“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” -Jesus, Matthew 28:18-19
God´s Hand was really at work in Tumpa during our first two weeks, and we made about 70 new friends during that time. The question then turned to, “How are we going to follow up with this many people!?” Our heart´s desire is to build genuine relationships with these people and pour into their lives as much as possible…
And so we were reminded of the core of Jesus´ commission (and the core of the World Race): to make disciples. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Well, it´s more than head knowledge. It´s more than believing in God. It is embracing the truth that we have been bought at a price and belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20). It is “taking up our crosses” and following after Him… with our whole lives (Luke 9:23).
So where do we start? We start by spending every ounce of spiritual energy we have on others. One at a time. This means that we walk up to their doors and ask if we can talk for awhile. We sit down with individuals, listening to their lives, discussing their questions, and encouraging them to dive into the Word of God and into the depths of a relationship with God.
We have heard some awesome questions, like: “Who wrote the Bible?” “How is relationship different from religion?” and (my personal favorite) “How can I have a relationship with God?” We have sat for ours on end, just sharing our lives with our Peruvian brothers and sisters.
This is Marilia. She is fifteen-years-old and has recently decided to begin a personal relationship with Jesus, and to walk with Him forever! She is part of a teen girls Bible study that we are hosting, and we meet with her throughout the week to encourage her on her Journey.
As Team Agapetos heads to the remote village of Saquote next week, and as the rest of B Squad wraps up our time in Tumpa, please pray that:
- The local Body of believers in Musho embraces our new friends in Tumpa.
- We, and the local Body, are able to raise up leaders for the new Church body in Tumpa.
- The new believers and seekers in Tumpa begin to gather for mutual growth and encouragement.
Praise the Lord that “he who began a good work will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6) Amen!
