January 30, 2006
When God began to speak to a few high school boys at a church plant in the village of Mandji, Gabon, His message spread like wildfire. Five young men accepted Jesus into their hearts when Dr. David Thompson gave an invitation to choose Christ. Later Thompson said he “wondered how much they had understood.”
But the following week, the new believers brought friends to the meeting, and four more prayed to follow the Lord. Three friends accompanied the nine the next week and also prayed with Thompson after they heard him teach about Joseph, and how his brothers sold him into slavery. Thompson gave each of the young men, ages fourteen to twenty, the Book of John to read and study.
The young man that the others in the group look up to for leadership is only a few months old in his faith. For the past eighteen months he had worn his hair in dreadlocks to show his support for men who are incarcerated for their participation in a violent rebellion against the government, which led to the deaths of two policemen. In front of the group, the new believer asked Thompson if he should shave off his dreadlocks. The young men in the group visibly tensed. Thompson replied that he should ask the Holy Spirit to show him what to do—and then obey. This produced smiles and nods all around.
“Pray that God will keep these new believers from falling,” requests Thompson, and that they will meet together during the week to pray and encourage each other and continue coming to the Sunday services.”
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16).