God is always at work and inviting us to join him if we are willing to expect the unexpected.
Church Planting in Papua New Guinea
by Harmon R. Schmelzenbac

This church-planting story comes from Papua New Guinea, and is told by Harmon R. Schmelzenbach, strategy coordinator for the Melanesia and South Pacific Fields, on the Asia-Pacific Region:

This last year our Papua New Guinea Islands district superintendent and team leaders were finishing up a couple of intense weeks of training deep in the interior of the rugged island of Bougainville. They knew that in order to catch the only flight out in many days, they would want to leave by four-wheel-drive truck no later than 2:00 AM to give themselves plenty of time.

Everyone was loaded up and heading out by 2:00 AM but soon their journey was slowed with changing multiple flat tires, getting stuck in the deep mud from tropical storms, and fording flooded rivers. They pulled into the small town of Buka just in time to see their airplane disappearing into the distant sky. It was Saturday, and there was no other way out of these islands for two days.

The men found a place to stay for a small fee, and after visiting with the owner of the humble house, they explained that they were Christians and that tomorrow was Sunday, and asked “Would it be possible to gather a few people for a church service at your house in the morning?”

The man was not sure what to say, so he said yes. Off to the market they went, splitting up as they began talking to anyone who would listen. By mid-morning the next day, a large crowd of people had gathered at the house of the surprised man, a church service was held, and the love, forgiveness, and hope that can only be found through Christ were shared.

Many people accepted the Lord, and a large number gathered afterwards, asking what to do now. The men decided that this was the reason they had missed the airplane. By the time they left the next day, a Nazarene church had been planted and arrangements had been made to get a Bible college student to come as soon as possible to be the first pastor of this new, growing church.

God is always at work and inviting us to join him if we are willing to expect the unexpected.

Holiness Today

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