Church Planting Begins Before Graduation

August 31, 2023

While students are at an Acts Training Center, studying and practical training have their focus, but one student in a recent graduating class spent his free time beginning the first stage of church planting!

A couple of years ago, this student who we will call R, became a believer. When he did, he made up his mind that he would become a “servant of God” in the future. Considering the cost the salvation believers receive freely by grace and the command of Christ to make disciples, R had simply set his heart to do that which was made sense. Surely, it was a thought and conviction that would prove to be divinely initiated.

After some time, R was invited to participate in Acts training. Since it would be a place to be equipped for the dreams of service he had, R left home to enroll in the training. But, only a few days passed when, during a call with people from home, someone shared their problems with R. R offered the person that which he had—Jesus. He prayed with the person and invited the person to trust in Christ for salvation. Eventually, it became normal for people to share their problems with R when he called home. Continuously, he offered prayer and invited people to trust in Christ, and continuously people would see miracles and believe.

By the time R graduated and returned to his home village, there were over 30 new believers who came to faith through the telephone ministry that R carried out during his training. R seemed to have been able to skip the initial phases of church planting because he had done them while still at the Training Center. Now equipped as a ministry leader and a servant of God, R has gathered these people as a house fellowship that he pastors.