Pakistan - The Next Chapter

We’ve just wrapped up a multi-year training with some dear brothers and pastors from Pakistan. Dave Quilla, Pastor of Covenant Life Fellowship in Roseburg, Oregon, USA gives us this update…

For the last six years, Sovereign Grace Pastors have been partnering with TLI (Training Leaders International) to provide theological training to pastors from Pakistan. Several Sovereign Grace Pastors (Nate Treguboff, Dave Quilla & Josh Montague) have recently returned from the middle east and the final course in the TLI series. It was a “Doozie” of a book – Revelation. The completion of this course concludes this chapter in our partnership with these dear pastors.

The courses have covered all of the major literary types in scripture including narrative, gospel, historical, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, letter, and concluded with apocalyptic. It has been a wonderful experience for the SGC pastors as we have watched our Pakistani brothers grow in their understanding of the Word of God and their confidence in teaching/preaching the Bible to their people. We were also excited to learn on this trip that they have been conducting seminars not only for their leaders, but for pastors outside of their group of churches so that other churches in Pakistan may benefit from what they have learned.

Being with these men always produces a mixture of emotions. Our Pakistani brothers are incredibly joyful and happy, they love to pray and worship together. They encourage and support each other and truly love to be pastors. Evening conversations though are humbling. These men face real persecution and challenges that many pastors in the west have no experience with.  

Their church buildings have been destroyed at times, precious funds are stolen, several pastors have had their homes shot up by angry mobs. Many of their church members are enslaved by harsh and wicked factory owners with little to no hope of getting out from that oppression. False teachers abound and many are pressured to convert to Islam. Yet in the midst of these difficulties, they express incredible joy and hope in Christ.

And in the midst of this persecution, trials and struggles, the gospel marches on and is producing much fruit in Pakistan. Pastor “S” has seen over 4,000 people come to faith and be baptized in his 30 years of ministry. Pastor “A” has had the privilege of baptizing nearly 2,000 over a 15 year ministry. This year they have baptized nearly 100 people so far.  

These men care for nearly 400 churches in the cities and villages in their area. They go out in groups most evenings to conduct prayer meetings and Bible studies in several villages each night. Their day often ends well past midnight. One pastor does 10-12 services each Sunday! His day begins at 5am and it is well into the night before he returns home.

As we close one chapter, the TLI Training, we eagerly look forward to the next. These brothers desire to continue their partnership with SGC and we are eager to continue as well. Next up is to get boots on the ground in Pakistan to see and observe firsthand the ministry of these brothers and they are eager to have us visit. We hope to send 2-3 SG pastors into Pakistan in the winter of 2024. The current political and economic climate in Pakistan will make this a bit challenging. It may also draw unwanted attention to these brothers and their churches so we need to proceed cautiously and with wisdom.

We will also begin the process of preparing a number of these men for the SGC ordination process. The language barrier is a bit of a challenge, but we hope to learn from the process Jeffrey Jo developed in the Philippines and apply it to Pakistan. We have translated the SG Statement of Faith into their language and will soon have the Sovereign Grace Journals on our “7 Shared Values” and “Our Shaping Virtues” ready for them as well. As further funding becomes available, we will continue to translate more materials for them.

Please continue to pray for these men as they faithfully serve their churches and for our continued partnership with the church in Pakistan.