TRAVELS Since our last update, we traveled to the USA for Lena’s medical appointments via the Philippines to visit our dear Selly. She is learning the ropes as a freshman at L.D. Woosley/Bethany Baptist College in Manila, and is involved in many ministries in addition to her studies. It was good to see her!
In the following weeks we were in missions conferences and churches in Florida and Texas. We were especially encouraged (and spoiled!) at Capitol City Baptist in Austin, TX. Another blessing was being back at Victory Baptist in Milton, FL, which has been behind us in our translation project from the time it was just a dream. It was good to spend time with Pastor Fellure and the print shop men to talk through the next steps toward printing our Kamea John/Romans and the entire New Testament!
In December we enjoyed the wonderful wedding of our granddaughter Beth in Montana. Praise the Lord for the time with family in such a beautiful setting!
MEDICAL UPDATE We are thankful for the medical appointments and tests that Lena has been able to get. She has three more long-awaited MRIs scheduled right after the New Year, and then (hopefully) a final appointment with her primary care doctor. Some treatments have been rough, but those of late have been helpful. She came to the USA on a cane, but now is able to move around well without it. We are grateful to those who have offered all sorts of help and advice along the way. Most of all, we are grateful for all who have kept this a matter of prayer. Please keep it up! If things continue to go well, we plan to return to PNG in January in time to begin our next Bible college semester.
TRANSLATION REVIEW Between meetings and medical appointments, I have been able to complete final reviews of John and Romans. All that remains is to type in the corrections and to lay out the text. Please pray we can see this in print and delivered to PNG for distribution soon!
JUST ONE MESSAGE On a weekend visit with our friend (and former co-worker) Missionary Sarah Glover, we dropped in to visit a supporting church. The pastor introduced me to Brother Joe Marshall, and I mentioned that I remembered a Joe Marshall who was a missionary to Australia back in the day. Joe confirmed that he indeed was that missionary.
Why did this mean so much to me? When Brother Joe visited our church in 1983, I was still in Bible college and had just come full-time on staff at our church. I don’t remember what his topic was, but that night changed my devotional life from that time until now. He quoted so many Scripture verses in context and gave us such a challenge that I went home and promised the Lord, by His grace and His strength, I would be consistent in my morning devotions at a specific time every day, spending real time in the Word seeking to know my Lord Jesus better. Brother Joe had no idea about it, until our providential meeting on a Sunday in November 2025, almost 43 years later.
How many times in how many contexts have I shared that story over the years! One preacher, on one Wednesday evening, with one message affected one young preacher for the rest of his life. We never know the impact the Lord will make through us, nor do we know the ripple effect of one life lived for the glory of God. For those of you who serve the Lord, take heart! It is God who works through you. Stay faithful in the Word and prayer. Keep seeking the Lord, to know Him and to enjoy His presence. Keep witnessing, keep sharing stories of His goodness. Who knows whom you might affect?
THE “WEEKEND BOYS” We have a group of young men in the church who call themselves the “Weekend Boys.” These young men (ranging in age from 18 through 30) come for youth ministry on Friday night, stay overnight for Saturday morning outreach at Hanuabada Village, and a few of them meet with me for Bible college classes on Saturday afternoon. Then all of them join Lena and me for dinner and translation checks on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning, they all serve in various ministries in the church. Most of them stay on through Sunday afternoon for our Goilala Camp outreach…and they do this every weekend! It is a good place for them to mature spiritually, and it helps them learn to focus on serving the Lord in various ministries with their varied abilities.
This has been going on now (and growing) for almost three years. The last few weeks have seen fruit in the lives of two of them who express a desire to be involved in full-time ministry, and two others beginning to take turns preaching in public ministry. Praise the Lord for His working in these young men’s lives!
GOILALA CAMP OUTREACH It’s been nearly a year since our campus was attacked by 21 armed men—and since we began a weekly outreach to their village. A few months after we began holding weekly gospel meetings with them, the police came in and moved them out to a displaced persons’ camp on the edge of the city. Their village at the city dump, called “Swimming Pool,” was then completely destroyed by excavators and bulldozers.
In spite of this, the village leaders asked us to continue preaching every week. Over the last eight months at the camp, we have continued preaching and teaching the Word, taking them from Creation to Christ. Our ministry team has had the privilege of leading several to Christ, and when I was able to give a public invitation at the end of September, several more raised their hands that they had already put their faith in Christ. The village leader told me that the old men of the group want us to continue, because as they said, “these people preach the Word of God clearly, and we can understand it.” The Word of God preached in the power of the Spirit of God will always do the work of God!
TRANSLATION My current project is preparing a John & Romans in Kamea and Tok Pisin, with the goal of distributing them next year among our people. One of our young men (who is Kamea) was back in the Kamea villages recently, and he took a printed copy of John’s Gospel with him to read and to share. He tells me he got a great response from those who heard it. I can only imagine—hearing the Word of God in your own heart language for the first time ever!
TEACHING Last Monday I finished teaching my Bible school course on Practical Ministry. Other local pastors and church members attended some of the classes to learn about accountability and integrity in church ministry and leadership. At the end of the course, we had a testimony time for our graduates and present students. It was so good to hear of what the Lord has been doing through them—so much more is happening than we knew. I wish you could have heard their stories of the Lord’s working in places from the coast to the highlands. I never dreamed we could have such a great partnership with the local churches in Port Moresby. Thank you for the part you have in investing in the training of these preachers and teachers!
MEDICAL FURLOUGH After counseling with our home church pastoral staff, our co-workers, and our family, we decided to return to the USA for Lena to get much-needed medical testing and treatment. We tried pressing on when we returned to the field in August, but things did not get better. The plan is for us to be here through January, when I will need to return for our next Bible college term. Please pray we can get answers and help that will enable us to stay on the field where God put us nearly 18 years ago. God knows!
We ended the month of May with our 3rd graduation exercises for Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby. Acacia, Selly, Enoch, and Alex finished three years of study with both BBIPOM and Faith Bible Institute.
Acacia, Selly, Enoch, & Alex
It was also a great blessing for us to have Pastor Buddy Smith from Malanda, Australia as our commencement speaker. He and his wife Susan have been dear friends of ours for years, and they were such an encouragement to the churches and students here.
SUMMER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
The Lord has opened many doors of service for all our graduates. Following their recent graduation, Enoch and Alex went to Kerema to serve at Charity Baptist Church, while Missionaries John and Melissa Gray were away in the US for a short furlough. Acacia continues her work as a Christian school teacher, as well as do several of our other graduates. Two graduates are pastors, some are on staff in local ministries, and other men help their local church pastors. Recently one was working with a PNG missionary pastor in Australia, while another was serving in his home town across the country. Another is serving with Missionaries Josh and Rebecca Florence in their ministries as the financial administrator, plus teaching Sunday school and high school religious instruction.
EMPTY NEST
Selly (Pastor Ben’s daughter, who has lived with us for the last three years) graduated from both Bible school and high school in May. She traveled with us to the US for meetings, and is now settled in at Bethany Baptist College in Makati (Manila), Philippines, to study for her BS in Education. Lena and I are now “empty nesters” for the second time!
Most of Selly’s life has been around ministry, and her desire to serve the Lord has really blossomed. In the last few months, she has felt a great desire to serve the Lord in missions, and she publicly surrendered at Capital City Baptist Church in Port Moresby to do just that. We’re glad that Bethany Baptist College will fuel her desire even more, as they have a tremendous emphasis not just on talking about missions, but in doing it!
PREACHING, TEACHING, MARRYING
We had 17 opportunities to share about missions and ministry in the last 10 weeks. Our hearts were encouraged and refreshed by so many friends and prayer partners along the way!
This weekend will be the wedding of our oldest grandson, Ben, and it will be my honor to officiate for him and his bride Elise. And it will be the first time in years that our whole family has been together at one time!
By the time many of you get this, Lena and I will be back in PNG, ready to start our second term at Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby.
ONE MORE THING, PLEASE
Could I ask you again to pray with us for my wife’s health? Between our meetings, she had several tests and doctor’s appointments. She is in need of serious lower back surgery sometime in the near future. Would you pray with us that God would make a way for her to avoid having to have the surgery? The pain is constant, but she is working on ways to live with it without being heavily dependent on pain medicines.
Praising God for His Grace and Goodness, John & Lena Allen Psalm 71:18
“Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 1:13)
In September we held our first commencement exercises for Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby. There were 18 in our pioneer class. They persevered through a pandemic and personal loss. They sat for many exams in a classroom, and took many exams online. They learned, they laughed, they loved, and they lived out their profession of faith in Christ Jesus. They did outreaches, held public evangelism, taught day school, taught Sunday school, and preached in markets and homes and pulpits. Some went to the Highlands; some went to the islands. The reason we call our graduation exercises a “commencement”is because it is not supposed to be the end, but it is supposed to be the beginning. The beginning of learning, the beginning of reaching people for Christ, the beginning of discipleship, the beginning of a fruitful life in service of our King!
Our students’ stories are varied. Each one is dear to Lena and me. Our prayer is that God will use them all for His glory and the advancement of the Gospel in PNG and among the peoples of the world.
Soon after graduation, we had the privilege of having our son Nate coming to speak for youth camp here at Capital City Baptist Church, where our son Matt pastors. Nate brought our grandson Graham, and it was a wonderful, busy, and fruitful time of ministry and fellowship. God did great things at youth camp and in our local church. Our BBIPOM students even enjoyed a luncheon meeting with Pastor Nate while he was here too. God is so good!
HOLD FAST THE FORM OF SOUND WORDS
Our world is very different than it was just a few short years ago. Deception and division continue to rise, faster than any time in living memory. Strong beliefs in the Truth are necessary if we are to live and lead effectively. Wishy-washy idealism will not inspire confidence in others.
It is vital that we “hold fast the form of sound words,” those core beliefs of Christianity such as inerrancy of the Scriptures, existence of a personal God, the Deity of Jesus Christ, the necessity of the redemption of man through the sinless atoning sacrifice of the blood of Christ, etc. But too often we blindly repeat what others say, rather than stating truths which we ourselves have studied, meditated on, and been transformed by. In the early stages of our Christian life, it was good that we found others whom we could trust and lean upon for our foundation. But as we mature, we must “Prove all things; [and] hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thes. 5:21) In our present world with its constant challenges to historical, biblical Christian beliefs, we must have sound, biblical answers for ourselves and for those who ask a reason of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).
We must have a Bible-based theology to lead God’s people in an effective manner in these tumultuous days. We must be students of the Word of God. We must love it and search it and believe it and wrestle with texts that are difficult. The Word is our bedrock as shifting winds of culture blow against our beliefs and our faith in God. It must be the Word of God that points our people to Him as they navigate these same storms.
I am unapologetically dispensational in my theological outlook for the future. The Word of God and two eyes open to the world around us scream that this is unlike any time in world history. One could argue that such-and-such has happened repeatedly in human history, that there is “nothing new under the sun.” What one cannot ignore is that these things have never come to pass so concurrently on a global scale. Just think of the governmental instabilities, the military alliances, the rampant rise in anti-Jewish sentiment around the world, and the promotions of wickedness as normal; plus inconceivable advances in AI technology…we have never seen such a surging toward the end as we see it now. Even a cursory reading of eschatology (Ezekiel 38-39, Matthew 24, Revelation 6-18) gives one pause as to where we are headed.
We must know what we believe. To know what we believe, we must study the Word and learn from those who went before us, those whose testimony is biblical, faithful, and sure.
Hold fast what you know is true. Be ready to go or to stay. And be sure to keep telling others about Jesus.
Pressing on by His Grace and Goodness, John & Lena Allen Hebrews 12:1-2
Pastor Nate, Papa John, Bro Phil Parry, & Pastor Matt, Christian Life Seminar at CCBC Youth Camp 2023Joe ObahaJanice ObahaLawrence JauaiRoselyn Jauai accepting her late mother’s diplomaIkoi MaragaChristina IruruOur valedictorian, Flynn DomaraKidu Gore MoreaMaterua TameruaFaith Bible Institute (FBI) comprises three years’ worth of lectures and thousands of pages of reading and study.Bro. Erick Bala graduated from FBI in September.Pastor Justin Wohuinangu and Pastor Tau AbaryPastor Tau and his wife SuzanneMatt and Becky Allen and Braxstone and Brianna YansomSogona & Maureen SebeaMaterua & Patricia TameruaLucy Saisagu & her son, Flynn DomaraRoselyn Jauai and her father, LawrenceJanice & Joe ObahaHappy ladies!
Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. (Psalm 71:18)
Every one of us is the product of those who invest in us over the years. I’m very thankful for those whom the Lord continues to bring into my life to mentor me, as well as those He has sent in decades gone by. I’m also quite aware that fewer and fewer of my mentors are still around (on this side) for the journey ahead. I’ve mentioned before the great impact my pastor, Dr. Don Mangus, had on our lives. I’d like to speak about two other men who helped me grow in the Lord in my early years.
As young people in an ACE Christian school in Daytona Beach in the mid-70s, Lena and I had the blessing of having Norm and Mary Pettus as our high school principal and class supervisor. They invested much in us in those early years of our Christian lives. It was in high school that I first came to faith in the Lord Jesus, and it was “Mr. P” (as I still refer to him) who taught me the basic principles of the Christian life that are still part of my walk with the Lord. I did not come from a Christian home, so it was Mr. P who modeled for me how to be a Christian husband and leader. He took time with me and other young men to mature us in life and in the faith. I doubt he had any idea how far his influence would spread, but right after I graduated from high school, the soldiers who came to Christ during my first years of Army service were fruit added to his account. The memory of his teaching us, loving us, and being a mentor to us still lingers in my mind. By God’s grace, we still stay in touch on social media. Mr. and Mrs. P have been encouragers to us all through our journey, and we praise the Lord for them.
Just a few short weeks ago, another of my early mentors paid us a visit here. Our son Matt invited Bro. James Griggers to PNG after he had been in Australia for some meetings. Bro. Griggers and I go back to 1980 when I was a soldier stationed in Germany. He was a missionary who came to help another missionary who was helping our fledgling military church. Bro. Griggers taught me how to soul-win properly and he explained to me the first principles of theology I ever learned. We GIs would get together with the missionaries and laugh, eat, pray, worship, and talk of the things of the Lord.
A few years after we moved back to the US, Bro.Griggers joined our church and became one of our missionaries. That kept me in even closer contact with him, and over the years I had the privilege of traveling with him in meetings. In 2001 I became pastor of Landmark, and Bro.Griggers immediately taught me the principle of humility—because my elder mentor was now under my pastoral care. His letter to me expressing his submission to the authority of his new pastor has stayed with me. Even today, when I teach on spiritual humility, I often use Bro. Griggers in that instance as my example.
Bro. Griggers & Capital City Baptist Church Pastoral Staff
His visit here last month allowed him to see firsthand both Matt’s ministry and ours. He got to meet many of our BBIPOM students at a luncheon given in his honor, where he gave his testimony and spoke about faithfulness in ministry. He sat with our translation checking team on a Saturday evening and listened to them as they discussed nuances of language. He preached for the church here and in Christian school chapel. And we fellowshipped together—now as older saints remembering the goodness and glory of God in years and places gone by, while rejoicing that God is doing even greater things today.
In a few days our first BBIPOM graduating class will receive their diplomas. Though Mr. P and Bro. Griggers will not be here in person, their investment continues to multiply in the lives of these graduates. May we be grateful to all those who have poured into us, and may we be faithful to pass along what we have received. (2 Timothy 2:2)
Pressing on by His Grace and Goodness, John & Lena Allen Hebrews 12:1-2
Deacon Kidu with Lena, John, & Bro. Griggers (PC Kidu Morea)Bro. Griggers with Kidu, John, and Pastor JustinEnjoying a great meal and fellowship!Bro. Griggers speaks to the students & pastorsNorm & Mary Pettus
In July I had the privilege of teaching again in India. Glory to God for the time with the students and with some choice pastors and servants of the Lord.
“…let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus..” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a
Lately I have been reminded that our lives are so much like races to be run. Some races have stages to run, each with its own beginning and ending. In every race, how you finish is as important as how you start and how you run. As has been said, “Anyone can start, but who will finish?”
FINISHING WELL
Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby’s first group of 17 students completed their 3 ½ years of study in mid-May. They learned from God’s Word, gleaned practical principles, and applied themselves in many different ministries. They also developed perseverance, overcame obstacles (including the pandemic, blackouts, floods, and fighting in their streets), and still completed their course with joy. I am blessed to have a part in their lives, and I thank the Lord for each of them.
RUNNING WELL
In April we held our second BBIPOM Conference, this one focusing on biblical preaching. It was well attended by pastors from Port Moresby, Central Province, and Gulf Province. Pray that we will be able to host more of these conferences each year.
During our trip to the US, we were able to visit churches in several states. Thank the Lord for those of you who faithfully serve the Lord through trials of affliction and keep finding ways to reach people with the Gospel. Lena and I were challenged by the spirit we found in you dear pastors and your people.
A highlight of the trip was being able to minister at our home church, after which I had the privilege of baptizing two of our high school-aged grandchildren, Beth and Abe. What an honor for a granddad!
We were also able to visit our son Nate and the new church plant in Indiana. Nate’s family and Dave’s family live within an hour’s drive of each other, so we were able to be with all of them. God has blessed us with a wonderful family (in the US and PNG) who love the Lord and His people.
BEGINNING WELL
Do we not enjoy finding those who are starting out serving the Lord? Seeing new believers begin walking in the truth and acquiring a hunger for the Lord and His Word is always exciting! Some of these are students at BBIPOM, others are high school students or graduates with a heart for the Lord. Praise the Lord for each one!
Our grandson Ben graduated from high school at our home church, and it was my privilege to be asked to speak at the commencement. Praise the Lord, no greater joy!
LOOKING UNTO JESUS
There are many dear ones who finish the race well. One of our dear students at BBIPOM, Sister Flora, finished her course a few months ago, graduating ahead of her husband and her class. Grief is the portion of those left to keep running; but the “well done” of the Savior was the greeting as our sister crossed the line, safely home.
Benjamin Luke and his family in April 2022
Some of you will remember a dear brother from our ministry days up in the mountains. Benjamin Luke became a paraplegic from TB. He trusted Christ over a decade ago and was a testimony to everyone who visited him. He suffered greatly in his affliction, but thankfully Lena and the faithful Kunai Health Centre staff were able to minister to him and alleviate some of that pain. Even when we moved to the capital, Ben continued to call us every couple of weeks from his hut on the top of a mountain. Just a few weeks ago Ben finished his course. He could not run with his legs for many years, but wow, I imagine he is running now! We will always remember him praying for us on the phone, for Lena’s health and for the blessing of God on the ministry. You ran well, my brother. Enjoy your new legs, and run to Jesus!
Pressing on by His Grace and Goodness, John & Lena Allen Hebrews 12:1-2 Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Enjoy some pictures from the last couple of months!
BBIPOM Conference photos:
Here are some pictures of our Saturday night translation checking squad:
We had a great meal and fellowship when we ended the semester at BBIPOM in May:
Here is Lena with Margaret and her son Alex. Margaret and Lena worked together for years at Kunai Health Centre. Margaret and Alex both went on to study and graduate as community health workers (think LPN in the US). We are so proud of their hearts to serve the Lord and their people!
…IN MERCY: We’ve all had a phone call…you know, the one that sets your heart pounding, mind racing, and hopefully, prayers flying. We got one of those calls in January. Pastor Ben’s wife, Anjuda, had delivered her baby early in a remote area and was in bad shape. Thankfully, she was near the highway from Kerema to Port Moresby, having come down from their village in the mountains. Our son Matt took one of our Bible school students, Braxstone, and Pastor Ben’s oldest daughter Selestine, and they sped off on an overnight trip to find Anjuda and the baby, and to bring them back to Port Moresby. Almost 14 hours after they left, after bouncing on the potholed road, avoiding a couple of attempted road blocks/car jackings, and having the truck stoned, they returned to meet us at the hospital. Anjuda took two units of blood; and by God’s grace, she recovered! The little baby boy also recovered quickly as well. Praise the Lord for His care of Matt, Braxstone, and Sele as they made the trip to literally save Anjuda’s life. And better yet—after recovering with us here at our home for several more days, Pastor Ben’s family was able to head back to their village.
Braxstone, Pastor Ben, Anjuda & baby, & Selestine
Not everything here is that dramatic, praise the Lord. The day-in, day-out routines of life are where we all live. For us it is two evenings of Bible college, one evening of translation checking, Wednesday evening Bible study in Boroko, plus daytime work on the translation projects, weekly preparation for preaching and teaching, and discipleship.
…IN OUTREACH: Some of our Bible college students spent December and January in outreach ministries at a distance from here. One went with another preacher to Southern Highlands Province, filling in at churches without pastors. Another went to the island of Bougainville, where he began three separate ministries in a few weeks. The door is open in so many places here, and we are working to get more laborers trained as we help them catch the vision! It is good to see the growth in spiritual maturity among our students, as well as seeing some begin to get a good grasp on handling the Word of God well in their study and in preaching and teaching!
Preacher Flynn preaching at Shalom Baptist (PC Pastor Tau Abary)
…IN TRAINING: Recently I was privileged to hold a Biblical Preaching Workshop for pastors on the other side of the island in Lae, hosted by Pastor Michael Saka. Most of these laborers preach and teach in Tok Pisin, so we adapted the materials for them. They are really hungry to learn and preach the Word!
Practical work in studying a text at the Biblical Preaching Workshop
Then we had a Workers’ Training Seminar for Pastor Tau Abary here in the city. It was packed with experienced and prospective workers for their classes and ministries. Thank the Lord for those who desire to serve and dedicate themselves to it!
Shalom Workers’ TrainingLunch break!
Last week we were in Mt. Hagen with Pastor Camillus Kumbi and Missionary Kenny Seremak for the kick-off of their new Bible institute. It was encouraging to be with their prospective students and supporting pastors. We had great responses in each of the meetings. I look forward to hearing good things from this new partnership of churches in the Highlands.
Baptist Temple in Mt. Hagen–home of the new Highlands Baptist Bible InstitutePreaching at Baptist TempleBro. Kenny Seremak heads up HBBI
…IN BLESSING: One last thing—can I brag on my wife? While walking through life as a grandmother to 10, and living with an oftentimes frustrating and painful disease, she manages to be a huge blessing. She’s my assistant in our Bible college classes, she balances her food budget to feed the whole crew of our weekly translation checks, and then washes dishes so we can go directly into the Word. I don’t know how it goes at your place, but at ours, an RN with a PhD fixes dinner, waits on guests, and washes dishes.
Papa John, Mama Lena, & Pastor Ben’s daughter, Selestine. Sele is living with us while she finishes her high school training, and is also enrolled in our Bible Institute.
We have an even busier schedule in the weeks to come. Pray we can do it all, and do it well, for the glory of God!
Pressing on by His Grace & Goodness, John & Lena Allen Philippians 1:27
Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Enjoy the photos!
Mama and Papa with the Seremak family in Mt. HagenBro. Kenny, Papa John, Pastor CamillusShelly (Ps Camillus’ wife), Mama Lena, and Sheila & Joanna SeremakPastor Matt Allen & Braxstone Yansom, who is both a Bible college student at BBIPOM and a pastoral intern at Capital City Baptist in Port MoresbyBBIPOM, no blackoutBBIPOM, blackout–class must go onBible translation checks in Proverbs
The ending of pandemic restrictions gave us back the joy of meeting together with the brethren in three conferences in the last three months.
NATIONAL PASTORS’ CONFERENCE
The local Baptist churches in Port Moresby co-hosted the national conference under the leadership of Pastor Paul Lahari at Bible Baptist, and they did a good job of it. BBC provided the venue and lots of ever-present assistance, and many churches from the city joined hands to take turns cooking the meals, feeding the crowd, and leading the services. Thank the Lord for being able to hear the Word preached and to fellowship with some brothers we haven’t seen in years.
Evening Session of National Pastors’ Conference 2022
BBIPOM CONFERENCE Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby hosted its first annual conference right on the heels of the National Conference. It was so good to see our students looking sharp as we enjoyed the teaching from Pastor Cranston Knowles from the Bahamas and Pastor Ed Thierbach from the USA.
A highlight of the conference was the round-table discussion by the more seasoned PNG pastors regarding balancing ministry and family. It was a blessing to our students and to the pastors in attendance. We trust the Lord will allow us to continue holding these special meetings.
Pastors’ Panel at BBIPOM Conference
IRON SHARPENETH IRON CONFERENCE
In early November I spent a few days in Lae City, PNG, where I was honored to be part of the “Iron Sharpeneth Iron” Conference hosted by Pastor Michael Saka of Tent Siti Baptist Church. There were several dozen pastors in attendance, plus many of their wives.
I was privileged to speak alongside Missionary Pastor Dala Momo (from PNG, who serves among the Aboriginal people of Australia). It was a biblically sound, theologically rich conference that God used to speak straight to our hearts. It was definitely a time of refreshing and challenge!
Pastor Dala teaching a day session
PRESSING IN & PRESSING ON
I want to thank all of you who have labored with us in prayer for Lena’s health. This has been a long, difficult season for us. Recently she has seen some relief, and has actually started to feel alive. We do not take this for granted, and we definitely praise the Lord for it.
Having just taught on prayer in Bible college here, and also teaching on it currently in our Wednesday evening fellowship meetings in Boroko, I am all the more aware that the answers we get from the Lord in answer to prayer are pure grace. He calls us to pray; but more than that, He calls us to trust. What rich lessons we have been learning by experience about trust—and what encouraging lessons we have been learning about God’s providence and wisdom. Difficult seasons test and prove our faithfulness to God, but more importantly, they build our faith in His faithfulness to us.
Please continue to pray for us. The harvest is great, and the open doors are many. In two weeks, Lena and I will celebrate 45 years of being married, with one-third of that time being in PNG. 40 years of our marriage has been invested in full-time ministry. There is much to do here for our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Keep praying for us!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen Philippians 1:27 Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Enjoy some pictures from recent weeks here in PNG![PC: some by Pastor Tau Abary, others by John & Lena Allen]
Pastor Dala teaching during the frequent evening power blackouts.Pastor Ben Samauyo, our village pastor from Kotidanga (and lead translator on the Kamea New Testament) with Pastor Cranston Knowles from the Bahamas. Ps Cranston and his wife Susanna were a GREAT blessing to all of our people when they were here. He spoke at Capital City Baptist Church’s Youth Conference, the National Pastors’ Conference, the BBIPOM Conference, and at Capital City Baptist and Shalom Baptist. We are so grateful for his ministry among us here.Our Kamea kids came in for the Youth Conference here at our son Matt’s church. So good to see them–and to host some of them while they were here!Malcolm and his wife Metiyai have been friends of ours since we moved to PNG in March 2008. Malcolm worked with Missionary Tom Palmer on the translation of the Hamtai New Testament, and Malcolm has always been an encouragement in our Kamea project.In 2009 Dr. Micah Yawing was deputy director for Morobe Province Health Department. He wrote one letter and made one phone call–and from that our Kunai Health Centre received whatever government medicines were available, for the next 13 years until we closed in late 2021. When our own province refused to help, Dr. Micah stepped in and opened great doors of supply for us. I saw him in Lae at the conference; we had not seen one another in nearly 15 years.Pastor Tau and me with our new BBIPOM bannerTypical class night at BBIPOMPs Cranston speaking to our studentsOur dear Sister Sarah Glover served the Kamea and PNG people from April 2010 through September 2022. It was a blessing to honor her service at the BBIPOM Conference. God is doing great things through Sarah!
These have been a busy few weeks, including a fast trip to the US and back (more about that later). But before I touch on our own matters, please indulge an older brother in the Lord for a moment. I don’t usually write long letters, so I’d appreciate it if you would take time to read this when you can.
I speak as a fool in saying this, but with over four decades of ministry behind me, I have some thoughts from my perspective regarding the state of the Lord’s church today. If working through them helps me, maybe it will help you too.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)
As a whole, I don’t think we take seriously the spiritual warfare we are engaged in. The Scripture states clearly that the four categories of spiritual enemies are very real and very present. (This does not even include our daily battle with our own hearts’ desires for wrong things, nor our daily battle with a world that is not merely anti-Christian—it is increasingly “anti-Christ.”) In the spiritual world around us forces are at work that are utterly evil, relentlessly pursuing the silencing and destruction of the Word and works of God. The demon gods of the Old and New Testament are not false gods nor made-up idols; these demonic principalities and powers and rulers of spiritual wickedness in high places are still at work (John 14:30; 16:11; Eph. 2:2; Dan. 10:12-13; etc.) defiling the opinions of this world and forging a vile worldview against God. These fallen sons of God and their blasphemous breed have distracted, discouraged, and destroyed God’s people from Eden on, and they have not stayed nor slackened their venomous and sadistic attempts to annihilate the Word, the work, and the people of the Lamb even to this present hour. And this we must keep in mind daily.
Our beloved nation of PNG is held in the grip of Satanic opposition. God’s works are in constant conflict from forces without and within. The spiritual worldview of many here causes them to fear the spirits; and what you fear, you work to appease. Entire people groups still remain in the grip of demon oppression and control. Multitudes are taken captive in the snare of the devil at his will—so we must comprehend our enemy, and “in meekness [instruct] those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to theacknowledging of the truth.” (2 Tim. 2:25)
This is not only true where we live; it is true where you live, whether you sense it or not. Grasp that. We all are in a great spiritual warfare. We all must put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:11,13). We all must stand and fight.
I offer here some simple, biblical suggestions to fight this good fight, but they are by no means comprehensive.
PRAYER Prayingalways with all prayer and supplicationin the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplicationfor all saints; (Ephesians 6:18)
Pray for the Lord’s churches,His people, andHis servants. First, pray earnestly for your pastor and ministry leaders.
Then, read your missionaries’ prayer letters—and pray for them. [I always enjoy hearing from those who read our letters, though I fear there are many who don’t read them. I’d appreciate your input as to what we can do better. Email me your thoughts at johnallensr@gmail.com.]
If you don’t read a specific prayer request in a letter, remember there is always a battle going on for the souls of the missionaries themselves and for the people to whom God has called them—so pray!
Perhaps if Christians spent less time being distracted by Netflix, the news media, and social media, they could engage in this real spiritual warfare as soldiers, not as spectators.
PERSONAL CHURCH ATTENDANCE And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)
Get back in church, in person. Ten years ago God’s people would have disdained the idea of staying out of church to watch the service online week after week. Now we have droves who stay home in their PJs on the couch. They have no fear of catching an illness; they simply have lost the godly habit of fellowship with the saints. And dare I say that most are not really paying attention to the online sermons they are hearing? Hear me, brethren—the Lord’s army doesn’t wear PJs under the armor of God. O Church, arise!
PROPHETIC VOICE And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)
Preach with biblical authority. There is a lot of good, biblical preaching in the church today. A lot of it. But what seems to be lacking in much of it is a “prophetic voice.” Not the fake prophets who claim visions and words from God—we have God’s Word already, and His Word is inspired, complete, preserved, profitable, and sufficient for us today.
What we need is the voice of a prophet; the preaching that not only says, “thus saith the Lord,” but actually looks at the hearers and reminds them, “you need to obey this Word from the Lord.” Not a preacher’s thoughts, mind you, but God’s words. At times we are afraid to say, “you,” so we say, “we”; as in “we need to do this,” and “we need to obey the Lord.” We include the speaker, so as not to offend the hearers. But the prophets and apostles of old did not fear to say, “you”! Preacher, do not fear being labeled legalistic if what you are preaching is biblical truth. There is a prophetic aspect to preaching—the “forth-telling,” that authoritative word which is based on the words of the living God, not the preacher—and I believe many times that voice is lacking. Let us humble ourselves before our God and our people, and then let us preach the Word with boldness!
PERSONALLY SPEAKING
Wedding & Family
Lena and I were able to travel back to the US for the wedding of our oldest granddaughter, Ariel, to Luke Lunsford. It was beautiful! And best of all, we were able to be together with all the kids and grandkids in one place for the first time since 2011. (Would you pray for Luke’s family? A couple weeks after the wedding, his father passed away suddenly. Thank you.)
We were also able to be in a few churches, and how rich the fellowship! Preaching, teaching, singing, glorifying the Lord, —and how edifying it was to see old friends and to make new ones!
Back in Class at BBIPOM
We have started our new term at Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby. A good number of our students are in their third and final year, plus we’ve picked up 10 new first-year students. Praise the Lord! Pray for them and for me as I teach and mentor these servants of God.
New term in August 2022Third & final year for several of our students!
Beginning the Front Translation of 2 Corinthians
The Kamea Bible Project continues to progress. I’ve begun working on 2 Corinthians. Pray for me to have minimal distractions from the project, maximum clarity in translating, and the power of the Spirit as I have the privilege of doing this holy work. Remember Pastor Ben Samauyo in the same way as he labors to translate the Word directly into his heart language.
Thank you for your continued prayers for the Lord’s ministry here and for Lena’s health, and thank you for helping us be your representatives here on the field in Port Moresby, PNG!
Because He Is,
John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Enjoy some photos from the last few weeks:
Ariel, Luke, & our son Nate, who performed their wedding–all having fun at the rehearsalLuke & ArielWith our Kunai nurses: Lauren, Chelsea, Danya, and Kyle–what a great reunion!With our dear friend Judy ChestnuttPs Tau Abary, and Bro Erick Bala…these two men planted the seed idea in our hearts to begin BBIPOM [PC Ps Tau Abary]Two of our newest students, Enoch & Alex [PC Ps Tau Abary]Brother pastors in Port Moresby: Ps Rodney Tom, Ps Tau Abary, & Ps Holmes Tako [PC Ps Tau Abary]Having a devotional time with our whole family–when you only gather for a day every decade, these times are precious beyond words
Three weeks ago, Pastor Ben, Yali, and I spent several days reading the Kamea translation of the Book of Revelation aloud.
Yali, Pastor Ben, Papa John doing a read-through of Revelation in the Kamea language
Our Bible translation process involves multiple steps. First, I prepare a front translation in Tok Pisin with notes regarding meanings in the text. Then Pastor Ben translates it into Kamea. When he finishes a section, he gives it to Yali, who translates it back into Tok Pisin to see if anything was missed or could be misunderstood. The final step is reading the text out loud together to see how it sounds. We’ve done that with every book we’ve translated.
Last verse in the Kamea translation of Revelation
This was our final draft check of this book, and we catch a lot more when there are three of us listening to it being read. Sorry to say, we didn’t get any special insights into the interpretation of the book, but we did deliberate over terminology. A translator’s work is to translate with as little interpretation as is possible. A hard part in Revelation is describing the things John sees. Just as we English readers find it hard to imagine some of these beasts, it is just as hard to figure out how to describe it without putting an interpretation on it.
Bible College Students
A few weeks ago, we finished another term of Bible college. These students are such a blessing! As part of their Bible college training, their home church pastors mentor them as much as is possible. I am grateful for the opportunities the men get to preach and teach, both in the marketplace and in the pulpit.
BBIPOM End of 1st term 2022
To attend BBIPOM, our students must have their pastor’s recommendation, and he must agree to train them…plus, our new students have to pay up front. We already have 30 students paid and registered for our next term! Pray for this ministry, and for these great servants of God.
Bible Training Materials
A pet project of ours for a while now has been a Tok Pisin Study Bible. The idea was born out of our translation work in the village, as our men shared how they would like to learn the Book of Proverbs better. Many Baptist preachers in Papua New Guinea like to use a King James Bible, but like their American counterparts (that’s us, folks!) they have difficulty with some words, phrases, and idioms. It turned out that other pastors from our region and up in the Highlands had the same desire, so I began revising some Tok Pisin text and editing notes.
Draft copy of our Tok Pisin Study Bible: Proverbs
A couple months ago we printed Proverbs, our first book of the study bible project. It has been distributed selectively so far in order to get more feedback on the notes and the text. It has been good to have nationals and missionaries working with us on it. My wife and some friends have helped type up more notes for other Bible books, and some notes have already been translated. This is a long-term project, but we hope it will be a good tool for anyone interested in learning the Word.
The ministries here in Port Moresby have seen souls saved and more commitment among the saints of late. Pray for God to continue to do His mighty work among us!
Thank you for your continued prayers for us, and for helping us stay in the work.
Gratefully yours in Christ Jesus, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Enjoy some more photos from the last couple of months here in Port Moresby:
Pastor Tau & Flynn DomaraPastor Tau & Sogona SebeaBraxstone & Brianna
These are some of our students doing ministry–proud of them all! All three of these young men are preachers, and Brianna is one of the Christian School teachers in our son’s ministry in Port Moresby.
BBIPOM LadiesSome of the BBIPOM MenJoe, Loita, and Glynn. BBIPOM students and laborers in the ministry of South Pacific International Academy (PC Pastor Tau Abary)Pastor Tau, Pastor Justin, and Papa John (PC Pastor Tau Abary)Our security dog, Teyla. OK, more pet than security dog. But she does bark really loudly!Our songbook-holding cat, Raja.The heavens declare the glory of GodAnd the firmament sheweth His handiwork
We have some beautiful mornings and evenings here in Port Moresby. God’s glory is everywhere evident!
