. I haven’t followed them like I thought I could. I am a sinner.”

Many have thanked us for coming. They are thanking us for taking the time to learn their language, for teaching them, and for making truths of God and mankind clear to them. And we in turn thank God and give Him the glory for allowing us to be used. And we thank you, for being a part, for praying, and for your encouragement. Continue to pray for them as they hear God’s Word presented and for us as we present His Word.

Coming this week:

Israel fails to trust God alone – they worship the golden calf.

Israel fails to believe God’s promise – they wander the wilderness for 40 years.

Israel fails to depend on God’s provision – God sends the snakes to punish them, but provides a way of escape.

Israel fails repeatedly after they enter Cannaan – God provides judges each time to deliver them.

Israel fails to choose God as their King – God allows King Saul, David, and Solomon to lead them.

Despite man’s unfaithfulness, God is still faithful.

For His Glory,

Aaron

An area that has surprised us since the teaching has started here among the Patpatar is how vocal they have been with us about their thinking concerning the Bible lessons. It has been incredible to hear them share with others what they are learning and how they all need to apply those things. This week we heard them testify to realizing the Greatness of God. They’ve also told us of how they are learning that God’s Word is our guide to living, and that we should follow what God wants us to do. Those were all great things. However, there were many people who voiced this conclusion, “we have been taught we are sinners and it is true, so we have to try harder, we have to be good, we have to try our best so God will accept us.”

A similar cry rose out from the Israelites after there exodus from Egypt when they told God that they wanted God’s blessing and would follow all of His ways to get it. Then the law came. The laws of God: God’s standard by which we are judged; God’s measure by which we all fall short.

The fact is, as sinners, we can never appease the wrath of God with our actions. The fact is that Jesus Christ was the only one that fulfilled law and made a way for us to be accepted by a holy God.

The Patpatar people’s conclusion of trying their best so God will accept them is bound to be shattered this week as we teach on the 10 commandments. We will show how God teaches that we have broken his laws. We will teach how the breaking of just one makes us as guilty as breaking all of them.the standard is perfection. As the Israelites needed to know their incapacity to get to God of their own accord, so that reality needs to sink into the hearts of each one of us, and each of the Patpatar. After all, Christ came to call sinners to Himself, not the self-righteous. We won’t be covering the fulfillment of the law this week in the person of Christ, but we pray that God will prepare the Patpatar people for the promised Messiah. Pray that they will see their shortcomings. Pray that they will see themselves as “lost” so that they can be “found.” Pray that after they hear these principles that they will want to come hear more to find the answer to their predicament. The teaching this week will be contrary to what they have lived and heard their whole lives.

Prayer and Praise (aside from what is mentioned above):

* Remember we asked prayer for those who were only attending periodically to be there regularly? This week (aside from our introduction week) was the largest amount of people per day we have seen. Most of them had been coming at some point in the teaching, now they are all coming at once. Thanks for praying and keep it up. * We are pretty healthy right now (even that boil on Aaron’s face is now just a lump). * We are so grateful for the good weather God has given us. Sunshine in the morning and an occasional shower in the afternoon.

Coming this week:

* God provided manna and water in the wilderness. * God gave the Israelites His law. * God gave instructions for the Tabernacle.

Aaron and Lori

It has been a big week of teaching in the lives of the Patpatar. We covered the life of Abraham through Joseph and finished the book of Genesis. Once again, it was exciting to hear and see people’s response as the Holy Spirit is illuminating their hearts and minds through the Word. We listened as they expressed surprise, fear, amazement, desire, and understanding over the various truths and stories of God’s Word. Many of them expressed their thoughts of “This Talk.”

After one of the days we taught, an old man stood to his feet, “I’m an old man,” he started. “Do I look like a good man to you? I’m not a good man. You don’t know the darkness of my mind. I’m a sinner. We are all sinners. That’s what this talk has shown me. Butch and Aaron don’t hide this talk. They tell it openly. This talk is not hidden. There is a heaven and a hell and I am sinful. Forget those who try to hide God’s talk and say we are all good. We all need to come everyday so we can understand the truth of God’s Talk.”

Not much later a Patpatar lady stood and began to speak. “When I was a little girl my dad went away to a school to learn about the Bible. He came back and taught us all the stories in the Bible. It was good, but it wasn’t clear. They were just stories. He just gave us the big talk. Now we are getting all of the talk and this talk is clear. Now I understand these stories. Now it makes sense.”

Another day I sat around after the teaching and visited with several men about what we had learned that day. After about an hour I walked home. Later one of the men came to help me in the office. He apologized for not coming sooner and told me that the guys were still sitting around talking. He told me that they wanted to eat more of the teaching because it was so good. He said, “This talk is yummy.”

Pray with us for:

* Continued faithfulness and open hearts for those who are attending the daily teaching. * There have been some “religious” activities that have come up outside the village that have taken some people away from the teaching. Pray for their return. * Pray for good health (right now I have a painful boil on my face) and endurance as the long days and weeks are starting to add up.

Coming this week:

* Moses’ birth in Egypt – God’s plan to deliver His people as He promised. * The burning bush – I Am – The God who “is” verses the gods who “aren’t.” * The 10 plagues brought upon Egypt – a way for the 1st born to be spared. * The deliverance of the Israelites – God’s power and faithfulness.

Proclaiming His Talk,

Aaron

Butch had just finished teaching about Noah and the first rain. He had explained God’s patience and mercy toward mankind in waiting 120 years while Noah preached repentance and the impending flood. However mankind had refused to believe God’s message and believe in God Himself. They had continued on in their daily lives filled with self gratification and sin until the day God fulfilled His Word and wiped them from the face of the earth.

From the back of the group a man stood up and began to quietly address the group. This was the same man that had been opposed to us teaching in the village. “The people of Noah’s day were sinners,” he began and started listing some of their sins. Then he continued, “The people here on New Ireland, we are just like the people of Noah’s day. We fight, we kill, we do bad things, and we don’t want to hear God’s message. It would be good if we all came to hear this teaching of God’s Word because we are just like those people of Noah’s day that drowned in the flood.”

There are so many stories that I could tell like this, but I want to share how I believe God is answering your prayers. Last week I sent out prayer requests. I am going to restate them this week and share what has happened since you started praying.

* Rain – all our water tanks are very low, and the rivers where the people get water are getting dry. — Since then: On Tuesday I had collected two buckets of water from the creek. That afternoon I took my 3 girls down to the creek to bathe in about 6″ of water, wondering what we would do if the lack of rain continued. On our walk home, I felt a drop, then another, then another. Within fifteen minutes we were being pounded with the first rain in several weeks. Almost everyday since then we have had beautiful, dry, sunny mornings for the teaching and rain in the afternoon. Our water tanks are overflowing and the rivers are filling up.thanks for your prayers. * “Grandma” the villages’ oldest woman is in very poor health and we are praying she will come to understand the Gospel before it is too late. — Since then: “Grandma” has improved and on Friday proudly showed off her strength to us by lifting her feet 6″ off the ground while seated on a bench. Our applause made her smile widely. More importantly though, both Butch and I have had the chance to re-teach her the Old Testament stories we have been teaching and from there share the Gospel with her. We have been encouraged with her coherence while we talk and she has been very receptive and though its not always easy to understand, her mumbling seems to be accepting and believing the message that we have shared. * Continued illumination by the Spirit of the Word to the hearts of the hearers. – Since then: Each day after the teaching, instead of leaving right away, the men and woman have continued to sit there and begin to talk about the things they have heard and learned and what it means for them. * There are many who are only coming occasionally and some who have not yet come to the teaching who are within a short walk of the meeting place. – This is the area we would like you to continue to pray for. We continue to have a steady group of folks coming and are encouraged with their faithful attendance, but we’d like to see those periodic “attenders” come regularly.

Coming this week:

* The promise of the coming Deliverer restated to Abraham. * The sin and destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. * Abraham told to sacrifice his only son Isaac, but God provides a replacement sacrifice. * Isaac and his sons Jacob and Esau and God’s sovereignty and wisdom. * Joseph goes to Egypt – a prophecy fulfilled and a people saved from famine.

Thanks for partnering with us during this time!

Aaron