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Here to serve youNTM@work connects you with tribal missions and provides opportunities for increased involvement in taking the Gospel to ethnic groups who have yet to hear about Jesus.

Vol.68 · No.2 · November 2009

NTM@work teamExecutive Editor: Macon Hare

David Bell, Debbie Burgett, Rex Crawford, Ian Fallis, Jackie Fallis,Jon Frazier, Patrick Hatcher, Chris Holland, Christina Johnson,and Dena McMaster

NTM@work is published quarterly by New Tribes Mission.Periodical postage paid atMID-FL, FL 32799-9625Postmaster Please send address changes to NTM@work, New Tribes Mission, 1000 E. First Street, Sanford, FL 32771-1487 Subscriptions NTM@work is provided free to readers in North America on a year-to-year basis. To receive the magazine or have it sent to a friend, sign up online at ntm.org/subscribe, e-mail ntm@ntm.org, or call407-323-3430.

The magazine may be read online atntm.org/magazine.

Requests to reprint articles should be directed to Executive Editor Macon Hare at macon_hare@ntm.org or call 407-323-3430.Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part unlessexpressly authorized in writing.

NTM worldwideUSA 407-323-3430Canada 519-369-2622Australia 011-61-2-6559-8646Europe 011-44-1472-387700

NTM@work

164 connect: Get a glimpse of the gab we’ve gathered from Guinea and other geographies so you can get going on your goals in planting churches among the world’s unreached people groups.

14 go deeper: The Coming Storm!

16 One: Have you ever thought about whata beautiful thing the Body of Christ is?

21 Milk or Meat?

22 Planting for a Feast

29 Not Quite Ready to be Home Alone

< Watch the classic mission film The Mouk Story,and find out what’s happened since it was filmed

< Read how Tala Andig believers responded to the needs of others in the church

ntm.org/magazineonline8

It can take years before missionaries are ready to clearly share the Gospel with people from another culture who speak an unwritten language. Yet even that is just a start. Making disciples should become continuous, and that requires a maturing church.

cover and this photo by Dale Stroud

ESTABLISHING CHURCHES

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Rice is life.The Palawanos are working hard right now to pre-

pare their rice fields for planting. They have cleared and burned sections of land on the sides of mountains and will begin planting in a few days. Last year’s burn was a disaster because it was too wet. Thankfully, this year has been different and you can see the relief and excite-ment on their faces as they come back from their fields with the news that the “fire was strong” and their “uma (field) really got burned” this time.

Many Palawanos were saying that if their fields didn’t burn well this year they would die because the food they have gotten from the jungle is just about used up. Rice is life to the Palawanos!

Their whole existence revolves around ensuring their rice grows well. And they perform many rituals they be-lieve will help ensure a healthy and abundant harvest. One of the rituals they perform is to bring dried sea-weed from the coast and use it to light the dead leaves and branches in their rice fields. They want the fire in their fields to sound like the roaring ocean and believe the seaweed from the coast causes that sound. When it does, it means that the fire is raging and everything will be burned thoroughly, creating lots of ash which is good fertilizer.

Without rice, life for the Palawanos is fearful and un-certain. This basic commodity can mean the difference between life and death. — David Ward; Palawano Tribe, The Philippines

“”

I know God is true andI want to hear His Word!

— Aurelia, Tarahumara tribe, MexicoPhoto by Norm Slaymaker

funnydefinitionsVocabularian:A person who makes up new words.

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* pray

Several Bena Bena believers in Papua New Guinea have expressed interest in baptism. Please pray that they will fully understand that faith in Christ alone is the only requirement for baptism. Pray that they will grow in their faith and be an example to those who have chosen not to believe.More opportunities to pray:ntm.org/magazine”

?Blessing?As missionary Trudy

Bell began praying, the group around her solemnly bowed their heads, joining her in heartfelt prayer. She wanted to pray that God would bless the people. But in the middle of her prayer, she heard a gasp, then some restrained giggles. Trudy hastily finished her prayer so she could find out what was going on.

Praying in French for the first time, Trudy had accidentally asked God to hurt the believers. In French, blessure means “to hurt” while bénédic-tion means “blessing.” When they told her what she said, she was able to join in the laughter.

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Ministry: Church plantingSending churches: Revolution Church, Portsmouth, Ohio; Berean Baptist Church, Portsmouth, Ohio

Jenn grew up in Colorado and was challenged at a young age to be involved in taking the Gospel where it had never been. Her parents often opened their home to missionaries traveling through the area, which was a great op-portunity for Jenn to learn more about the lives of missionaries. When Jenn spent a month in Bo-livia she saw firsthand the need for missionaries.

Shawn grew up in Ohio and was also saved at a young age. He was exposed to missions growing up, and thought that being a missionary would be fun. But he never really thought that it would be him. He went on a number of short-term trips that taught him more about missions, and how he could be involved. In 2001, Shawn went on a NTM Summit trip to Bolivia, where he met Jenn and learned about people groups who had no ac-cess to the Gospel.

ntm.org/shawn_deatley

Shawn and Jenn DeAtley

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Trash & TreasureAfter 28 years in Papua New Guinea, Mike Henderson had finished translat-

ing the Aziana New Testament, helped plant a maturing, self-functioning tribal church and was now on his way back home. But since he couldn’t take everything with him, it was “up for grabs” in the village.

So, like a busy line of worker ants, the Aziana people soon stripped the little office bare. The sturdy old shovels were attractive. Cupboards went fast. Roofing tin almost ran out the door.

And that’s when the trouble started. Since even growing Christians aren’t immune to imperfection, a fight broke out over who got what.

But one Aziana believer stepped into the fray. “Stop arguing over that trash!” Anero ex-

claimed. “Mike left all of us the real trea-sure — God’s Word,” he reminded them.

Today, Aziana believers are sharing that true treasure with other tribes who live around them.

Hear stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

* answered prayerDikung, a Manabo man in the Philippines, has

been translating Bible lessons from the Manobo lan-guage into Cebuano. Recently he had only enough paper left to translate one more lesson and no glue – which he uses when he rewrites something and glues it over the original. Dikung prayed about it.

The next day, Mario, who believed in Christ through Dikung’s teaching, appeared at Dikung’s front door. Mario handed Dikung a plastic bag. Opening the bag, Dikung found 20 yellow pads, four boxes of pens and plenty of glue.

Mario did not know of Dikung’s need but wanted to buy the teacher something with money he earned from selling crops. Dikung said that God’s supply made it obvious that God wants him to spend more time translating lessons.

Be a part of answered prayer: ntm.org/magazine

“ Jesus the Christ …

came here to earth and

died in the place of my

sin. He didn’t have a sin

burden because He did

no sin. It was my sin that

was taken and loaded on

Him and He died in my

place. That is why it is

now I am living the life

which Jesus gave me. ”— MasaluLanduma tribe, Guinea

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ENDOWMENTSEndowing ongoing needs frees special gifts for use toward the most critical needs in planting tribal churches.

MTC Student ScholarshipsStudents come into the Missionary Training

Center with the intent of pouring their lives into ministry to tribal men and women. But some find themselves short on funds to pay for train-ing. They could leave the training, and postpone it or give up their God-given desire to serve Him among tribal people. Or they could receive a scholarship — a scholarship you could help provide by endowing the MTC Student Scholar-ships. You can help tribal people know Jesus by helping provide for a missionary to get equipped and go.

In addition, gifts to the MTC Student Scholar-ship endowment receive matching funds. Every $2 gift receives a $1 match. So when ministry partners donate the $30,000 total, the fund will have a $45,000 endowment.

Still needed: $19,607Find out more: ntm.org/magazine

Caring for the DeadRecently while I was hiking, I

passed the grave of a friend. An un-saved lady looked at the grave and said to those around, “Where is the betel nut?” (a stimulant a lot of the Ku-man people chew). Her question was a chastisement for not providing the deceased with an offering.

Graves are kept clean and supplied with offerings among the Kuman people in an attempt to keep the dead person happy and from tormenting the living.— Kelly Tallman;  Kuman tribe,Papua New Guinea

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[ ]Ministry: Tech CenterSending church: North Arundel Church, Glen Burnie, Maryland

John and Jeannette have been followers of Christ since childhood. They met at East Texas Baptist College in 1973 and married in 1976.

“We have been active in lo-cal missions and community outreach since high school and college. We helped lead our churches on many short-term support trips. After years of missions study, support and activity, we wanted to be more directly involved in the Great Commission and so we came to do our part at the Missionary Training Center in Missouri.

“We have always sought ways to be more involved in helping those with little opportunity to hear.”

ntm.org/john_cokendolpher

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Public Speaking 101Kips, a Tobo man in Papua New Guinea, described

his first day of teaching God’s Word.Does this sound vaguely familiar? “I sat there,” he said. “and my intestines were

shaking. As Tingon started teaching, I just sat there waiting for my time, wondering how I was going to be able to do this. Then it was my time to teach. My intestines were still shaking, but I started teaching my point of the lesson. And this is huge! As I started talking God just gave me thoughts and reminded me of what I had learned, and the words just came out. I know that God exists because I could not have taught that lesson on my own strength, but God gave me strength and I was able to do it. So now I am giv-ing big praise to Him.”

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And the LORD shall be King over all the earth.In that day it shall be — The LORD is one, And His name one.Zechariah 14:9

funnydefinitionsDust: Mud with the juice squeezed out.

“ god isn’t looking for peopleof great faith, but for individualsready to follow him. ” — hudson taylor

Children: TaliaMinistry: Church PlantingSending churches: Christ Community Church, Laguna Hills, California; Sheboygan Evangelical Free Church, Sheboygan, Wisconsin

“We both grew up on the mission field, but neither of us wanted to be missionaries. We both thought it would be nice to have ‘normal’ lives and be successful Americans. The Lord challenged us individually, however, and impressed on our hearts the needs we had seen growing up and the lack of workers to get the job done. We met at New Tribes Bible Institute and have been pursuing this ministry ever since.”

ntm.org/ryan_crossett

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Battling ClansThe night jungle of Papua New Guinea

erupted into violence. Two rival Abau clans circled each other, shouting threats and brandishing clubs and machetes.

One clan had insulted the other and now retaliation was in progress. And in true Abau fashion, everyone would be expected to choose sides and participate.

The missionaries could only watch and pray.

One-by-one, new Abau believers joined hands and formed a peacekeeping line between the battling groups. God’s Talk had come to their village and changed their hearts. Now, it was changing their actions.

Surprised and confused at this turn of events, the would-be warriors lost their fer-vor and everyone soon drifted back to their homes.

A new Abau culture had come to call.

Hear stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

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quickl kquickThe new Patpatar believers are growing. They praised God not only with their mouths, but with their actions. When the time came for missionaries to teach Bible lessons in another village in Papua New Guinea, several went along to help. They handled the review before the new lessons, skits during the lessons, and questions after the les-sons – as well as sharing what God is doing in their lives.

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[ c o n n e c t]The Stretcher

“Water! Does anyone have some water?”the weary group of tribal men called as they entered the Banwaon village.

They set the rickety stretcher – made of rice sacks and saplings – carefully down and thankfully gulped the wa-ter. Then they quickly explained.

This very ill Banwaon woman from another village was not able to deliver the placenta after giving birth and would die. And since the missionary pilot was away and she was too weak to endure a motorbike ride over rough, slippery roads, the group of believing men had decided to carry her 27 miles for help.

As the stretcher soon disappeared back into the Phil-ippine jungle, the unbelievers stood there shaking their heads. They couldn’t grasp what had just happened. A group of believers from their own village had just left to help take turns carrying the woman as well! What made them all care so much?Hear stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

* pray

Two Bolivian believers, Inocencio and Nati,traveled to remote towns to teach those who have not heard God’s Word. Despite many setbacks and problems, the two men were still able to teach, encourage and fellow-ship with the believers from the Trinitario and Yuracaré tribes. Praise God for Nati and Inocencio’s dedication to teach others about God’s Word. Please pray that they will continue to serve God.Pray daily:ntm.org/magazine

“It’s kind of funny that two strangers from America are teaching us in our tribal language,” one Patapatar leader said as Bible teaching in his language began for the first time. “It is good though, because like you said, God wants us to clearly understand His Word. What you are teaching is good. It is already making things clear to us.”

Strangers

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funnydefinitionsArachnoleptic fit: The frantic dance performed just after you’ve accidentally walked through a spider web.

* pray

TEACH ABROADHelp plant tribal churches by

making sure missionaries’ children get a good education. Coordinate home-schooling in Thailand. Teach art in Guinea, make the Bible come alive in the Philippines, or explain computer science in Indonesia. Meet the needs of special education stu-dents in Senegal. Serve for one to four years, or make it a career.Find your opportunity:ntm.org/magazine Photo by Kirk Rogers

quickl kquickAs missionaries taught about the life of Christ, one of the Madak

people of Papua New Guinea, Karl, asked, “If I do good, if I try to keep all the commands in the Bible, if I do this, if I do that, who am I putting my trust in as the Road?”

Another Madak man, Daruru, confidently replied, “Just you.”

Speak your mind

without saying

a word.

additional colors and t-shirts available online

ntmbooks.com/shirts

World missionswas on God’s mindfrom the beginning.

— Dave Davidson

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Tagbanwa ProjectDo you want to help equip men and women in other countries so

they can expand the reach of the Gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation? Your gifts help to train 25 Tagbanwa believers in church planting and community development. But that’s just the start. You are also helping to set up the facilities, curriculum and programs to continue, without ad-ditional outside income. And your gift will help not only the 7,000 isolated Tagbanwa people of the Philippines, but will also equip 50 men and women to reach Tagbanwa villages and the tribes that neighbor them. This is an

opportunity with ongoing results.

Still needed: $43,315Find out more: ntm.org/magazine

Photo by Jody Crain

quickl kquickDikung, a Manobo Bible teacher, thought he might know why

a rat bit him in the night and he had to deal with a snake while he was translating a lesson.

“Maybe Satan is angry because there is a group of children and young men who have asked to be taught (evangelistic Bible lessons) starting this evening,” he wrote.

Dikung is teaching a group of people who speak Cebuano, the lan-guage spoken in some Philippine cities and towns.

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We want to be faithful no matter what comes.

We have chosen the way of the Cross.

There is no turning back for us.

— Adiliano, Kuna tribe, Panama

“”

Yes, prayer works!When a radio station recently wanted to record

the chanting of a Manjui witch doctor, the believers got together and prayed that God would not let this happen. They didn’t want the witchdoctor’s chants to be heard anymore. When the radio technicians tried to make the recording their equipment wouldn’t work, so they left without getting any chanting. The believers were pleased that God heard and answered their prayers.— Jerry Pettus; Manjui tibe, Paraguay

ntm.org/reach13

Did you know?Did you know that in the Malinke language the letters H or F are interchangeable? The name Falayi might also be said Halaye. Most words that begin with F or H can begin with either letter. One of the most unusual things about the interchange is that most Malinkes don’t recognize a difference in pronunciation. If you ask them which way is correct, they’ll tell you “either one.”

Coming Storm![ g o d e e p e r]

by Chet PlimptonGeneral SecretaryNTM USA Executive Board

That was the question Paul pondered as he waited for the elders of the church of Ephesus to respond to his summons and travel the 30 miles to Miletus. The elders sorrowed when they heard Paul say, “And in-deed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more” (Acts 20:25). However, knowing that undoubtedly made them hang on his every word.

For three years, Paul had labored to plant a ma-ture church at Ephesus. He reminded the elders of that saying, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you” (Acts 20:20); and “I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). These phrases indicate that Paul carefully laid a foundation from the Scriptures that would lead to maturity.

Paul also reminded the elders that he had not only taught the church publically in the synagogue for three months and in the school of Tyrannus for two years (Acts 1:8-10), but he had also visited “from house to house” (Acts 20:20), no doubt answering specific questions and helping the believers apply the Word of God to their lives.

Paul’s choice of words, I “proclaimed it to you, and taught you” emphasize that he had presented the truth in great detail and had rehearsed and rein-forced his teaching by repetition.

Why had Paul invested so much in order to plant a mature church at Ephesus? And why was he so con-cerned that the elders “take heed” (Acts 20:28) or “be on their guard” regarding their own spiritual wellbe-ing and that of the other believers in the church?

The answer to both questions is that Paul could see the dark clouds fast approaching. He had seen them gathering for the three years he had been

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The

I f you had one last opportunity to say some-thing to your church, what would you say?

teaching at Ephesus. Knowing that led Paul to “warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). A church that is not mature will not bear consistent warning from Scripture, but instead, will desire teaching that makes them feel better about themselves and more tolerant about those who believe dif-ferently.

Now, as the elders gathered around him on the beach at Miletus, Paul did not say, “I think there is trouble com-ing to the church.” He was emphatic, saying to the elders, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speak-ing perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:29, 30). Paul had been watching the anti-Christ trends in society and the self-seeking trends within the church, and God had given him discernment that a spiritual hurricane was soon to descend upon the church.

The forecast was that the church would be attacked, both from without and from within. From without by false teachers Paul described as “sav-age wolves” that have no mercy. What image could be more graphic than sav-age wolves thirsting for blood, finding

entrance into the sheepfold! Heresy is cruel in the havoc it creates in the church! The church would also be at-tacked from within by men Paul identi-fied as “from among yourselves.”

Since the church began, there have always been men and women who seek a following for themselves and gain that following by “speaking per-verse things,” meaning they twist and distort the truth in such convincing ways that gullible saints not grounded in the truths of the Word of God are deceived. The result of these attacks from without and from within is the same — the devastation of the flock.

Paul knew that Christ had pur-chased the church at Ephesus with his own precious blood. During the years Paul taught them from the Scriptures, he wept countless times knowing they were to be ravaged by sinister forces of evil. Paul seized his last opportu-nity to faithfully warn the church at Ephesus to be prepared for the com-ing storm.

We would be naïve and irrespon-sible to suppose Paul’s concerns for the church of Ephesus in 57 A.D. is not directly and immediately applicable to each and every local church today in 2009, no matter where the church is found. That reality should bring con-cern to our hearts and renewed deter-mination to labor toward the maturity of the church!

Again, if you had one last opportunity to say something to your church, what would you say?

We generally think of attacks as obvious and alarming, but do you think it is possible for the church not to recognize an attack for what it is?

How important is it for a church to be mature, and how does maturity happen?

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by Lynne Castelijnmissionary to the Banwaon tribe in the Philippines

one Have you ever thought about what a

beautiful thing the Body of Christ is?

His Bride. The Church. Beloved.And I’m not talking about the physical church building — ours here in the tribe looks verydifferent from yours, no doubt.

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And we’re not talking about denomi-nations either …

No, rather, His beautiful glorious in-explicable Church — His people.

As we were sitting in the believers’ meeting this morning, our backsides wriggling and squirming trying to find a more comfortable position on the split-palm floor as the three hour meeting progressed, I was struck deep-ly by the beauty of the Body of Christ.

In just over a month we will be back in Australia. We will meet in a dif-ferent church building, worshipping and sharing with a different part of His Body. The form of service will be poles apart from how it’s done here. (I must admit I’m looking forward to those cushioned seats!) The worship team will get up and lead the sing-ing while we read from an overhead powerpoint show. Someone will give the announcements, the offering might be taken, one person will get up and

preach for 20 or 30 minutes. If he reaches the 40-minute mark, watches will be surreptitiously but frequently checked just in case the preacher’s forgotten there’s such a thing as time and lunch.

And God will be glorified through His Body in this particular way and in this culture, place and time.

But this morning as I listened to the in-depth teaching from Colos-sians and watched the tribal Banwaon Bible teachers preach and teach and expound with incredible understand-ing and passion, then as others around the meeting house piped up with their thoughts and insights (that’s how it’s done here — two or three main teach-ers sitting up front, everyone else sit-ting on the floor of the open meeting house, but anyone free at any time to interject a thought or explanation), I realized that although the setting is so different, it’s really no different to

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… God will be 

glorified through 

His Body in this 

particular way

and in this culture, 

place and time.

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what we’ll be doing in Australia in just over a month.

We are His Body. We are One. The same Spirit that is empowering and guiding Amay Disi in his teaching of the Banwaon believers today, is the same Spirit who is speaking through Pastor Greg in Laurieton, NSW, and Pastor Walter in Croydon, Victoria. Just as God was working through Amay Ladinay and Inay Gadya and Birtu in the things they shared today, He is working through Bronwyn and Sally and Neil in Australia.

The faces and food, clothes and houses, lifestyles and customs of the Banwaon people are so unlike any-thing we’ll experience in Australia. Yet it makes no difference in the Body of Christ. We are one in Him! It struck me afresh with such force this morning I just had to write about it. You who are reading this, who know and walk with the Savior, are part of His Body. Just like the Banwaon believers here. They are part of you and you of them because of Christ. It’s inexplicable and it’s indescribably precious.

Some people have written asking who will take over for us here in the tribe for the next two years while we’re back in Australia. I must admit the question took us a little by sur-prise. Aside from the fact that a new missionary couldn’t possibly learn first the trade language, then the tribal language and culture, then take over Albert’s translation work all within the two-year span that we plan to be in Australia, we found ourselves won-dering why we’d need more expatri-ate missionaries replacing us in here anyway.

Why? The Body. Ever since there have been believers in Jesus Christ in this place, the Holy Spirit has been working in their lives — maturing,

growing, accomplishing Christ’s purposes. Their hearts have thankfully been fertile ground and when we look at the part of the Church we will be leaving behind, we are in awe of their spiritual perception and maturity. No, definitely not perfect — who of us are? Silly question. But God and God alone has

Top: Kisi leading believers in worshipBottom: Faithful Bible teachers: Amay Disi, Amay Rina, Amay Esil, with Kapitan, a village officialLeft: Inay Daga praying with fellow believers

photo by Karmen Purcell

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indeed been building this part of His Church in this place.

Recently we were able to go out to town for a short break. When we left, there were major things brewing be-tween two key village leaders, both of whom profess to be Christians. It had the potential to be one of the biggest difficulties we’ve yet seen here, pos-sibly splitting this area of the tribe, and thus making things extremely dif-ficult even among the believers. When we returned from our break we were greeted with the news that church and village leaders had been able to sit down with the related parties and thoroughly work through the problem, resulting in repentance and restitution and a commitment between the two parties to work together for the glory of God. God had worked through His Body.

Rejoice with us! It fills our hearts with joy. How cool that they don’t need us here! Yes, there is still a part for us to play as the translation is not yet complete and there’s always stuff to do. But do they need us — or someone to replace us? No! They have been discipled, they are growing, they are mature and they are just as much part of His Body with exactly the same spiritual blessings and gifts that He has given your part of the Body.

Hallelujah!Be blessed today! You are appreci-

ated — you are part of us.But above all these things put on 

love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colos-sians 3:14, 15

Top: Amay and Inay SemilyaRight: Singing before a baptismBottom: Dedication of new church building

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Milk or meat?By Larry Goring | International Coordinator of Field Ministries

A key to understanding why New Tribes Mission establishes ma-ture churches is Ephesians 4:14-16:

… that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and car-ried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

This passage gives an excellent overview of what the successful results of church planting will be – and will not be.

It will not remain in the infant stage: The wonder of birth is followed by the miracle of growth … or the horror of remaining an infant for a lifetime.

Not tossed back and forth by the waves: Part of this picture is one of people in the church who never settle down, always pulled after this and that. But there’s also the issue of the church as a whole – a body of people who are, so to speak, all in the same boat. They can either be tossed about and getting nowhere, or sailing with stability and direction – actually going somewhere and accomplishing a purpose.

Nor by men’s tricks and plots: A mature church – and not just a few people in a mature church – will recognize deceit and crafti-ness and stand against it. Not so an immature church, which will be misled and torn apart.

Instead, the mature church will be characterized by ... Speaking the truth in love: The truth is a means of helping

others in the body grow and find joy, not a weapon to be wielded against them.

Growing up under the direction of the Head: Church leaders in a mature church are best characterized as followers of Jesus. Their example is the best form of leadership.

The whole body joined and held together: This is a picture of the unity that God desires for each church.

Each part finding and doing its work: When a church is ma-ture and a large percentage of members are contently and effec-tively functioning in their gifts, new members fit in easily and the church is able to accomplish the tasks that God has set before the body.

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Plantingfor a FeastA garden was planted this past spring — where one had never been before. And it was quite a job.

First the carefully chosen patch of backyard was dug

up and fertilized. Next the seeds were evenly spaced

and planted according to schedule. Then came the

watering and watching for any signs of life. And soon

all the effort was rewarded as tender shoots began to

sprout — only to suddenly disappear.

It was discovered that rabbits were getting in and

eating anything as soon as it popped up out of the

ground. So a fence was built to protect the garden. But

even then, it was still continually guarded and weeded

and tended carefully. Why? Because the real goal in

planting the garden had not yet been achieved. All of

the hard work would be for nothing if the plants never

reached maturity and began to produce the life-giving

food they were created for.

photo by Jan Wols

And so it is with church planting. The goal is not just to plant a church, but to have it grow to maturity and be producing in the end. It’s planting (and planning!) for a feast — however long that may take. And that was the goal when NTM missionaries arrived in Papua New Guinea and began to plant the Lamogai tribal church — where one had never been before.

First the hard ground was broken through by learning their unique cul-ture and language. It was exhausting, mind-breaking labor. But the secrets of the tribal words and actions finally yielded to understanding. And slowly the dark Lamogai soil turned over, ex-posing the deep roots of their beliefs and traditions.

The Lamogai people have always been in a race for their lives. It’s been a pushing, shoving, clawing, climbing race to gain more and more status and respect among their people.

This involved continu-ally working, striving, planning, scrimping and saving to get as much shell money as they could to fulfill their cultural obligations and not “lose face” in front of others. But at the same time, they also wanted to “outdo” everybody else to gain even more status.

One of the ways the people were always trying to make a lot of money was when some-body died.

Since Lamogai fami-lies aren’t supposed to bury their own relatives, they needed to pay

someone else to do the “dirty work” for them. So leaders from different groups that the dead person had business dealings with would start showing up at the grieving family’s door — to pressure them for the job.

Sometimes it was subtle.“Don’t worry about the work,” one

leader would say. “We are partners, right? I will just tell my boys and they will help you in this hard time. No, no, don’t worry about the payment. I’ll be fair.”

Other times it was outright.“You better give me the work! You

owe me big time for when you cleaned me out before! But don’t worry. I won’t let my boys harass you. I’ll keep it nice.”

And whichever group the family felt that they “owed it to” the most or who had the most business leverage over them, would get the job.

24

phot

o by

Ann

ette

Wol

s

25

Then after the burial, in front of all the relatives and visitors that gathered for the funeral, the group would de-mand their price — 20 to 30 and some-times even 40 strings of shell money and a pig. And that was anything but fair or nice.

But in order for the family to “save face” in front of all the people and not appear stingy or less “well-to-do,” they had to pay the exorbitant amount.

Another cultural obligation that the Lamogai people needed these exces-sive amounts for was the circumci-

sion celebration of their firstborn son. While the other sons are circumcised shortly after birth, firstborn sons had to wait till they were 11 or 12.

“A big party would be held and much shell money and food would be given to the relatives and visitors,” said NTM missionary Jan Wols. “It would multiply their status if they were able to out-give what others had given be-fore [at their son’s circumcision].”

This kind of celebration would be equivalent to a very large, extravagant wedding in our culture. The party took years to plan and save for, consuming all the Lamogais’ time, energy and fo-cus. And since they gained an even bet-ter position in the community if they could out-give everyone else, it ended up costing a small fortune.

And into this status-driven, rivalry-breeding soil, the truth of God’s Word was liberally applied — full strength. It soaked in and powerfully began to break up the cultural clods that had held them captive for centuries and fertilize their hearts for what was to come. Then the Gospel of Jesus Christ was firmly planted — and the mis-sionaries held their breath and prayed. And one day, new Lamogai believers began sprouting up in the jungle.

A church was born.But even in the midst of the cel-

ebrating, the job was far from over.Planting and sprouting alone won’t

put food on the table. If the ultimate goal is a feast, the young Lamogai church now needed careful tending

Far Left: The Lamogais now have the Bible in their languageTop: Gardens utilize any flat spot.Bottom: Lamogai church

photo by Jan Wols

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

• Lam

ogai

was

the

first

wor

k op

ened

in

the

isla

nds

regi

on o

f Pap

ua N

ew G

uine

a

• Lam

ogai

airs

trip

com

plet

ed• F

irst B

ible

tran

slat

ion

bega

n

• Firs

t Bib

le te

achi

ng b

egan

• Firs

t Lam

ogai

chu

rch

born

• Jan

and

Ann

ette

join

ed th

e La

mog

ai w

ork

• Mik

e an

d Sa

ndy

mov

ed to

ope

n w

ork

in S

outh

La

mog

ai •

Seco

nd c

hurc

h bo

rn in

Sou

th L

amog

ai

• Jan

and

Ann

ette

mov

ed to

Sou

th L

amog

ai •

Dav

e an

d Pa

tti j

oine

d D

ave

and

Nan

cy in

Nor

th L

amog

ai •

Third

chu

rch

born

in S

outh

Lam

ogai

• Ror

y an

d M

ary

join

ed Ja

n an

d A

nnet

te

in S

outh

Lam

ogai

• Fou

rth

chur

ch b

orn

in S

outh

Lam

ogai

• Fift

h ch

urch

bor

n in

Nor

th L

amog

ai •

Sixt

h ch

urch

bor

n in

Sou

th L

amog

ai, t

augh

t by

Lam

ogai

Bib

le te

ache

rs

History of the Lamogai Church

The missionary team to the Lamogai church:Mike and Sandy Mikolavich (teaching, discipleship, literacy, medical work) 1981 – 1991

Dave and Nancy Brunn (translation, discipleship, teaching, literacy, medical work) 1981 – 1995

Kevin and Marge Jenson (culture and language study, medical work) 1984 – 1986

Jan and Annette Wols(teaching, discipleship, literacy, medical work) 1987 – 2002

Dave and Patti Hodgdon(teaching, discipleship, curriculum, medical work) 1990 – 1998

Rory and Mary Fuller(translation, discipleship, teaching, curriculum, medical work)1991 – 2002

and protecting to make sure it reached maturity and began to produce on its own. Otherwise, the church doors would be left wide open to all kinds of “rabbits.”

So the vigilant missionaries stood guard — with the Word of God in one hand and a living example in the other.

But sometimes, rabbits can still sneak under the fence — when you least expect it.

“We didn’t see it coming,” Jan Wols remembers. “But it wasn’t rabbits — it was giant foxes!”

At the appropriate time in their

growth, the missionaries began to teach the Lamogai believers about “church leadership with the purpose of helping the church to recognize and appoint el-ders,” Jan related.

Since the whole goal is for mission-aries to work themselves out of a job and leave a maturing, self-functioning church, this was vital teaching.

But when introduced into a culture that had always been in a breakneck race for status, the combination was explosive. It ignited old cultural flames that had been flickering unnoticed just below the surface.

1996

1997

1998

• Dav

e Br

unn

finis

hed

the

tran

slat

ion

of th

e La

mog

ai N

ew T

esta

men

t

• Aft

er 1

995,

six

mor

e ch

urch

es w

ere

born

in N

orth

and

So

uth

Lam

ogai

, tau

ght b

y La

mog

ai B

ible

teac

hers

.And unaware of these smoldering

embers, the missionaries left for their scheduled home assignment.

“Once we had kindled their old cultural ways by teaching on church leadership,” said Jan, “some wanted to bring the old ways of gaining status into the church so they would become the recognized leaders.”

But the old ways of gaining posi-tion — like being a firstborn son, a good hunter, gardener, speaker or having lots of money — were clearly not the Biblical criteria for choosing church leadership.

And without the needed protection, the giant cultural foxes rushed in with tails on fire — and soon the garden was ablaze.

“In our absence, the church went to battle over control,” said Jan. It started to “split along family lines and deals were made to pull others into their group.”

The garden was getting trampled.But God was very aware of the rab-

bits and foxes and fires that were seek-

ing to destroy the little tribal church in Papua New Guinea. And He provided the ultimate protection. He worked faithfully through His Word and through His Spirit — and drew their hearts to His. The Lamogai believers “came to understand what they were doing” and sought help.

“A group of five church leaders from the neighboring Mouk church were invited to counsel and disciple the Lamogai believers from their own ex-perience,” Jan said.

And over time and teaching, the hungry little cultural beasts were ul-timately shooed out of the garden and the church continued to grow.

But through it all the goal was never forgotten — a wonderful feast. And God’s Word lit the way to the table — up and down every row. Weeds were yanked. Bugs were sprayed. Bun-nies were chased. And change sprang to life.

As the believers learned and grew in their desire to apply God’s Word, they

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

• Mis

sion

arie

s m

oved

out

of N

orth

Lam

ogai

; w

ork

bega

n iti

nera

ntly

• Firs

t eld

ers

appo

inte

d in

the

Nor

th L

amog

ai c

hurc

hes

• Mis

sion

arie

s m

oved

out

of S

outh

Lam

ogai

; w

ork

bega

n iti

nera

ntly

• Firs

t eld

ers

appo

inte

d in

Sou

th L

amog

ai c

hurc

hes

• Ror

yFu

ller fi

nish

ed tr

ansl

atin

g La

mog

ai O

ld T

esta

men

t por

tions

28

discovered a disparity between their constant struggle for status and how the Bible says to live. It just wasn’t matching up. And neither was there time to do both. They couldn’t read and study Scripture for themselves or teach anybody else and still keep up the endless race for a better position.

Slowly, the light dawned. The only position that mattered was their posi-tion in Christ. The all-consuming cul-tural quest to outdo everyone else was not pleasing to God or helpful to their families or the community. So one by one their time- and money-gobbling practices began to fall away.

The feasting had begun.Today, when someone dies, instead

of trying to “make a lot of money over the back of a family in mourning,” said Jan, “now they do the work [of burial] as a ministry to those in sorrow.”

Or as the tribal people put it, “We do not want to continue this business of our dead relative’s bodies any longer!”

The believers also reevaluated their elaborate circumcision celebrations.

“Again the church leaders looked at what they were giving themselves to,” said Jan. “They recognized that they were living for their own honor and glory … but wanted to start working for God’s glory.”

As Mosio, a Lamogai man, said, “I did not want to use my son to do busi-ness for my glory. And now my son has a boy and I help him not to give in on the pressure to do this.”

Believers still joyfully celebrate the occasion — but around a nice family meal.

And released now from the bondage of status and money, the believers are free to serve God fulltime.

“Today, the Lamogai church is send-ing out two families to the coast to teach five families the Good News of Christ in the coastal dialect,” said Jan. “They are not paid by anyone, but trust God to provide for them in much the same way we trust the Lord to provide through our partners at home.”

Their church and their families helped the new Lamogai missionaries build their houses. They collected the money to buy leaves that the two fami-lies would need for their roofs. Then some of the men went to cut the wood and do the actual building. Others are providing food and other necessities.

And the Lamogai feast goes on.But as these new missionaries move

forward on their own, their guid-ing goal is still clear and in this case, even more dear. It is the same goal that brought Jan Wols and other NTM missionaries to their tribe in the first place and completely changed their lives — the goal of not just planting a church, but planting a mature church.

And with their hoe now poised above the coastal soil, the two Lamogai families stand ready to begin planting for a wonderful feast all over again. Rabbits beware!

by Debbie Burgett | contributing editor

Jan Wols commissioning Lamogai elders

phot

o by

Gid

eon

Ter M

aat

not quite ready to be home aloneWe felt as if we were leaving small children to fend for themselves. Our co-workers were on home assignment, and most of the Western Tarahumara believers had a long way to go to maturity.And now – suddenly and unexpectedly –we had to leave …

by Ted Wingomissionary to the Tarahumara people in Mexico

30

… for seven months to treat my wife’s cancer. We had little time to prepare the believers, so our hearts were heavy.

In the months to come, we were able to make only two short visits. When we finally returned we found it a challenge to assess the believer’s maturity.

Several issues soon became evident.Their old animosities and their dif-

ficulty trusting others hadn’t just gone away upon trusting Christ. Social, re-ligious and economic ties are strongly interwoven, making it difficult for them to change their ways.

We are realizing it takes time for the new believers to see how God wants to transform their lives from the ways that bound them together in the past, to the new, healthy, interdependent relationships by which they can glorify God as redeemed Tarahumaras. We continue to encourage them to view one another as family.

Nacho, one of the men who we be-lieve is showing great promise for fu-ture leadership, was left in charge.

He agreed to lead meetings at his ranch — teaching, singing, and praying with those who attend the believers’ meetings, usually numbering between ten and 20. He expressed sadness that even though a few met initially, most

did not. Since then, he has confessed to the church that he himself was not faithful to lead and encourage the others and publicly asked their forgiveness — a big step for the shy Tarahumaras and a definite sign of God working!

Toribio is a new believer who trusted Christ after love and care was shown him. He continues to struggle with a broken arm that will never fully heal this side of Heaven.

Despite the difficulties he faces in a society that defines work only as hard physical labor, Toribio continues to grow and witness to many around him. His wife has come to trust the Lord because of his witness and concern. He has shared with his elderly grand-mother, and his sister and mother are hearing the teaching of God’s Word due to his encouragement. He has been helping with translation and is now very faithful in coming to the believers’ meetings (as least when we are here).

However, because the believers were not meeting regularly in our absence, it

photo by Pastor Joe Ringwalt

photo by Ted Wingo

has taken a steady diet of encourage-ment from God’s Word to see him built back up to where he was spiritually when we left. Hearing him recently review the lesson from a previous believers’ meeting gave our hearts a lift. From memory and in great detail, he retold the biblical accounts of Cain and Abel and Noah and the Ark, includ-ing good personal application. He is starting to demonstrate God’s spiritual power even as he learns to live with his own physical weakness.

Lucasio has said he wants to trust Christ and is a fairly regular attender of the believers’ meetings but has contin-ued to go back and forth, not wanting to separate from the former ways. It seems evident he had some problem with Nacho and did not want to attend meetings at his ranch while we were gone.

When I questioned him about his behavior and challenged him from the Word, he finally acknowledged that his behavior was not “obedience of faith.” Since that confrontation he has been more faithful, openly helpful, and at-tentive to the Word.

Juana, an older single woman was one of the first believers. She has been like a daughter to us and has been faithful to obey God’s Word — clear to the point of turning down multiple opportunities to marry because the men were not believers. While we were

gone, though, she al-lowed her unbelieving parents and the entice-ments of sin to draw her

away from the community of believers. After being lovingly confronted, Juana has come back. In her words, she had become walome (weak) because of ne-glecting to read God’s Word and regu-larly meet with other believers. She wants to turn from her sin and get back on the “new road.” She constantly faces much opposition from her mom who greatly opposes her new faith.

In teaching and visiting with the be-lievers I am stressing the importance of unity and body life from Scriptures like John 17 and 1 Corinthians 12 to help the young church see the impor-tance God places on His people getting along and valuing one another. This is both for their own growth and for out-reach to the watching community.

One step that I feel will help advance this interdependency is for the men to begin meeting for prayer during the week in their various houses. In this time before they have a church build-ing, I hope and pray such meetings will help move them from meeting at the missionaries’ houses to being more comfortable meeting in their own homes — making the whole church more indigenous.

These meetings could also give in-centive for the different men to take steps in leadership training. During these times, key Scriptures from 1 Timothy (now being translated) that lay out the qualifications for leadership can be discussed.

We trust all that happened — or didn’t happen! — in our absence will be a very personal object lesson to the Tarahumaras as to what happens when we, as believers, do not function as a family. May this give them incen-tive to love and encourage one another in Christ, even when we can’t be with them, thus making the new church truly theirs.

Top: Nacho and ToribioFar left: Ted with Rosalino.Left: Sharon talking with Virginia [Torbio’s sister] and her children. Virginia is now hearing Bible teaching and responding positively.

phot

o by

Bar

ry W

ingo

31

There are still m

ore bridges to cross.ntm.org/R

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Photo by Laurel Van Vliet