Written by: TWR
Article source: JOY! Magazine
This simple story of how an unreached Nubian community came to hear the Gospel is an inspiring illustration of the power of ministry partnerships and multilingual media.
In 2016 a church in an agricultural area got in touch with Egide Bandyatuyaga, TWR’s ministry director for East Africa, requesting help in reaching out to the large Nubian community living there. Egide knew just the tool to use to connect with this unreached people group – The Way of Righteousness (TWOR) audio programme.
“I appreciate you for sharing the Gospel and making the transition easier for those of us who did not believe Jesus Christ was our Saviour.”
The perfect content to reach other religious groups
The director knew that TWOR is broadcast by TWR in many parts of the world because of its success at communicating the Bible to other religious groups. It focuses on the prophets and shows how their prophecies point to the saving work of Christ.
“TWOR uses a different approach, a friendlier one,” said Egide. “It never speaks badly of other religions or their literature. It only presents the Bible, using stories of people that are spoken about in both the Bible and other religious literature. In this way, it lays down a peaceful ground that makes it difficult for listeners to automatically reject what they hear only because it is Christian.”
The first ever programme in their native language
With the guidance of Branko Bjelajac, TWR vice president for Africa, Egide sought and received generous funding help from ministry national partners like TWR Canada and ERF Medien of Germany. The programmes were translated and rerecorded in Nubian and then distributed on 200 MP3 players to Nubian people.
“According to recipients, the TWOR programme we produced was the very first programme in their language and the reason why they were so excited to listen to it,” he said. “Even the national broadcaster has no programme for them in their language!”
Egide (right) and the villagers
Lives have been changed
That excitement is evident in many of the responses the East Africa ministry team received from Nubian listeners. One of them called to say the programme helped him make the transition from his previous faith to new life in Christ.
“The teachings are very encouraging; they gave me peace,” the listener told the team. “They were different, but I’ve been learning from them. I appreciate you so much for sharing the Gospel and making that transition a little easier for those of us who did not believe Jesus Christ was our Saviour.”
Buidling used for Church meetings
Reaching the unreached through media
Another listener thanked the TWR staff for sharing the Gospel and said he listens every day. “My 12-year-old daughter and I listen on the way to work and school every morning. I can’t wait until tomorrow to listen as I work!”
This is a great example of how the Lord has used regional and international partnerships, effective teaching via The Way of Righteousness, and multilingual media technology to crack open the door among this formerly unreached Nubian community. And the work doesn’t stop with the realisation of a few professions of faith. Now the ministry team is starting home study groups to take the new believers deeper in the faith.
Pastor teaches lady B how to operate an Mp3 player
About the programme
While serving as a missionary in Senegal, the programme author, Paul Bramsen, saw the opportunity to build a bridge between the Old Testament prophets and the coming of Jesus Christ. He developed 100 radio programmes, 15 minutes each, that take the listener on a journey through the Scriptures to hear God’s answer to Job’s question, “How can a man be righteous before God?” – Job 9:2
The Way of Righteousness is a radio programme that is expanding rapidly around the TWR world because of its proven ability to explain the scriptures to people of other world religions. Available now in more than 30 languages, it generates great feedback from listeners, including a remarkable number deciding to follow Jesus.
Through The Way of Righteousness, listeners realise that Jesus Christ is more than just a prophet. He is the Son of God who gave his life for our salvation.
Listener with an audio player
Will You Reach Out?
If God leads you to support The Way of Righteousness in the Nubian language, please visit twrafrica.org/givenow. Use TWOR-Nubia as reference, or let us know that the funds should be allocated to this project.
Listen To The Programme
Listen to an English episode – or several – of The Way of Righteousness radio series at twr.org. It’s also available on the TWR360 web portal in multiple languages.
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Date published: 11/02/2021
Feature image: Listener with an audio player
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