Page 8 - Western Recorder NOVEMBER 2020

8 Western Recorder ǀ November 2020
Baptisms held in Russia are another result of evangelism efforts by IMB missionaries which are supported by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
– IMB photo
Niger is overwhelmingly Islamic. He said they are free to share openly and boldly. Personally, there has been no persecution for believing or preaching the gospel. However, for a Niger man or woman to profess Christ as Savior, it is different. “It is a costly thing — those who do follow Jesus pay a heavy cost.”
The COVID outbreak necessitated greater use of social media and other media platforms. “It was a great time of creativity and many resources were produced that otherwise may not have been. We’ve had lots of great gospel conversations with people as they walk through these unprecedented days.”
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An overseas worker from Living Hope who could not be identified for security reasons faces severe opposition that takes various forms. There is opposition from the government as well as shamans and witch doctors. “However, we have always seen that persecution never has the intended effect of the persecutor. Persecution simply gives believers a chance to show a watching world that what they say they believe is worth suffering for.” He notes that persecution has always resulted in a stronger, more vibrant and multiplying church.
“We have seen persecution scatter believers out of towns to surrounding villages where believers then led family members and neighbors to Christ and started churches. This isn’t limited to (accounts in) Acts, God is still — in His sovereignty — using evil men to scatter His church for the purpose of kingdom growth.”
The missionary said the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering has allowed his family to be “an incarnation witness to people who have little to no access to the gospel otherwise. The generosity of Southern Baptists puts literal rubber to the road to villages and people groups that have never heard the good news of Jesus before.
“Further, it allows us to disciple new believers and strengthen church leaders. Then, when persecution and opposition come and a time comes when we are no longer able to be there ourselves, the gospel continues forward — carried on by the believers we have had the privilege of discipling and training.”
Their ministry partners report that COVID has caused “an opening of hearts in some areas unlike anything they have ever seen.” He noted that COVID “is help- ing people to accurately see that some of the things and people they believed they could trust in are not trustworthy and are not sources of true, lasting hope. Doors are opening to the gospel in a new way, and believers are running through those open doors with the hope that is only found in Christ!”
The missionary reports that the biggest challenge in that area now is access. He encouraged Kentucky Baptists to pray that 2 Tim. 2:1-2 would be lived out in that area of the world. “Pray that those who we have gotten to be a part of seeing ‘strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus’ would continue to ‘entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.’”