54 Baptized in Biak. 400 came Nightly.

Opening night of our Evangelism meetings in Biak.

There are about 20-25 cities of 50,000 to 600,000 in population within Papua Mission’s territory.   Typically, we try to have a number of small meetings in the surrounding area’s and then I come for a major meeting in the city center.    Biak is a good example of the hard work of some of our finest pastors working together with the Power of the Holy Spirit.

On this Beautiful Island Paradise located above the Neck of the Birds Head Peninsula off New Guinea’s coast these two pastors cover 6 churches and 6 start up churches called branch Sabbath Schools.    They’ve been through very trying times as break-away group who claims they want Revival and reform took the congregations of 3 of their churches.   Despite their lives being threatened and constant heckling the Pastors keep focused on Evangelism.

When we reach beyond ourselves and focus on heaven’s work, not on our own belly buttons, the things of this earth become strangely dim in the light of His Glory and grace.   The members became excited as the week went on.   More and more were making decisions to become baptized.  

There was the pastor who had left the largest Lutheran Church in town two years ago to follow truth but the non-denominational church that he joined and became their pastor wasn’t willing to follow the Bible and Bible only.  Then in August his wife dreamed that a white man would travel from the east and preach on end times.   Imagine to her surprise two weeks latter in early September bill boards went up all over Biak with my picture and I was from east of Biak (America is east and so is Jayapura where I live.)   But to top it all off I was the exact person she saw in her dream.   They came each night and are making plans to join the Adventist movement in December and many of his congregation listening as he preaches the same series I preached.   His 15 year old daughter joined already on September 29.    And he and his wife will join December 1st.

There was the hardened man who never followed his wife to church.   Each time she invited him to church he became angry.   Opening night this wife asked me to pray that her husband would come the next night.   So right there in line we prayed and next night he was sitting on the 4th row back.

There was the extended family of 10 who joined all in one group.   Tears flowed freely as it was this family made their stand for the truth they had learned.

54 of the newly baptized standing with their new Bible Studies, Baptismal Certificates and a new Bible.  In this group stands former prostitutes, former drug addicts, a pastor and his family following more light, families who once worshipped the devil.   Victory in Jesus!!!!!!!

This lady became the 54th Baptism of the day!    She came with sobs of joy as her past was being washed away.   Her past is one that is too great to tell on this blog but praise God He lives within her heart today.