John*, one of e3’s Strategy Coordinators, is seeing the idea of “giving the Kingdom away” happen through one of the local pastors in South Asia. Raheem* has been a pastor for many years and is working through shedding cultural traditions surrounding ministry that do not line up with the Gospel.
“Traditionally here, pastors have all the authority to practice any part of the ministry and others do not,” John said. “This bottlenecks the work and only allows it to flow through the pastor instead of the church body.”
A few Sundays ago, Raheem ended his sermon by asking his church if they thought only pastors could pray for healing. Half the congregation said yes. Raheem wanted his people to know that they also had the authority to pray for healing, because Jesus gave it to them. So he told them to turn to their neighbors, ask for prayer requests, then pray for one another.
“That day, two people were healed – and the next Sunday he challenged them to do it again, and even more were healed!” John said. “Praise God for pastors who release authority to others as Jesus did for us in the Great Commission.”
Raheem continues to give the Kingdom away, allowing others to lead the Lord’s Supper and planning to allow other baptized believers to accept authority and baptize new believers at his church’s next Baptism Sunday.
“Jesus said to not put traditions over obedience to Him,” John said. “Raheem has been taught a lot of tradition over the years and still unknowingly holds to some of it, but slowly we are chipping away at the traditions being held in opposition to God’s commands. This was a great step forward and toward multiplication!”
*Names have been changed to ensure safety and anonymity.