Back to School

At a time when believers in the United States are often discouraged from speaking openly about their faith in public settings, Alliance workers in Asia and Latin America have been welcomed into public schools to teach God’s truth.

In Paraguay last fall, C&MA international worker John Sappia and his colleagues at the Mi Esperanza Alliance Church were invited to a local public high school to teach a school-wide assembly on sexual purity to 250 students. Later, John and his coworkers were asked to address a seventh grade class on knowing God and finding their identity in Him. “We spoke about how Jesus has provided for our ‘real’ identity,” says John.

John’s colleague, Rodrigo, took time to pray with the students, and the gospel was clearly presented during the closing activity.

Valuable to Jesus

Last month, “the school asked us to come back!” John says. Using fun-filled activities, John, his church coworkers, and a short-term team from Crown College taught the students about respect for others. “We emphasized that each of them is valuable in God’s sight, and therefore they should treat others with respect,” says John. “Things went great! The students were attentive and seemed very engaged in the topic of how valuable they are to Jesus.

“The principal of the school has asked us to come back and teach the same ‘respect’ class in July and then return in September to do another school-wide assembly. Pretty neat, huh?”  

From Prisoner to Public Speaker

On the other side of the world, EQ-a former prisoner who came to Christ during his incarceration through the C&MA’s TEAM Isaan in northeast Thailand-was invited to share his testimony at a local middle and high school, as well as another school.

Previously, officials at the prison where EQ had been incarcerated asked him to speak to inmates scheduled for release about how his life had changed after becoming a follower of Jesus. Later, the prison administrators invited EQ-along with another TEAM Isaan member who meets with a Christian women’s group in the prison-to speak during a three-hour program that the prison presents at middle and high schools.

“They have a couple of prisoners come to share what their life was like before they got imprisoned, how they got there, what prison life is like for them, and how the experience has impacted their families,” says Alliance worker Jon Chase, who serves with TEAM Isaan. “Our hope is that EQ’s testimony will be used by God to draw these young people, teachers, school administrators, and prison officials to Himself by His grace and power.”

Learn More

Check out Alliance work in Paraguay and Thailand.

What You Can Do

 

Praise God for these opportunities to reach young people with God’s truth. Pray that He will continue to open doors for Alliance workers to bring the light of Jesus into public settings. Also, pray that those who heard the message will trust in Christ.   

Impact your world for Christ! Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries and help support our international workers around the world.

 

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