After our last prayer letter, many of you reached out, saying that you have been praying for us and specifically for our health. We have not had any debilitating sicknesses since our last prayer letter, so thank you for praying. It is always encouraging to hear from those of you who love, pray for, and support us.
I visited a lady named Grace, who came to our church recently. When I asked her if she was 100% sure that she was on her way to Heaven, she just said, “We try our best; that is all we can do.” However, after showing her from the Bible that we could know and not just try our best to get to Heaven, she wanted to know more. As I shared the Gospel with her, it was great to see her realize that salvation is a free gift and not something we need to try to earn, as she had been taught her whole life. After showing her the Gospel, she decided to stop trying her best and believe in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Please pray as we continue to work with Grace to help her grow in the faith.
I traveled to a city called Ogoja in Southern Nigeria, about an eight-hour trip one way. I accompanied our Bible college students as they began a soul-winning week at a church there. On the way back with one of our Nigerian pastors, we broke down on a road that goes through the middle of Benue, a state of over 4 million people. As we waited for repairs to be made to the vehicle, I asked the pastor if he knew of any independent Baptist churches nearby. He told me he didn’t know of any along that whole road except at the northern and southern tips. I was blown away by how nearly all of the villages we passed along that road had no church to give them a clear Gospel witness. Please pray with us for more laborers, resources, and opportunities to start churches in Benue and all across Nigeria.
Please pray that we would be able to find a teacher who can teach us the local language, Hausa. We believe that learning this language would open up more opportunities for us to spread the Gospel. We have had trouble finding someone to teach us. Please also pray for the safety of our church members. As the Nigerian economy continues to get worse and worse, break-ins of people’s homes and churches have increased significantly all across the country.
Thank you all so much for your prayers and faithful support. I know times are difficult for many right now, and yet your support has been unwavering. That is something that we do not take for granted. Thank you for investing in us to see souls saved here in Nigeria.
That all the world may know,
Caleb Christiansen
