Ibrahim's first baptism

We've tried to instill in our believers from day one their responsibility in the work of the Gospel. We never wanted them to think it was our job (the missionaries) to do everything. When I baptized Ela I told him "this is your job now."

Most of our believers have embraced this and share their faith consistently. One day I overheard Ibrahim tell someone "I don't know a lot of the Bible but here's what I do know" and he proceeded to give one of the clearest Gospel presentations I've ever heard.

We've been trying to work ourselves out of a job from our arrival in October 2006. We were taught at our training a little acronym MAWL (Model, Assist, Watch, and Leave). When we took most of April for a vacation we were anxious to see how our believers did in our absence. They continued to meet for church and Ibrahim led two friends to Christ!

This sort of ministry philosophy can get a little interesting though as we must sort through what the Bible clearly teaches and what sorts of cultural things we (as Americans) bring to the table (our baggage). Just like when I say the word "church" most of you picture a building, people wearing nice clothes, instruments, pews, and all sorts of other things. None of these are wrong or bad but they're not all Biblical mandates. Our church meets on Tuesday mornings at Ibrahim's house. Our new believer's get grilled with questions when they enter the river to be baptized. Ela started this and our believers have all adopted this.

This point was illustrated for me a few months ago when Ibrahim baptized his first person. I had baptized Ela just like I'd baptized people in the States. He adopted this same "style" when he baptized Ibrahim but his finger slipped off his nose and Ibrahim just sort of dropped into the water.

This was the first baptism Ibrahim had ever seen and so (building in the DNA of them carrying on the work) Ibrahim was to baptize the next believer. The following video is that baptism.



My first reaction was "Did Benny Hinn just enter Ibrahim!" Actually I thought "Oh man, he did that all wrong." And then I realized, did he? It was not how I would do it or had ever seen it done for that matter, but that didn't make it wrong.

I'm sure we're in store for many, many more events like this that remind us that the church looks very different in Ayorou than it did in Bowling Green but that's what makes it so beautiful!

Meet Ibrahim

At our church in Ayorou a few weeks ago we read the story of the miraculous catch and the calling of the first disciples. We always end by asking what you will remember most about this story and share with your friends and family. Ibrahim looked at me and said "to follow Jesus means we must leave everything behind."

God continues to remind us that he has plans for Ayorou that we cannot control or even see. When Isa became the first Songhai man to believe we were sure we had found the foundation of Ayorou's first church. Then, he was sent a thousand miles away to serve in the military. Then came Ela. He was so passionate about his new faith we were certain God would build His church with Ela. Then Ela moved to Mali.

And now there is Ibrahim. He is not who we would have thought God would use but that is what is happening. Ibrahim is growing in leaps and bounds and maturing fast in his new faith. He has baptized friends of his whom he has led to Christ.

He faces constant persecution from friends. The other day someone offered him a good chunk of money to convert back to Islam! But Ibrahim said "Jesus has saved me, you can't buy salvation." He is unashamedly following Christ in a Muslim culture.

Each day we are more and more convinced that God is going to build His church with Ibrahim. Here's how you can pray for him:

* Ibrahim cannot read but desires to learn. Two girls from the States are spending 5 months in Ayorou to teach literacy. Pray that Ibrahim will be able to learn to read quickly.

* Ibrahim continues to share with his wife who has not believed yet. He asked me to ask you to pray for Houray, his wife.

* Ibrahim, like most Songhai, lives on almost nothing and never knows if there will be money tomorrow. He has opened a little shop. Pray that God would bless this business as a testimony to God's blessing on Ibrahim.

* Pray for God to protect Ibrahim from Satan's attacks. Ibrahim has suffered from his faith in many ways. The other day he told me "You know, following Jesus is not easy, but it is good."