Forging a path
The next generation of Christian leaders
From Cambodia to France to Israel-Palestine, meet three incredible young people serving in some of the least evangelised places in the world, thanks to your support.
Jérémie
Being a Christian in France is tough. Being a young person training for ministry in France is even tougher, as BMS World Mission-supported student Jérémie Lockel can attest. You last heard from Jérémie in Issue 52 of Engage, the BMS magazine. Then, Jérémie was watching his country go through the Covid-19 pandemic, encouraged by the questions his friends and neighbours were asking about the meaning of life and whether answers could be found in the Bible. Jérémie’s hope was that the disruption of lockdowns would change the ways in which French people sought purpose, and that the new openness he saw might lead people to Jesus.
Two years on, Jérémie’s in his final year studying to become a Baptist minister. Post-pandemic, he’s little less convinced that mindsets have really changed – but is no less passionate about evangelism and church planting.
“I’ve started to really enjoy all the practical courses on mission and evangelism – it’s then that my heart gets full. We had an exercise where we had to study a town and look at how you would go about planting a church. It involved talking to lots of people, from the town’s mayor to its Catholic priest, to understand what we could bring to the town, and how that would benefit the people living there. Mostly people were really warm and positive towards us – we explained we were students – if we’d have said we were really planning on planting a church, I think they might have reacted more in fear.
“You need to be intentional, to go towards people, instead of imposing things on them. It all comes down to really understanding people. The challenge is always to look outwards.”
Jérémie’s studies have enabled him to learn how to properly read and understand Scripture, how to be a Christian leader, how to connect theology with anthropology and sociology, and how to become a church planter. That’s all thanks to you.
Pisal
Despite the fact that fewer than one per cent of the Cambodian population is Christian, people are still coming to faith. Pisal first heard about Jesus as a child when missionaries came to his village, but it wasn’t until he moved to Phnom Penh to study that he met BMS-supported worker Pastor J and his relationship with Jesus blossomed.
“I am from a Buddhist family but there are Christians in my village, so I used to go to church during Christmas because they gave us good food and good gifts,” Pisal explains. “But I never listened to the Word of God, I never touched a Bible. When I came to Phnom Penh to join University in 2019 [and met Pastor J], it was the first time I sat for Bible study.
“I learned many things about Jesus, but I still didn’t believe in him. I often had bad dreams and couldn’t sleep most of the night, but then I remembered the Bible study and Jesus came to mind. One night, I prayed to Jesus for a good night’s sleep, and that night I slept peacefully. I kept praying every night and whenever I had a problem I prayed to God. I began to believe that Jesus is real. After more Bible study and fellowship, I decided to give my life to Jesus and got baptised in 2021. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I am happy to be a follower of Jesus.”
Pisal is now one of the leaders at the dormitory led by Pastor J, and is living out Christ’s example in all he does there.
Ayman
When you search for the words ‘Christian’ and ‘Palestinian’, a host of online articles will tell you that this demographic is one that’s been declining for years. Only a very small minority of the population in the area Ayman lives now identify as Christians. Despite this, Ayman feels that his Christian identity is in his bones, enshrined as a living, breathing presence in his hometown not far from Bethlehem. “So many of us carry religion deep in our own identity and with much appreciation for being the living stones that Jesus Christ left as a testimony of his work,” he explains.
Having been raised in a Christian family, Ayman was keen to build on the faith of his childhood by studying for a degree in Biblical Studies as an adult. BMS’ long-standing support of Bethlehem Bible College has been crucial for helping students like Ayman through the years to access their studies. “I was aware that Bethlehem Bible College was one of the best institutions where I could pursue a theological programme and grow as a person at the same time,” Ayman explains.
Ayman’s got dreams for his future – he’d love to preach on what he’s learned about God in this community and share his faith. “We, Christians, are a minority,” Ayman adds, “but I believe that thanks to the college, I can guide and teach about God to my community and help them overcome these challenges.” Thank you for your support for Bethlehem Bible College, bringing a future filled with hope to people like Ayman in Israel-Palestine.
You can hear more about what God is doing in France and Cambodia in the latest issue of Engage, the BMS magazine. Why not subscribe today to receive three free issues a year?
Words by Hannah Watson.
