My wife and I are reading through the gospels in our devotions these days and marveling again at the miracles of our Savior.

I think I just experienced one this past Friday morning.

Let me back up, just a bit.  I am a missionary with the One Africa Team, currently helping out with the Multi-Language Productions program called TELL (tellnetwork.org).  As they are reaching people with their Bible studies in West Africa via Facebook, the TELL organizers received a few questions that I was able to answer for them. West Africa is an area where I have lived and worked.  I’m happy to be involved with TELL, working mostly with Pastor Dan Laitinen who coordinates the online materials. I have entered a bit more deeply into the program and I conduct online teaching and send videos to interested parties.

Last Friday morning, one of the men who has been receiving TELL videos learned that I live just a few hours away from him.  Arnold is a leader (“pastor”) in a full gospel church here in Malawi.  With permission, I sent Arnold’s contact details to Joseph, our member working in the area, and sent Joseph’s details also to Arnold.   I was stunned when, within an hour, I received the message that the two were in the same room!  Joseph regularly passes by Arnold’s house on his way to the HIV Counselling Center where he works as an HIV counselor – they actually live quite close to one another.  Joseph has some theological training with WELS’ partner in Malawi, the Lutheran Church of Central Africa, and is a strong and faithful member.

I got updates as they chatted with one another.  These are some comments from “Pastor” Arnold:

 “He had answered all the questions I had to him during our discussion and now I have full knowledge of Lutheran church and also bible course. Thanks so much for connecting me with Joseph.”

On Sunday afternoon, Arnold wrote to me again:

“ I had wonderful service. I was preaching about what breaks our relationship with God, others and ourselves from the spiritual healing lesson.” (“Spiritual Healing” is the name of the self-study course that Arnold is currently studying from the TELL program).

And finally (on Monday):

“I want to know more about the Lutheran church and if possible I want to learn more courses from you as well as being part of the Lutheran church. I have been inspired with the lesson you have been giving me. It is explaining very well the way to salvation.”

Who knows where the Lord will take this? We praise Him for the opportunity to be a part of his work and look forward to many more of these connections being made amongst our sister synods here in Africa.  I expect the Holy Spirit will do similar things also to open doors in new territories.  We thank those who are involved by prayer, financial support and development of materials for the assistance to operate our programs and we continue to rejoice at the results the Holy Spirit is providing, to his glory. For now, I gotta run – Arnold (and many others) is waiting for his next video.

Missionary Dan Kroll lives in Malawi

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts at https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa

In 2018 WELS World Mission’s Multi-Language Publications had a vision to reach the world with the Gospel in a new way. Their vision was to equip people with the truth of God’s word using digital resources in English. Like the Latin America mission field’s Spanish Academia Cristo, TELL would use English to reach people through social media, self-led Bible lessons and live video classrooms.

Three years later, God has blessed that vision. The TELL Network has 1.2 million followers and likes on its main Facebook page. Across the globe there are 7,000 active users doing self-led Bible lessons on the TELL app and website. Currently there is one full-time TELL missionary who meets several times a week with students from Africa, India, and Philippines.

One student, Samuel, is from Guinea, Africa. He is a school teacher with a wife and children. “My greatest desire is to be well-equipped for mission work,” says Samuel, “I won’t miss this opportunity by God’s grace.”

Like thousands of others, Samuel found TELL on Facebook. TELL’s Facebook team posts daily Bible passages and short devotional videos by national pastors called #TELLtalks. The team answers questions online and invites people to start free Bible training on the TELL app or website.

Samuel downloaded the TELL app and within seconds began the first self-learning course. He completed three self-learning courses: Spiritual Healing, Truth Brings Peace, and Introduction to the Bible. Each course has nine lessons that include a Bible reading, teaching video, and quiz.

When Samuel completed the self-learning courses (“TELL Tier 1”) he received his first certificate. Then a TELL missionary contacted Samuel. He congratulated him and invited Samuel to join him in the live online classes (“TELL Tier 2”).

Today Samuel is meeting twice a week in a video classroom with a TELL instructor and other students. Students go in-depth learning about the work of Jesus, Old and New Testament history and Law and Gospel. Each course takes about a month. There are eleven courses in TELL tier 2.

TELL tier 3 are live courses too. They focus on how to share the Gospel in your community: gathering, teaching and discipling. God-willing someday the TELL instructor along with a local missionary will visit Samuel to grow the relationship and support Samuel as he starts a small group.

When Samuel began TELL he had been praying for just that: an opportunity to share the Gospel. Since then God opened a door! A friend gave Samuel air-time on the local radio station. Every Sunday evening Samuel takes the Bible lesson he has learned with TELL and reuses them on-air to an audience of up to half-a-million. Many of whom haven’t heard the Gospel.

By God’s grace Samuel has found a place where he receives real Gospel training right from God’s word. “I used to believe in a Gospel that was preaching prosperity and miracles mostly,” Samuel says, “But I discovered this misleads believers. It focuses on earthly things and makes us forget heavenly things. Now I’m mission-minded.”

Daniel Laitinen is Multi-Language Production’s TELL Missionary and lives in Austin, TX

Please pray for those working in fields that are ripe for harvest. Share their story, engage with future news and receive updates. Learn more about our mission fields in Africa and how the Holy Spirit is working faith in people’s hearts at https://wels.net/serving-others/missions/africa