Papua New Guinea

REPORT FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA by Paul and Janet.

We arrived home safely from our one week, 'fly in, fly out' trip to PNG. Arriving home last night we realised it was easier to travel by air to PNG and minister solidly for one week than it is to drive to Mackay in Queensland [1000 kms north of Toowoomba] and back to Toowoomba, ministering here and there in the house churches, for a week or more. Of course we gladly do both, but it is amazing that we have been in another nation over the sea and are now home again. PNG is in the same time zone as eastern Australia.
Everlyn Oroge, who travelled on team with us as a disciple, has remained in PNG to attend to family business, for one more week.

We were hosted by pastors Newman and Regina Watapi of Watchman Word of Life Ministries in Lae, a strategically placed provincial city. Their ministry was celebrating their ninth anniversary this last weekend, but the Watapi's have been in ministry for many years, pioneering churches, establishing bible schools and discipleship training in various places in PNG. They were previously serving in a Pentecostal denomination. God had prepared them. They were already seriously considering and looking for the apostolic grace and for accurate exposition of the word of God.

They had met Everlyn Oroge, who is a disciple with Shiloh apostolic company in Toowoomba. [Everlyn and her family are a PNG family who live in Toowoomba. Her husband Mike is a businessman doing business in PNG.] They realised that Everlyn carried the word of God in a way that they had not seen, and it was because of her witness that they invited us to come.

The program was intense from Tuesday morning to the following Sunday. We often did five sessions a day, with seminar sessions all morning and sometimes after lunch, a meeting with pastors one afternoon, and a meeting with the Watchmen ministry church family on another afternoon. Then each night there were open meetings where Paul was able to preach the word of God and altogether all of the sessions and preaching opportunities flowed and there developed a strong dynamic, so that by Saturday night we had an experience of kingdom revival. After the preaching of the word concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, the whole congregation, a music team of 14 and all of the leaders present, including the local Member of Parliament for Lae city, exalted the Lord Jesus Christ, and His glorious presence captivated everyone. It was such a privilege to be in this meeting and to experience the reward of the Lord.

The morning sessions averaged 45-55, and the night sessions from 140-200. The last session was Sunday morning and another local church joined with Watchman Word of Life congregation for a powerful combined service.

One of the highlights of the week was the celebration of the Lord's Table each day. We mainly shared from the booklet 'The Table of the Lord'. On the second morning we shared on the daily offering of the lamb from Exodus 29:38-46. This simple exposition of the lamb being sacrificed morning and evening, along with a grain offering and a drink offering, especially impacted pastor Newman and he asked for the Table to be shared at night as well, so that no one would miss out. The brethren in PNG have embraced the celebration of the Lord's Table; no longer a monthly or three monthly ceremony, but a dynamic reality to be experienced daily as we come ever closer to the coming of the Lord (1Cor.11:26).

The preaching sessions: Jesus the Apostle and High Priest; the Eternal Purpose of God; the Divinity of Christ; becoming the sons of God; the Kingdom of God.
The teachings: making disciples; Building the House of God; the church has foundation; apostles today; a model of apostolic ministry from Acts 14; spiritual warfare; apostles are master builders; ministry of the prophet; tithing and giving; prayer for leaders from 1Tim.2.

We were well received! We were looked after. The seminar was run very efficiently. The worship team were wonderful.
Thank you pastor Newman and pastor Regina and all your team.