Brian and Denise Luke Update

God continues to do amazing things around the world. And we are privileged to play our small part in His big story.

The pygmy people are not accepted by other communities. They hate to go to churches because the people treat them badly and often chase them away. A group of storytellers in Burundi are working to reach a thousand families of pygmies and they are seeing amazing fruit. As they go and share stories of Scripture, the families understand and respond to the spiritual truth in the stories. Many have made decisions to follow Jesus and want to be baptized.

The group of storytellers know they are outsiders in this community. Their goal from the beginning is to raise up leaders from within the pygmy families. Those leaders are the ones responsible for the spiritual growth of their families and will spread the Scripture stories to new villages.

Church had been seen by the pygmy people as something for the educated. They also saw church as a building one goes to. As they hear the stories of Scripture, begin to understand the spiritual truths, and start to follow Jesus, they gain a clearer understanding: They do not need to go to a church building because they are the church. These churches born from storytelling are spreading throughout the pygmy people.

Nate, the SIU African lead trainer and our son-in-law, saw firsthand how word-for-word Bible storytelling is working among the pygmy people in Burundi. In July he traveled with our partner in Burundi from village to village visiting many house churches. These communities gathered and shared Bible stories, songs, and dramas. They shared what the Spirit was teaching them through the Word of God. We praise God for the way he is moving through oral Scripture engagement among the pygmy of Burundi.

Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.

Editor's note: The YMC supports Brian & Denise Luke and Scriptures in Use. Funds received during the October communion offering will also be added to the regular pledge.