Going Independent

“We don’t want to be dependent on you.”

“What invigorating words for us missionaries to hear!” You might think that Peter and Pam Van Der Decker, church planters among the Kaulong people, would be hurt by such a declaration of the Kaulong believers. No, they were overjoyed! The believers had good reason for their statement: “We know you won’t always be here, and we want to continue standing strong in our faith long after you leave. Can you help prepare us for that?” Wow! That’s what every church planter wants as they work toward the Ethnos360/ Ethnos360 Aviation vision of a thriving church for every people. That vision is unfolding among this people group!

Not only were the Kaulong believers asking for teaching and discipleship. They were planning ahead to be self-sustaining: “Do you think we could get a printer to print our own Bible lessons?” Peter and Pam prayed along with them for a printer – and a supporting church in Missouri, USA, responded! “Thank God with us!” they wrote. “The Kaulong are now printing many of their own resources!”

The believers are meeting up with folks from other language groups, too, even though it’s not easy. “A couple of the men in our area ... embarked on a five-day hike across our island, to join with church leaders from 12 surrounding language groups last month for a week of Bible teaching, fellowship, and challenging each other in the Word.” Of course, they hiked five days back also! 

Recently, a woman very uncharacteristically spoke up in a meeting: “So, what does God think if we were to rely on the gingerroot spirit or other incantations to make sick people well?” One of the men who had just been teaching from 1 John 2:15-17, 28-29 stood right back up and responded: “No. When we were ignorant of God, we used to do those things. But the verses we heard today clearly say that those things of the world are not part of our lives as Christians.”

The meetings themselves are evidence of growth. “The men have been challenging the believers not to ‘just be there’ but to personally engage in prayer with whoever is praying aloud and for them to be asking God for His Spirit to be teaching them individually,” wrote Peter and Pam. “They have started a time of silent prayer for people to quiet their hearts before God prior to hearing the Bible teaching. The whole atmosphere of our worship service [is] one of expectancy and anticipation for what the Lord will be teaching us.” One Kaulong brother admonished, “Whatever you hear from God’s Word here at the teaching house should not stay here. Take it with you when you leave and talk about it wherever you go.”

The Kaulong church has its “messes,” as do all groups of believers. But the Van Der Deckers see the believers dealing with “immature thinking or sin issues ... causing [the leaders] to step up to the plate in finding scriptures to address the mess and coming alongside the ones involved, sometimes over a prolonged period of time, in seeking restoration and healing.”

Since 1997, Ethnos360 Aviation has served the Van Der Deckers as they accomplish the long-haul discipleship (and years of translation) to bring a thriving church to fruition. The government airstrip nearly an hour and a half away was perfect for aviation supply runs to this remote location on the island of New Britain, just east of the mainland of Papua New Guinea. But that airstrip is no longer being maintained. However, a helicopter doesn’t need an airstrip – just a clear spot to land! “Many of our local friends in the village here enthusiastically expended their sweat for a couple of weeks to make a helipad a reality!”

Peter and Pam want to thank all of you who give to Missionary Flight Sponsorship for your role in making flights affordable to the end of establishing a thriving group of believers in every people group. Many other groups, like the Kaulong, show encouraging signs of thriving. Just like for our own churches, though, pray for “an increasing passion for reading God’s Word and fellowshipping together on the part of all the believers.” Aviation can support the work, but only the Holy Spirit can help churches thrive.