Surf's Up! Oceania MicroGroups
New MicroGroups in the Pacific Ocean region are multiplying at a rate that makes a difference in people's lives across many miles. The 14 countries in Oceania are Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga, Marshall Islands, Palau, Nauru, Micronesia, and Tuvalu.
To refresh your geographical awareness, notice that Figi is in the center of subregion called Melanesia. Because numerous areas are mentioned in this tidal wave of MicroGroups, you can refer back to this map.
Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is an archipelago of more than 300 islands. Nadi is a town and the tourism hub of Fiji, located on the western side of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji. - Google
Peni Dolavale shares the origin of making disciples in Oceania
"In early June 2023, I came across Greg Ogden’s book Discipleship Essentials, and after being challenged by what I read in the book about MicroGroups, I prayed and sought the Lord to lead me to three men in Nadi. With guidance from Ralph Rittenhouse of GDI, the first MicroGroup started, and we met every Wednesday morning at coffee shops in Nadi. This marked the beginning of my most exciting journey ever in my over 30 years as a Christian."
By April 2025, that one group multiplied very quickly and within about 20 months, it increased to 34 MicroGroups with 80 men and women meeting at different locations around the country. This included groups that started in the other countries in the Pacific Region like Vanuatu, Guam, Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Gunea.
Between Isei Tudreu and I, we have clocked over 60 years between us working in the aviation industry where we both retired from in 2022 and 2020 respectively.
And because we live around Nadi Airport and still have connections with our former workmates who are still working, we took up as a challenge to introduce MicroGroup discipleship to those who may be interested.
And currently, Isei leads a MicroGroup which include three senior pilots and an airport staff from Tonga attending university in Fiji. I (Peni) am leading a MicroGroup with two Fiji Airways senior ground staff, and one other MicroGroup which include a senior B737 captain. One of the senior Fiji Airways staff has already started his own MicroGroup with three more Fiji Airways staff working in the same department joining.
Vanuatu and Papua New Gunea
Pastor Kalo, a 74-year-old pastor from Port Villa in Vanuatu, attended a conference in Fiji in August 2024. We met and quickly bonded after we focused our conversation on our spiritual health. That relationship resulted in our weekly meeting via Zoom as we journey in a discipleship relationship for over 6 months.
I quickly noticed the transformation that took place in his life, and he soon visited other pastors in Vanuatu where he shared what has caused the transformation in his life, which was a quality and consistent daily quiet time.
This led to his interest to pursue discipleship, and when I challenged him to join me in MicroGroup (MG), he responded with excitement. He invited one of the pastors he had shared daily quiet time with and the three of us started a MG in March 2025. Pastor Kalo extended an invitation to a close friend of his, Pastor Kenneth of the Eastern Highlands in Papua New Gunea (PNG) to join the MG. He agreed and we started meeting together with the plan for Pastor Kenneth to start a separate group for PNG.
Koro Ravai
Koro Ravai is a captain on B737 Max with Fiji Airways, and he has been a member of the MG triad that meets as MacDonald’s every Tuesday morning at 6:30 am. Even with his busy flight schedule, he makes a strong commitment to be present every week without fail. Captain Koro already has 2 other pilots that he is challenging to form a MicroGroup. He expressed his excitement at one of our Tuesday morning session when he said,
“I am living my best life ever."
Pastor Dan and Unity Baptist Church
Pastor Dan Qeleni of Unity Baptist Church introduced MicroGroups to his church in late 2024-April 2025. He has 6 MicroGroups for men and 4 MicroGroups for women meeting every week. The men’s groups are made up of young and emerging leaders of the church who actively support Pastor Dan. In these men, there is a bright future for the Baptist work in Fiji as I can already see the growth in discipleship for the future.
Pastor Dan’s wife, Sita, has also introduced MicroGroups to the women of Unity Baptist Church and now they have 4 women groups meeting every week.
Women in Grace Community Church
For 13 years, 7 women meet religiously every Tuesday for prayer and fellowship. The leader of the group has gone to be with the Lord and the remaining 6 women have transitioned to form 2 MicroGroups from prayer and fellowship. With the relational environment created in MicroGroups, they are now committed to the curriculum in Discipleship Essentials, they have commented that they have moved from “pre-school to University.”
Guam
Professor Maika is the Associate Dean in the School of Natural and Applied Science at the University of Guam, and we met and started a MicroGroup in September 2023. A few weeks after our first meeting, he was approached by the pastor of his church in Guam, Acts 2 Church, to lead the church while the pastor returned to the Philippines. Professor Maika accepted the role and, a few weeks later he was offered the position of Associated Dean in the School of Natural and Applied Science. According to Prof Maika, growing as a disciple and part of the weekly MicroGroup in his words,“ settled my life.”
After meeting every week via zoom for nearly 2 years, he now started his own MicroGroup, and in May he plan to have a men’s and a women’s group start in his church.
Samoa
Corinna reflects about the changes in Ladies MicroGroups.
In 2024, what was originally a "meal and catch up" became the first of many mentoring, dinner dates that I had with a young Christian woman. She was 25, was filled with doubt, and had low self-esteem. She wasn’t managing her time well and felt as if life was passing her by. She had goals but didn’t know how to achieve them. The young lady had attended church all her life but had not yet developed a personal relationship with Jesus. A friendly catch-up became an on-going, one-on-one, discipleship journey.
Towards the end of the year I was convicted that we both needed more. I wanted more structure to our sessions; more Holy Spirit-inspired fellowship, and less of a dependent, "teacher/student" dynamic.
Shortly after, I was introduced to Discipleship Essentials by someone who was already immersed in that lifestyle change (not a program). Almost immediately, I knew that this was the Lord’s answer to prayer. It ticked every mentor’s box that I had. Less of me and more of Him!
As I read through the Discipleship Essentials workbook, I appreciated the research and experience that had produced this discipling tool, the format of the lessons, and most importantly, the personal commitment that each participant was required to make. The MicroGroup concept impressed my mama-bear heart because I preferred "personal" and "transparent" fellowship.
As journeys are inclined to do, ours branched out, gathered two more sisters along the way, and has launched the four of us into our "ten-weeks-and-counting" Discipleship Essentials season.
Of our group of four, one of us lives in Fiji and the rest of us call Samoa home. We attend different churches, but we share a common goal--a desire to draw closer to Abba Father. As believers we want to be more intentional with the Word; we want to grow spiritually, share our faith more effectively, go further, and do more for the kingdom.
Each Thursday evening, we "gather" online to discuss and share the lessons that we’ve each attempted over the past week. Our encounters are fulfilling, productive and on-point. We’re able to focus on the lessons, hold each other accountable in a gracious way, and are sensitive to the vulnerable aspects of transparency. As we attempt to cover the course work thoroughly, each session sets its own pace.
I’m humbled at how the Lord has squared my spiritual shoulders and solidified my understanding of leadership. We’re a group of disciples that are being discipled; earthen vessels, being honed for the glory of our Lord. Despite our age range (between 25 and 64), a camaraderie and maturity exists amongst us. I look forward to the "baton exchange" as, in time, we take turns to host different sessions.
Discipleship Essentials is a transformative personal investment.
The MicroGroup concept is a practical, articulate, motivational study that we ladies are blessed to be a part of.
Tonga
I am visiting the island Kingdom of Tonga where I am invited to introduce MicroGroup Discipleship on May 29-31, 2025. The invitation has come from the Tonga Baptist Church.
And we want more training from Greg Ogden
With the invitation from Greg Ogden, four leaders from Fiji and Guam have started a GDI Cohort. Isei Tudreu, Professor Maika Vuki, Taniela Qeleni and myself ( Peni) are already in Session 4 of the GDI 2-year study. This is an intensive course if you are interested. Learn more about GDI cohorts.
Member discussion