Faithful Phurahs for Colombia

Posted on: 
January 1, 2018

As Jesus began His earthly ministry, He carefully sought out and called twelve men to be with Him and witness His earthly ministry. Later, after His resurrection, these same twelve men would be given the command to take the Gospel "into all the world." Twelve men, right? Is that where the story ends?

No. In the book of Acts we find around one hundred twenty men and women gathered together in the upper room on the day of Pentecost—not just twelve. And we find the same to be true of Jesus' ministry as we read of other disciples beyond just "the twelve" (e.g. Luke 6:13, 10:1; John 6:61–67).

I've been challenged lately to seek to be one of the "unknown" disciples. God needs men like Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul, but He is also looking for men like Elihu, Baruch, and Onesimus. As Brother Smith put it, "We need more missionaries whose names don't appear in the credits."

As we've begun our initial survey of Colombia, we are finding many locations where workers are needed—not just workers with college degrees and specialized training, but workers who are willing to live, suffer, give, and serve among the unreached peoples of Colombia. Some of these groups have a New Testament or have a translation in progress, yet many villages still have no Christian witness—not a church or even a single Christian.

Some of these places are open and have invited us to come start a Christian work there, but some are closed, not allowing any Christians to come. These people have been misused in the past and don't want any "outside" influence. This cries for more prayer warriors to beseech God to throw open the doors for the Gospel to penetrate these places.

Maybe you don't feel you're a Gideon. But remember that Gideon didn't fight alone. Phurah* was there along with three hundred other men whom God chose. God is looking for faithful Phurahs to advance His kingdom among the unreached people of Colombia!

In many ways the survey work here has just begun. Though we have taken a few trips and looked at several groups, our traveling has not really begun yet in earnest. One reason for this is that we first need to understand what other Christians are doing and where they are working. This is a great need in missions today. We praise God that there are others who are actively taking the Gospel to the unreached here in Colombia, but it's a bit of a challenge to gather all the necessary data to make sure we don't "double up" on current works in progress.

This month, Lord willing, we will head out and start visiting some of the indigenous communities, using the foundational information we’ve already collected. So pray with us in the following:

For us and our families as we will be separated for days at a time
The spiritual warfare that accompanies advancing into enemy territory
That the Lord would lead us to the right contacts
That a "great and effectual" door will open before us
That God would raise up translation and church-planting teams to meet the needs here in Colombia

-MJM
ABT Field Member

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  • “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
  • “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witness of these things.” Luke 24:47, 48
  • “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations.” Matthew 28:19
  • “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3
  • “That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel.” Ephesians 3:6
  • “That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21
  • “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?” Mark 11:17
  • “Ask of me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance.” Psalm 2:8
  • “Behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes.” Revelation 7:9
  • “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1
  • “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16
  • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
  • “As cold water to a weary soul, so is good news from a far country.” Proverbs 25:25
  • “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” Psalm 19:10
  • “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.” Psalm 22:27
  • “Truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.” Numbers 14:21
  • “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.” Psalm 96:3, 4
  • “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Habakkuk 2:14
  • “That all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other.” 1 Kings 8:60
  • “For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations.” Malachi 1:11
  • “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name.” Psalm 86:9
  • “For as the earth brings forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” Isaiah 61:11
  • "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10
  • "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3, 4
  • "You are worthy. . .; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God." Revelation 5:9, 10