The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
(John 1:5)
There are moments in ministry when a single verse suddenly becomes real in a way you never expected. Recently, John 1:5 came alive for us as we walked with one of the newest Pnong Christian families through the death of their mother.
They are the only Christian family in their village. Of all the siblings, only the youngest daughter, her husband and their mother had accepted Jesus. During the last months of her life, as illness slowly weakened the mother, she placed her trust in Christ. As we watched her health decline, one thought kept returning to our prayers: Lord, prepare us for the day of her funeral. We knew that moment would become much more than a farewell.
When the call finally came, we traveled to the village together with several believers from nearby Pnong house churches. These were not longtime Christians either. Most had come to faith only recently, yet they immediately left their own villages to stand beside their new brothers and sisters.
When we arrived, the scene was overwhelming. We found ourselves surrounded by nearly twenty witch doctors, family members, neighbors, animals prepared for sacrifice, jars for ritual ceremonies, and everything needed for a traditional animistic funeral. Our small group of believers seemed almost insignificant in the middle of such spiritual darkness.
What affected us most, however, was not the crowd. It was the youngest couple. Only two weeks earlier, they had begun studying what the Bible teaches about the state of the dead, and now they were facing the greatest test of their new faith. Through tears, they wondered how they could honor their mother while remaining faithful to Jesus.
In Pnong culture, when a parent dies, the older siblings, aunts and uncles, together with the village witch doctors, traditionally determine how to conduct the funeral. Younger family members are expected to follow these decisions not only out of respect for family authority and traditions but because the rituals are believed to protect everyone connected to the deceased from harmful spirits. For new believers, refusing to participate can be seen not only as disrespectful but also as putting the entire family at spiritual risk. Resisting those expectations can come at a great personal cost.
We silently prayed over and over, asking God to give wisdom not only to us, but also to the young Pnong believers who stood beside them.
As conversation after conversation unfolded, the same questions kept returning. Would they participate in the sacrifices? Would they join the rituals? Again and again, our church members patiently explained why these new believers desired to honor their relatives while refusing to take part in practices that did not reflect their faith in Christ. Even though their mother had come to faith in Jesus before she died, the family insisted that the sacrifices still had to be carried out to protect everyone connected to her. Someone, they argued, had to complete the rituals. The conversations felt almost circular, repeating the same truths in different ways, yet every explanation became necessary.
In those moments, we sensed the Holy Spirit helping us. More than once, we found ourselves saying things we had not planned, with perfect pronunciation and clarity in the local language, while our Pnong brothers and sisters courageously defended the young couple with gentleness and biblical conviction. We were deeply encouraged to see believers who had only recently left these same traditions now standing firm in their own faith.
After many conversations, the young couple finally realized no one would force them to participate in the sacrifices. The relief on their faces was unmistakable. We had quietly wondered whether the discussions might offend the family or even provoke the witch doctors, but God granted His spirit throughout the day.
It was unlike any funeral we had ever attended.
On one side of the gathering, rituals continued for the animist children—ropes tied around their bodies, chanting, alcohol, blood and fear. On the other side, a small group gathered to pray, sing hymns, read Scripture and proclaim the hope found in Jesus Christ. Two worldviews stood side by side. Darkness had not disappeared, but neither could it silence the gospel light.
As we left the village, another thought stayed with us. So many people there have still never heard the good news of Jesus. The spiritual darkness is real, but so is the power of Christ to reach hearts.
Then, the following Sabbath, God reminded us that He had been working all along. One of the older sisters, the very one who had helped lead the traditional ceremonies and sacrifices, contacted our church members in the neighboring villages through her younger sister, inviting them to visit her and tell her more about Jesus.
What had seemed to be one of the most difficult days in this family’s life had become another opportunity for the Holy Spirit to open a door. Once again, we witnessed the truth of John 1:5, that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
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