Nobody has Told Me about Jesus

An excerpt from...

Nobody has Told Me about Jesus

By Adhanom Hidug, Missionary, South Sudan

October-December 2014

Akudhiar, a teenage Dinka girl, lives in my neighborhood. One early afternoon I had the following conversation with her.

Me: “Akudhiar, are you a Christian?”
Akudhiar: “Yes.”
Me: “So, you know Jesus?”
Akudhiar: “What is Jesus?”
Me: “Jesus Christ.”
Akudhiar: “I don’t know that.”

Malual, a boy I am discipling, was helping me with the translation of my conversation with Akudhiar, and he burst into laughter. Akudhiar didn’t feel good on account of his laughter. Then she said to me, “Nobody has told me about Jesus.” I wondered how she claimed to be a Christian without knowing Jesus.

“Okay, would you like to know Jesus?” I asked her. Malual, noticing my seriousness and Akudhiar’s feelings, struggled to control his laughter. I struggled not to let my tears flow. The reply from Akudhiar was positive—she wanted to know about Jesus.

Akudhiar’s case is not an isolated one. Many people in my village would tell me that they are Christians, but few manage to give me the right answers to basic questions that I ask them about Christianity. One of the main causes for this is the shortage of biblically equipped people who are capable to tell about Jesus. 

There are several pastors in the area, but most of them lack proper biblical training. As a result, their knowledge of the Word of God and their ministry of the Word is limited. But, if the number of biblically trained pastors increases, I believe the number of people who don’t know Jesus will decrease significantly.

To help this happen, Mango Ministries has decided one of our ministry areas will be the empowerment of local church leaders. We do this through Community Health Evangelism and Simply the Story (STS), an oral strategy of inductive Bible study. Besides those methods, I spend a lot of time with the church people, in general, and with the pastors, in particular. During such times, God gives me opportunities to empower the pastors and other church leaders. I see transformation in a number of the pastors and other church leaders. God is at work. I expect revival in our area and beyond from the empowerment of these leaders—a revival that will reach out to people like Akudhiar.

Editor’s Note: Akudhiar is now regularly attending church services, and she is growing in her knowledge and following of Jesus.

ACT: Have you shared Christ with your neighbors? Take time to affirm your belief in Christ during your next conversation with them. Let them know you will make them and their family part of your prayer life.