Simply amazing

Yesterday, I had a phone conversation with my former pastor who was despairing over how slow some people he knows have taken to get overseas and begin working. He thinks that the pioneer church planting will be completed within the next 15 years. After that, every person will be forced to build on others' foundations...if the Lord doesn't return.

I don't know that I'd agree with his time assessment, but I did just finish viewing some reports from Firestone teams working in Central Asia, and my jaw drops in wonder as I read about hundreds and thousands of Ms coming to the Lord--some of them en masse.

If I shared everything, I might have you reading here much longer than you need to be sitting in front of a computer--so here's just a sampling. Keep in mind that the following stories are taking place in a war-torn country that most people, until recent years, would call "unreachable":

In one area of the country I have heard of 700 - 800 people having come to the Lord. Mainly _________... the most looked down upon ethnic group. One guy is being called John the Baptist because he has baptized so many local people here. Many of those folk are coming to _____for training and discipleship, so we know it really is going on.

Here we have witnessed about 15 baptisms. One was convinced that he really was going to die with Christ when he went under the water. He thought we had to drown him, then he would be resurrected. Still, he was willing to go ahead with it until the moment before he was put under the water and then suddenly lost his nerve. He started fighting and struggling to prevent being put under. When he finally understood we weren't actually going to drown him he went through with it!

A married couple were about to be baptized and an argument suddenly sprang up ... should she be baptized with her bra on or off !!!!!!! Our Bible studies hadn't quite prepared for that eventuality!

There was an incredible healing miracle that occurred the other day. A boy with a terrible liver problem and horribly distended belly ... was completely healed after prayer. The mother was calling us 'Mullahs (Muslim pastors) that pray in the name of Jesus! Some people went to the local governor complaining we were trying to convert people ... and giving Bibles. He had previously been very hostile to people like us. This time he merely said, "Well, give them a quran then"!

One of our brothers got arrested for his faith and then released after 2 hours. He is undaunted though and continues to witness.

That said, the work here is all very fragile and some are falling away ...none of those we are working with are over a year and half old in their faith. It is a messy business I am discovering and no matter what you read on how it should be done people just aren't fitting into our boxes! I have learned that someone may seem to be a fervent believer today but tomorrow it is a different story!! However, God is building his church and it is a privilege to see what is going here in these days ... unprecedented in this country I believe. Just the huge number of workers that are arriving here is a sure indication that something pretty big is afoot.

Hope you're as encouraged as I was.