The story of Timothy’s conversion is one that began back in January. After Sam Tabaua (from Etas) was converted, his concern for his family was unparalleled. I could tell immediately that Sam was the kind of man that was hungry for the truth and wanted to share it with everyone – starting with his family.

After Sam’s conversion to Christ in January, he really tried hard to invite his friends and family in Etas to our Wednesday night weekly studies. Timothy was one of five men who showed great interest in all these studies. In January we began a group study with five cousins of Sam: Phillip, Timothy, Fiwi, Jimmy and Tom. They were ready to learn and I was ready to teach.

The lessons I taught really hit home with Timothy. I went slow and emphasized his understanding what the verses he read taught. Timothy in particular paid close attention to every lesson. He has a great respect for the Bible and truly is seeking to know God’s Word. The hardest part for Timothy was when we studied on the topic of baptism.

You can really tell when someone is wrestling with the Word of God. You see, Timothy had been baptized before – in the NTM (Neil Thomas Ministries) church. As he explained it, the first Sunday he went there, they said that the visitors must be baptized. So Timothy, who did not want to “go against the grain,” went with a group of about 9 visitors and they were all baptized. Timothy really began to struggle with the Word and recognize that what he had done was indeed to be baptized, but that he had no clue what it was for. In his mind, visitors were just baptized and that was just the way it was. Needless to say, the first Sunday he worshipped with us in Vila he was surprised that he wasn’t baptized.

When my study continued with Timothy, I could see that the Holy Spirit, through the Word, was really working on him. He was faced with a decision: to fight the Bible, or to submit to it. He understood that his baptism was not biblical because he had no idea that baptism was to forgive sins (1 Peter 3:21) and to join him with Christ (Romans 6:3). Once we studied this topic it became ever so clear to him what he had to do: be baptized biblically!

Timothy asked to be baptized on Wednesday, April 5th. He knew that his previous baptism was simply a bath. He now wanted to be baptized as the Bible taught and to be “in Christ” and added to His body, the church. I drove on Wednesday afternoon to where Timothy was working. We got his things after work and then drove to a fresh-water river. Once we arrived, I explained to him how baptism is his obedience to the Gospel, and that as Christ died, buried and raised, so he must do the same through baptism. He was excited, yet nervous.

I took Timothy’s confession that he understood Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for his sins and that Christ was raised on the third day. In addition, he confessed that he needed to be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins and added to His body. After this great confession, Timothy and I walked down into the water. I then had the privilege of baptizing Timothy into Christ.

As he came up out of the water, he just stood still with his eyes closed. The look on his face told the story: he was overwhelmed by the love of God that could forgive his sins and so glad that he had been baptized biblically. Now, there are 5 Christians in Etas village. Please pray that the Good News of Jesus Christ can continue to spread in this village. I am continuing to study with Phillip and Tom and I feel they are not too far behind in their decision as well. Please also pray for them.

Praise be to God for one more soul being added to His Kingdom. To Him be the glory!

AB