NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

In church this Sunday Raymond shared how the Lord had protected him during a quick trip out to town a couple of weeks ago. After hiking for two days over rugged terrain, he arrived at the small town where he would use some public transportation to travel one more day in order to reach the big town. When the public transport vehicles began pulling in to pick up passengers, some in the group he was with wanted to get into a fancy new one, but God prompted Raymond’s heart to take an older-looking one instead. So against their objections he jumped into the old beat-up one and the others with him followed. The newer vehicle departed first and the older vehicle departed some time later. After traveling for a little while, they were stunned when they saw the newer vehicle over on the side of the road in the process of being carjacked by thieves! It was obvious to those in the group that God had directed Raymond and they immediately gave God the glory for protecting them.

Simbari believers 'networking' with believers from other tribes

During his time in town he experienced another event which was obviously orchestrated by the Lord. While he was in a store he encountered a brother in Christ from the Yagaria tribe. This brother was able to give him the cell phone number for the son of a pastor in the capital city so that he could pass it on to his relatives and fellow-believers who have been living there for several months. These Simbari believers have been hungry for teaching from God’s Word and fellowship with other like-minded believers but have not been able to find a church there to attend. This has been a burden on his heart for quite awhile so it was a joy and relief for him to be able to pass on the information to his fellow-believers knowing that they will now be able to attend a good church and continue growing in their faith. It’s encouraging to see believers from different tribes ‘networking’ so they can build one another up in the faith.

This Sunday’s Bible message was about one of the ways “The Gathered Ones of Jesus” (the church) become mature. We first looked in Romans 12 and discussed how each member of the body has been given gifts which are not all the same but we need to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”(Eph. 4:3) We are enabled to do that through the Spirit of God who lives in every believer. We finished by looking at the exhortation to “count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” found in Romans 6:9-13

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

We are thankful the Simbari church is looking to God’s Word for strength and maturity. And it was great to hear half a dozen Simbari men taking turns reading the above portions of Scripture in the Simbari language. Reading isn’t easy in this language, take the following word for example from Eph. 4:1 “nyomjomwekovla’mwalpino’moneyokwe” which means “to live.” But spurred on by their desire to read God’s Word many from the church have worked hard and learned to read. There are more that need to learn or improve so please pray for them. And for the continued maturity of the church.

The Pulviyav river

Last week a group of Simbari believers were hiking through the jungle on the way to their pandanus nut gardens. These gardens are high up in the mountainous rainforest and the only way to reach them is on difficult foot trails. These trails repeatedly cross mountains and rivers and at one such river crossing they ran into some trouble. The river was very high from the rain. Since there are no bridges on these remote river crossings they set out to build a makeshift one to get everyone across. This particular river called the Pulviyav is the largest river in the whole valley. It is a fast moving river with many stones and powerful currents. They found a place where the river narrowed a little between two large boulders and after cutting some poles from the jungle the men laid them across the gap between the stones. Because they were traveling as a group the men decided to add a handrail to assist the people as they crossed. As they were trying to get the handrail into place the water caught the pole and knocked one of the men, named Peter, into the water. Because of the two stones narrowing the river at that spot the water was gushing extra fast between the stones and plunging into the pool below. Peter was immediately swept down into the pool and the downward force of the water kept pulling him downwards so he couldn’t surface. It happened so quick that some didn’t even see it happen. But some saw and immediately cried out in fear. Here in Simbari the rivers are feared because too often people have died trying to cross them. Those who saw immediately prayed for help. One man wanted to jump in to try and save Peter but the others held him back lest an extra person die. Peter was swept down the river being smashed into boulders and plunging from one pool to the next each time being pinned to the bottom until the third time when he realized he didn’t have enough strength to fight the current and that he was about to die. He waved his arms saying goodbye to his family and friends as he thought to himself, “I’m going to die now but I’m ready.” But God had a different plan for him and right at that moment brought him close enough to the edge that one of the others could grab his hand and pull him out. The believers were moved to tears and then praised God for the miracle. They said, “Peter was as good as dead, but God gave him life.” And Peter himself marveled that the whole time he was in the river water never entered his nose or mouth, “It was like a blanket (of protection) was wrapped around me”. He said. That evening everyone was very sober and as they gathered in their little garden shelters in the middle of the jungle they glorifed God for saving Peter’s life. They sang worship songs into the night then some slept close to Peter thankful that God gave him life.

Peter teaching a Bible lesson

Several times since this happened they’ve brought up the story of Jonah and how Jonah was as good as dead but God used that difficult situation to teach him then gave him back his life. During the Sunday morning service the Bible teacher, Rison, talked about this again pointing out Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” And that God allows these hardships because he loves us and wants us to become mature in our faith. He reminded them that even in the middle of our difficulties God is there. And in the jungle or out in the towns He is there wanting to teach us through everything that comes into our life. It’s so good to see them standing strong on the word of God.

Good news to report that last week 2 Bible teachers who had been out in town returned to the tribe so we are praising God that they are back. It was good to hear that when they were out in town that they took some opportunities to encourage some of the other believers out there. David is currently working on the preliminary draft of Galatians. Thanks for praying.

teaching about spiritual warfare

A video game called ‘Battlefield’ has recently captured headlines in many parts of the world, yet out in the jungles of Papua New Guinea the Simbari church is hearing about another battlefield described in Ephesians chapter 6 (mekamiyo is the word for battlefield in Simbari). On this battlefield a spiritual battle is in progress. Eph. 6:12 says that in this spiritual battle God’s people are at war with the spiritual forces of darkness. The Simbari are familiar with fighting so it’s not just an empty metaphor for them. Fighting to protect your land is a common practice in Papua New Guinea.

Domestic fighting is also a common practice in this country. Ephesians has teaching for the family that is shedding new light on what the home life of Christ-followers should look like. Wives submitting to husbands as they do to Christ. Husbands loving their wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. Fathers training children to follow the Lord and children obeying their parents. And all of these under Christ as the head. These truths have been shedding new light into the family lives of the Simbari church. One couple just came wanting to confess how they had been away in the jungle doing garden work when they had a fight with each other. The man was in tears as he recalled how frightened his children had become. These two knew that they had sinned against God himself even though nobody else outside their family even knew what had happened. The Spirit quickly convicted them and they talked through the issue finally sitting the kids down on the floor of their hut and holding hands as they prayed together as a family. Asking forgiveness from each other and from God and later from the rest of the church for something done privately is evidence that God’s Spirit is really using these truths from Ephesians in their hearts.

The battle is already under way but God has given His people everything needed to be prepared for the fight. We need to put on His armor so we can stand up strong no matter what the enemy brings against us.  In the lesson we recalled the Israelites at the edge of the Red Sea having already been delivered from the king of Egypt who was then chasing them down because he wanted to put the Israelites back under his rule. That king of Egypt was symbolic of Satan who wants God’s people who have been delivered from his power to be back under his rule. And like Moses stood strong in faith we need to put on God’s armor and stand strong while on the battlefield.

One other man shared today how he and his wife have been wanting a pocket Tok Pisin Bible so they can study verses we haven’t yet translated for them. They have been praying and praying for a long time and saving as a couple and they finally were recently able to purchase one for each of them. It was humbling to consider that all this couple wished for was a little pocket Bible. Yet what about us, with all that we already have and even more under the Christmas tree, what are we wishing for? Today there is a tribe out there wishing for a missionary to come to them with the Good News of the Bible. Is there a better present that could be given? Thanks for praying for the Simbari but please remember to pray for the tribes who haven’t yet heard.

David & Shari Ogg