Jay and Lisa Franicevich Training this Generation of Church Planters _img.jpg)
***Thought you all might enjoy this report from the missionary team in the Abau tribe (one of the eight tribes we told you about in our last article entitled "Continuing to Expand the Reach of the Gospel"). We think you will find this email very fitting during the holiday season. Jesus is building His church and thanks for the part that you are playing in it. Have a great holiday season in Him!
IHL, J, L & A
Hark The Heavenly Angels Sing!
There are believers in Abau. And there is rejoicing in heaven over these spiritually reborn people. Sien and I trust that you may also be encouraged by this, another example of the grace and mercy of God. On what basis are any of us able to stand before a holy God, except in Christ? There is no other way. And numerous Abau people now have confidence that their Savior, Jesus Christ, fully satisfies the justice of God for their sin debt. God’s great love has been extended here in the jungle, in that while the Abau people were yet sinners, Christ died for them.
As of Tuesday evening, the regular ‘phase one’ teaching came to a conclusion. The gospel has been preached in the Abau village. There was no organ music playing "Just As I Am". There was no altar call, "every eye closed, raise your hand" appeal given. In fact, no one even said ‘the prayer’. Amazing isn’t it, that our God works His glorious salvation without all our traditions and rituals! When we first came to live in Abau in the year 2000, we very easily could have preached a gospel message, given an altar call and baptized the whole village within a month of arriving. The village would have been ‘converted’, but nobody would have been saved. Tuesday evening, when we finished the gospel presentation, we very easily could have given an altar call (well, not that easy as there is no altar or even room for an altar in that building), and the whole village would have come forward. Many would have been saved. But they would not have been saved because of their action. They would not have been saved because they followed some western tradition for becoming a Christian. These friends of ours have been saved because they have come to recognize that through His death on the cross, Jesus has paid for the penalty of their personal sin; they understand they are now at peace with God and declared His children because they have a risen Savior standing in their place.
For those who love numbers, we have no numbers to share with you right now. As a team, we are actively visiting with the villagers, ascertaining various individual’s understanding and acceptance of the good news. We are thankful that we are being able to draw from Old Testament foundational teaching for the vast majority of these people. Their consistent attendance at the many meetings has been a blessing to us. What an excitement for us as we confirm the truth of the gospel in these peoples’ minds and the Spirit of God confirms His work in their hearts. Here are some of their names:
-Fifty year old Weima shook my hand saying to me, "I know that Jesus is standing in my place for my bad things. I do not have to think about the place of fire but when I die I can sit down good with God."
-Twenty year old Kalasia believes that Jesus is her only road to make God happy.
-Yafeno, standing there holding his little boy, testified, "I know that I will go to be with God when I die." I asked him why he thought that. He said quietly, "Because God’s son Jesus has paid for my bad ways. His blood ran out and paid for my bad ways."
-Dominic held his dirty shirt behind his back and stated that in the same way, Jesus covers all things he has done wrong.
-Grandmother Nanso evidences understanding of God’s gracious provision on her behalf.
-Old blind Inowai in his jovial manner has made clear that his red card (an illustration representing personal sin) has been hidden on the cross behind Christ’s green card (representing perfection).
-Matin says he is tired of the sorcery talk that he has heard since a child. He realizes that because of what Jesus has done on the cross, he is now in God’s hand and protection.
-Plinla recognizes Jesus as her "manakway posuey e lw", her deliverer.
-Mason, Mike and Jen Cratch’s son came sprinting back in their house the other evening, sobbing with joy. His young friend, Lonni gave Mason testimony of his belief.
-Powi, a perennially self-righteous man, said this, "I don’t have to work my way to make God happy with me. I am believing that Jesus is my way to God."
People are now leaving for a time to go to bush camps and their gardens. We are planning to gather again near the end of January to begin teaching new believers. During these next couple weeks, we hope to be able to talk privately with Abau folks about what they believe about Jesus. After all these years, what a joy it is to sense a spiritual connection with many of our neighbors. And what a joy it is to know that people all over the world are praying for these Abau people. As praying intercessors, your work is not finished concerning Abau. There are a number of Abau folks who will be living in their bush camps, still unsure in how the finished work of Christ applies to their own lives. Please pray for them. And pray for the new believers, that the Lord in His grace would show Himself strong in their hearts. We are asking you to pray the words that Paul continually prayed for the Philippian church. (1:9-11) Come to think of it, this could be your ‘Christmas present’ for your new Abau brothers and sisters!
