Gospel spreads in South Asia during lockdown

By Julianna Jones 

     This year has gone vastly different than we all expected, and the global pandemic has created challenges around the world. South Asia, where All Nations Cape Town member Peter has been working, is no different. Food shortages and a harsh lockdown as well as natural disasters have created incredible hardship. However, this hasn’t stopped the Gospel from going out in power and the church from growing.

     Peter is a local All Nations leader has been planting house churches throughout his country for years, spending a portion of his time traveling around the country visiting groups to make sure they were doing well. As the leader of the movement, all the questions and concerns of any church came directly to him and he had to step in whenever there was a need.

     For several years, he’s been trying to raise up other leaders who he could rely on, but with little results. Then Covid-19 hit, and his country was locked down hard. Travel restrictions have prevented him from visiting many of his movement’s house churches since March. This could have been a huge challenge for the burgeoning movement, but instead it’s had some unexpectedly positive results. Several leaders have stepped up to fill the need created by Peter’s physical absence, caring for the churches in practical ways.

     “I’m seeing what I wanted to see from [the] last few years,” Peter said. “Unexpectedly, people are doing what I’m doing. It’s really good that way, this pandemic.”

     During the pandemic, the physical distance between the churches in Peter’s movement also has been challenging in other ways. It can be easy for groups to feel more isolated. In a recent call with his All Nations coach, Peter was able to do an exercise to counteract some of that feeling. His coach pulled up a map of the country, and had Peter tell her exactly where each discovery Bible study group or simple church was meeting. They dropped a pin in each location. It was encouraging to Peter to see all the flags and see how he is part of something bigger. He’s going to do the same now with all his leaders to help them feel connected to the movement beyond themselves. 

     It’s exciting to see that discovery Bible studies and simple churches are growing rapidly during this time. New places are opening up for the Gospel as well. More than 20 new people have been baptized during this lockdown, and we are looking forward to seeing how the Good News continues to go forth in this South Asian country!