Wednesday 03 Aug
Scott shares about an exciting new project in India.
Baptist Mission Australia has a long and fruitful partnership with Baptists in North East India and Papua New Guinea and there are exciting new ministry opportunities opening up in both places.
In India, the Rabha Baptist Convention (RBC) has seen an increase of new families from another faith move into the region. Through their work as traders, farmers and labourers, they come in direct contact with the Rabha believers daily and even welcome the open conversations about life and faith.
These new neighbours have been asking and talking about similarities between the two faiths; a few have already decided to follow Jesus!
RBC leaders have expressed a strong interest to train themselves and their people on how to share the hope of Jesus with their new neighbours. Our Asia Mission Mobiliser R* and Intercultural Mission Advisor Roger have visited the Rabhas on location to listen, consult and observe what is going on.
R says: “
The Rabha Christians recognise the unique opportunity to witness to their neighbours and that this door may not always be open to them.”
This opportunity has dovetailed with the development of our new Asian Mission Mobilisation strategy through which Baptist Mission Australia wants to partner, equip, and mobilise the intercultural workforce from among our traditional partners and like-minded organisations in the region.
We have now finalised a plan to run a pilot transformational, intercultural training program in the Assam region in October 2022 in partnership with the RBC. Participants are also expected from other Baptist groups associated with the Lower Assam Baptist Fellowship.
R comments: “
We plan to bring together mission practitioners from within our organisation to share our experiences and to learn together at the feet of Jesus. We are excited to be coming alongside our brothers and sisters and building their confidence in sharing their faith meaningfully across cultures.”
Let me invite you to partner with our team and the Rabhas in their first intercultural work as they make the most of this rare opportunity to cross a cultural boundary and share the good news of Jesus with their new neighbours!
The project code on our website is
INwh411 - Transformational Training.
Click here to give or find our more >>
In other exciting news, Geoff Cramb has commenced this month in a new PNG partnership consultancy role. Geoff, who formally served in PNG, has a long and passionate association with PNG Baptists. Over the next six months, Geoff will meet with PNG Baptist leaders and explore new partnership opportunities, including the setting up of a PNG intercultural mission sending arm.
I am looking forward to visiting PNG early next year with Geoff. By then we hope to be in a position to sign a new partnership agreement with our Baptist friends in PNG. Watch out for more details in the coming months.
Please join me in praying for the Rabhas, R, Roger and our team as they prepare for the training gathering and for those that who will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus in ways that make sense to them. Let’s also be upholding Geoff and the leaders of the PNG family of Baptist churches as we look to new collaborative ministry opportunities.
It’s exciting to see God’s Spirit at work, opening up new partnership opportunities across the world. We celebrate the privilege we have together to be co-workers in the good news of Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace
Scott
*For security reasons, R's full name has not been used.
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