The latest Set Free! and Empower Retreat in Doha, Qatar was a powerful time of blessing and equipping for pastors as they experienced breakthroughs with addiction, restored family relationships, and a renewed desire for the gifts of the Spirit. 

Joshua and Febe Pantoja, Directors of Southeast Asia at Church Renewal International (CRI), explained that Christians in Qatar, particularly foreign workers, have specific restrictions on how they can practice their faith. They must be part of a registered house church, and it’s illegal for them to publicly share their Christian faith. Attempts to convert a person from Islam are illegal and can lead to penalties like deportation or imprisonment.

Despite this, due to the growing Christian population, the Emir (or king) of Qatar donated land for churches to build and share a communal building to host services. The evangelical community of Doha is currently in the process of building a facility where their churches can gather for worship.

The trip was originally designed to be just an Empower Retreat for pastors who had previously attended a Set Free! and were already in mentoring. But news was spreading about a church where people were listening in prayer, journaling, and taking part in other renewal practices. Hungry for this spiritual growth, other pastors were reaching out to the CRI church, who in turn invited the Pantojas to run another Set Free! in Qatar.

If you’ve ever taken part in a Set Free! Retreat, you’ll know it can be both spiritually uplifting and exhausting at the same time. The Pantojas managed to run the entire Set Free!, which is typically a weekend retreat, in a single day. After taking a rest day (which may be a bit of a loose term, as the pastors couldn’t stop asking questions and sharing testimonies), the final day was slated for the Empower — another weekend retreat they packed in a day.

Despite the hectic schedule, the Holy Spirit worked powerfully in the lives of the attendees. “The Lord visited us beyond what we were expecting,” said Joshua.

There was the pastor and his sister who, despite living in the same house, hugged each other for the first time in 20 years at the Empower. Past hurts had placed a wedge in their relationship, hurts that hadn’t been dealt with despite them both coming to Christ and serving him in ministry. But the Empower broke down those barriers and paved the way to humility and reconciliation.

Another pastor testified to his desperation for the Holy Spirit in his personal life and ministry. In front of a full room, he boldly shared that while he had long desired the Spirit’s power, sin and baggage had hindered him.

“He said to us, ‘I’m serving the Lord and preaching regularly. But I am hooked on pornography,’” said Joshua.

Time and time again, the pastor would pray and vow to quit. Jaded by the empty promises, his wife would reply, “Good luck with that.”

But when this pastor attended the healing session at the Empower, the Holy Spirit asked him to be transparent and willing to receive healing from the other attendees. This time was so powerful, no one wanted to stop the practicum.

This was a common theme throughout both retreats. Pastors wouldn’t stop praying for each other’s requests. They lay prostrated on the floor during the resting sessions. They were quick to share stories during testimony time. And they were also eager to give back in some way. Not only were all of Joshua and Febe’s travel costs covered, but the pastors also took up an impromptu fund to support Myanmar pastors struggling to continue CRI mentoring in the aftermath of the March earthquake. The Pantojas explained to them that some Myanmar pastors are regularly buying data for their phones instead of their daily rice so they can continue mentoring. Moved by this, the retreat participants took up a collection. This was a great sacrifice on their part, as most pastors in Qatar are “tentmakers,” blue-collar workers who serve in ministry on the side.

In total, 72 people came to the Set Free! and 24 to the Empower. There are 21 pastors in Qatar signed up for mentoring, but the Pantojas are anticipating more pastors to join in the fall, largely because of the Set Free! Retreat.

“We are not just facilitating events. We want it to be a jumping pad for weekly mentoring,” said Joshua.

Coming up for CRI Southeast Asia

Several countries have Joshua and Febe’s focus right now. They’ve engaged four coordinators to facilitate mentoring groups in India. It’s an uphill battle for these coordinators, as the rampant polytheism in India has left many people in spiritual bondage. On top of this, the Pantojas are also exploring further initiatives in Pakistan, Australia, and Mongolia.

July prayer requests

1. That more pastors and church workers in Qatar would sign up for CRI mentoring and model how to practice the gifts of the Spirit in a healthy way.

2. Strength and health for the Pantojas as they continue travelling, often in limited-access nations, and maintain their busy schedule. Pray also for their family and children.

3. God’s favour for CRI Southeast Asia as the Pantojas launch more initiatives and expand the ministry to more countries.