One of the great joys that God has graciously allowed me to experience on a regular basis is the joy of seeing 1st generation believers grow in their relationship with God and become true fishers of men and mentors for other 1stgeneration believers. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”
As I write this update, I am sitting at my desk thinking about all of the discipleship and mentoring that happens just outside my office not 10 yards from the door of my office every single week.
Here is a picture of one of those discipleship times. You may see one thing but let me tell you what I see. Much like what I shared with you when I shared about one of our staff from the Muang UPG a few days ago, I see in this picture one of our awesome staff – Phet – disciplining, teaching the Bible, praying with, encouraging, counseling, mentoring, and investing her life into the life of a university student named Saali. In other words, I see a 1stgeneration believer (Phet) from one unreached people group (Mien UPG) mentoring another 1stgeneration believer (Saali) from a very different unreached people group (Thai Yai UPG).
First let me tell you a little more about Phet. Phet gave her heart to Jesus about 11 years ago while she was a university student at Mae Fah Luang University some 7 kilometers north of our current church location. I remember very clearly the day Phet gave her heart to Christ. On that day, Phet became the first person in her entire family to become a Christian. Phet is from another unreached people group called the Mien or the Yao UPG.
Saali is also the first person in her family to give her heart to Jesus and is from a very different unreached people group called the Thai Yai. Both are Thai citizens but from very different cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds. God has allowed NTIM to be a part of helping not only reach 1st generation believers, but also to help equip them to reach and mentor other 1stgeneration believers. I don’t know what you think, but I really think that makes the heart of God smile.
So that you will know how to better pray for us, let me share with you a little more about this 1stgeneration mentor named Phet. As I shared earlier, Phet gave her heart to Jesus through the ministry of Baan Athitaan Church while she was a student at Mae Fah Lunag University. Ever since that time she has been a vital part of the ministry here. God opened a door for her to come on staff with us 6 years ago and she has served faithfully and been a great blessing to the ministry here.
Phet deeply
loves the Lord and wants to serve Him with all her heart. Phet serves as my Administrative Assistant, one of our key translators and in many other roles. One of her most important roles is serving as one of our key mentors for new believers. Today we would ask that you join us in praying for Phet and for NTIM’s work among the unreached. As I shared earlier, Phet is from the Unreached People group of the Mien. Tomorrow I will share more details about this very strategic unreached people group. But for now, let us join together in prayer.
loves the Lord and wants to serve Him with all her heart. Phet serves as my Administrative Assistant, one of our key translators and in many other roles. One of her most important roles is serving as one of our key mentors for new believers. Today we would ask that you join us in praying for Phet and for NTIM’s work among the unreached. As I shared earlier, Phet is from the Unreached People group of the Mien. Tomorrow I will share more details about this very strategic unreached people group. But for now, let us join together in prayer.
Prayer Example:“Lord, thank You for loving us enough to send someone into our lives to tell us about the gospel. We thank you for loving Phet enough to send someone into her life to tell her about the gospel. We thank You for loving others enough to send people like Phet into the lives of others to tell them about the gospel. We want to take this moment and ask You to bless Phet in a very special way. Help her to be salt and light in all that she does. We ask that You would be pleased to use her to help reach her family, her friends, her neighbors, her own people group, and even other people groups. Thank You for her work with NTIM and how she faithfully serves You each and every day. We pray that You would give her great love and wisdom as she pours her life into discipling young university students in Northern Thailand. We pray this in Jesus name.”