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From Genesis to Revelation, God's heart has always been set on the nations.
by Aaron Myers
by Aaron Myers
The Veteran in a New Field by Winslow Homer (1865)
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20
This is the passage of scripture that we know today as the great commission. Echos of it are found in all four gospels and the book of Acts. The basic idea that the church has been commissioned to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all nations is central to the message of Jesus. It reflects the heart of the Father and it’s why we’re still here.
There are a whole host of wonderful and good things that we are called to do as followers of Jesus, but making disciples is the one thing that we can only do now. Once we get to heaven we will still worship – only our worship will be better. We will still pray – only our prayers will be purer. We will still fellowship – only our fellowship will be free from the bonds of sin and shame. Making disciples is a special assignment for this life. It will not continue in heaven. And it is the way that Jesus intends to see his Kingdom come. Through his church. Through people like you and me, broken vessels in the hands of an all powerful God.
But we need to understand that the Great Commission is not a beginning point, but rather a continuation of what has always been the heart of God, the mission of God, the grand narrative of the Bible. In the Abrahamic covenant as found in Genesis 12, God promises to bless Abraham and that through Abraham “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” And of course we understand this to be looking forward to the coming of Christ, the only one in whom salvation is found.
The book of Jonah tells of God’s relentless pursuit of the lost in Nineveh. David reflects God’s heart for all nations when in Psalm 67 he says, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (v. 1-2). Isaiah continues the theme in chapter 49:6 saying of the promised Messiah, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Malachi 1:11 says, “My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. “
Even before giving the Great Commission, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24:14 that "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." This isn't necessarily an end-times trigger. It's a window into what God intends: that every nation would hear. And John's vision in Revelation 7:9 shows where it leads: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”
God’s heart across time and from the very beginning has been to bring all nations into his family, to reconcile all people to himself, to set all free, to redeem all who are lost, to break the bonds of sin and shame. His heart is that all nations would worship him. That is the will of God. As you immerse yourself in the Bible you cannot miss the missional heartbeat of God. And that is why the great commission is so important to Him.
Jesus taught us to pray for the Father’s “kingdom to come and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Knowing that the Father’s heart is set on the nations, how can we do anything less than work to discover our role in seeing his will done, in seeing disciples made and churches established among every nation, tribe, people and language?
How will you respond? What steps can you take to discover your role in the completion of the Great Commission? Can you pray? Give? Send? Welcome? Can you go?
Action Step: Find thirty minutes to work through the Father’s Heart Study. For best results, pray about a few friends whom you could invite to go through the study with you over a cup of coffee. Spend time praying through the reflection questions.
There are a whole host of wonderful and good things that we are called to do as followers of Jesus, but making disciples is the one thing that we can only do now. Once we get to heaven we will still worship – only our worship will be better. We will still pray – only our prayers will be purer. We will still fellowship – only our fellowship will be free from the bonds of sin and shame. Making disciples is a special assignment for this life. It will not continue in heaven. And it is the way that Jesus intends to see his Kingdom come. Through his church. Through people like you and me, broken vessels in the hands of an all powerful God.
But we need to understand that the Great Commission is not a beginning point, but rather a continuation of what has always been the heart of God, the mission of God, the grand narrative of the Bible. In the Abrahamic covenant as found in Genesis 12, God promises to bless Abraham and that through Abraham “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” And of course we understand this to be looking forward to the coming of Christ, the only one in whom salvation is found.
The book of Jonah tells of God’s relentless pursuit of the lost in Nineveh. David reflects God’s heart for all nations when in Psalm 67 he says, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations” (v. 1-2). Isaiah continues the theme in chapter 49:6 saying of the promised Messiah, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Malachi 1:11 says, “My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. “
Even before giving the Great Commission, Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 24:14 that "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." This isn't necessarily an end-times trigger. It's a window into what God intends: that every nation would hear. And John's vision in Revelation 7:9 shows where it leads: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”
God’s heart across time and from the very beginning has been to bring all nations into his family, to reconcile all people to himself, to set all free, to redeem all who are lost, to break the bonds of sin and shame. His heart is that all nations would worship him. That is the will of God. As you immerse yourself in the Bible you cannot miss the missional heartbeat of God. And that is why the great commission is so important to Him.
Jesus taught us to pray for the Father’s “kingdom to come and will to be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Knowing that the Father’s heart is set on the nations, how can we do anything less than work to discover our role in seeing his will done, in seeing disciples made and churches established among every nation, tribe, people and language?
How will you respond? What steps can you take to discover your role in the completion of the Great Commission? Can you pray? Give? Send? Welcome? Can you go?
Action Step: Find thirty minutes to work through the Father’s Heart Study. For best results, pray about a few friends whom you could invite to go through the study with you over a cup of coffee. Spend time praying through the reflection questions.
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Seven ways churches can make a difficult financial decision with grace and generosity.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
Much of what I write here is about helping churches develop a healthy missions culture—and an important part of that culture is developing a generous and sustainable giving culture. We want churches to give generously, give strategically, and develop long-term partnerships with missionaries. But healthy missions partnerships also require us to think carefully about what happens when a church needs to change or end its financial support.
Tom and Jane had been serving in Central Asia for over ten years when suddenly they ran into a major obstacle—they lost a major donor who had been giving $1,000 every month. This was a church that had supported them for a long time—a church they had attended as young adults and visited every furlough but a leadership change had led to a change in focus. With no warning, the monthly gift just disappeared. They didn’t realize it had happened until three months after the checks had stopped showing up and by that time they were headed toward a major deficit that was going to create major problems. They had worked hard to be good stewards, to live responsibly within their means with a focus on ministry and to communicate well with their ministry partnership team. While this story is fictional you can imagine that this kind of financial hit might take anyone into a tailspin.
Imagine working for years for a company and suddenly realizing that your income had been cut by $1,000 a month. A missionary who raises their own support doesn't simply receive a paycheck from an employer. Their “income” is built from dozens—or sometimes hundreds—of individual relationships.It’s a problem that doesn’t happen in most vocations but for the self-supporting missionary, this is a very real vulnerability.
Churches sometimes have legitimate reasons for ending financial support. The problem isn't necessarily that support ends; it's how that decision is communicated and carried out.
If a church has decided that it can no longer financially support a missionary however, it should do so, as far as it is in their capacity, with integrity, honor and in a way that gives the missionary the greatest opportunity to not end up in a financial crisis. And this applies as well to individuals who find they need to stop giving. With today’s article I want to offer a few practical guidelines for ending missionary support.
Don't surprise them.
No missionary should “notice” that a gift is no longer coming into their account. If you anticipate that a change may be coming, be proactive in communicating to the missionary. You would not want to experience that kind of surprise and neither do they.
Talk before you make the change.
Don't let the missionary learn about the decision through a budget document, email, or another church member. Set up a time to call and have a conversation. Give them the opportunity to ask questions. If you’re ending the relationship because of perceived issues on their part, allow them a chance to share. Too often there is misunderstanding or misperception that can be cleared up with a face-to-face meeting.
Tom and Jane had been serving in Central Asia for over ten years when suddenly they ran into a major obstacle—they lost a major donor who had been giving $1,000 every month. This was a church that had supported them for a long time—a church they had attended as young adults and visited every furlough but a leadership change had led to a change in focus. With no warning, the monthly gift just disappeared. They didn’t realize it had happened until three months after the checks had stopped showing up and by that time they were headed toward a major deficit that was going to create major problems. They had worked hard to be good stewards, to live responsibly within their means with a focus on ministry and to communicate well with their ministry partnership team. While this story is fictional you can imagine that this kind of financial hit might take anyone into a tailspin.
Imagine working for years for a company and suddenly realizing that your income had been cut by $1,000 a month. A missionary who raises their own support doesn't simply receive a paycheck from an employer. Their “income” is built from dozens—or sometimes hundreds—of individual relationships.It’s a problem that doesn’t happen in most vocations but for the self-supporting missionary, this is a very real vulnerability.
Churches sometimes have legitimate reasons for ending financial support. The problem isn't necessarily that support ends; it's how that decision is communicated and carried out.
If a church has decided that it can no longer financially support a missionary however, it should do so, as far as it is in their capacity, with integrity, honor and in a way that gives the missionary the greatest opportunity to not end up in a financial crisis. And this applies as well to individuals who find they need to stop giving. With today’s article I want to offer a few practical guidelines for ending missionary support.
Don't surprise them.
No missionary should “notice” that a gift is no longer coming into their account. If you anticipate that a change may be coming, be proactive in communicating to the missionary. You would not want to experience that kind of surprise and neither do they.
Talk before you make the change.
Don't let the missionary learn about the decision through a budget document, email, or another church member. Set up a time to call and have a conversation. Give them the opportunity to ask questions. If you’re ending the relationship because of perceived issues on their part, allow them a chance to share. Too often there is misunderstanding or misperception that can be cleared up with a face-to-face meeting.
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Explain the “why” honestly.
Whatever the reason for the change, communicate that openly and honestly with your missionary. Sometimes it involves changes in your church—a shrinking congregation or a crisis—that the missionary will want to pray for with you. Whatever the reason, tell it to them straight. Nobody likes to be strung along.
Consider a transition period.
There are many valid reasons for ending support for a missionary or mission organization. That said, regardless of the reason, it can be helpful to consider transitioning your giving away from the missionary rather than just cutting them off cold turkey. If your church has been giving $1,000 a month, and circumstances allow, consider a transition period, walking that back incrementally over several months or even a year or two. This gives the missionary an opportunity to build the partnerships necessary to replace your giving. For example you could give $750 a month this year, $500 a month the next and $250 in the third year. This gives them an opportunity to build up the partnerships necessary to replace your giving.
Consider the size of the loss, not just the dollar amount.
All missionaries recognize that there will be attrition in their donor list. People lose jobs, go through major life changes or die. Every donor matters to a missionary. But not every gift carries the same financial weight. Losing a $25, $50 or $100 per month gift is a hit but losing a major donor, usually a church, who is providing a substantial percentage of monthly support can be catastrophic. The greater the size of the gift the more important it is to consider these recommendations.
Help them replace the support.
If appropriate, help make introductions to other churches, individuals, or ministry partners who might be interested in supporting their work.
Protect the missionary's relationships within the congregation.
If you are parting from financial partnership with a missionary be careful to not unnecessarily create confusion, suspicion, or gossip. Be aware that cutting support may unintentionally cause members of the congregation to assume the worst.
A Final Word
Financial partnerships may have seasons. Ending one doesn't have to erase the relationship or diminish the years of ministry you've shared. Healthy missions cultures are built not only on generous giving but also on healthy relationships and good stewardship. When a church communicates honestly, gives reasonable notice, and helps a missionary navigate the transition, it can end a financial partnership with integrity while honoring the person and ministry it once supported.
Whatever the reason for the change, communicate that openly and honestly with your missionary. Sometimes it involves changes in your church—a shrinking congregation or a crisis—that the missionary will want to pray for with you. Whatever the reason, tell it to them straight. Nobody likes to be strung along.
Consider a transition period.
There are many valid reasons for ending support for a missionary or mission organization. That said, regardless of the reason, it can be helpful to consider transitioning your giving away from the missionary rather than just cutting them off cold turkey. If your church has been giving $1,000 a month, and circumstances allow, consider a transition period, walking that back incrementally over several months or even a year or two. This gives the missionary an opportunity to build the partnerships necessary to replace your giving. For example you could give $750 a month this year, $500 a month the next and $250 in the third year. This gives them an opportunity to build up the partnerships necessary to replace your giving.
Consider the size of the loss, not just the dollar amount.
All missionaries recognize that there will be attrition in their donor list. People lose jobs, go through major life changes or die. Every donor matters to a missionary. But not every gift carries the same financial weight. Losing a $25, $50 or $100 per month gift is a hit but losing a major donor, usually a church, who is providing a substantial percentage of monthly support can be catastrophic. The greater the size of the gift the more important it is to consider these recommendations.
Help them replace the support.
If appropriate, help make introductions to other churches, individuals, or ministry partners who might be interested in supporting their work.
Protect the missionary's relationships within the congregation.
If you are parting from financial partnership with a missionary be careful to not unnecessarily create confusion, suspicion, or gossip. Be aware that cutting support may unintentionally cause members of the congregation to assume the worst.
A Final Word
Financial partnerships may have seasons. Ending one doesn't have to erase the relationship or diminish the years of ministry you've shared. Healthy missions cultures are built not only on generous giving but also on healthy relationships and good stewardship. When a church communicates honestly, gives reasonable notice, and helps a missionary navigate the transition, it can end a financial partnership with integrity while honoring the person and ministry it once supported.
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An excellent starting point for anyone seeking a biblical theology of missions
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
I was 26 when I traveled to a missions conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was there that I first heard—or at least comprehended—the idea that the whole of the biblical story was a missions story, a reflection of the Father’s heart for the nations and one cohesive narrative of God’s plan for rescue. I’m not sure I realized it at the time, but before then I had viewed the Bible as more of a collection of random stories about God, and the Great Commission as a sort of new idea that Jesus brought onto the scene. But as the main speaker walked through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, highlighting the missional nature of God’s plan and the repeated refrain that all nations would one day worship God, I realized for the first time that the Bible was truly the story of the mission of God. It was there that I first understood that mission is not something the Bible merely speaks about. Mission is what the Bible is about. It is the context that provides the backbone for God’s story and our story. Since creation, God has been working to redeem all peoples to Himself.
Since that conference, I’ve read many books that focus on the missional story of God; John Piper’s Let the Nations Be Glad and Christopher Wright’s The Mission of God’s People, to name just two. These are fantastic works that helped build a deep biblical foundation for missions and books I’d encourage everyone to read. However, the book I would encourage everyone to read first is Justin Schell’s, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church. I valued Schell’s book first and foremost because of its accessibility. At just eight chapters and 109 pages, it is a highly readable book offering keen insight into the Scriptures without getting bogged down in overly theological language. It is, however, far more than simply a CliffsNotes version of other mission books. The language, examples, and teaching are clearly presented and easy to read.
For example, reflecting on the Great Commission, Schell writes:
Since that conference, I’ve read many books that focus on the missional story of God; John Piper’s Let the Nations Be Glad and Christopher Wright’s The Mission of God’s People, to name just two. These are fantastic works that helped build a deep biblical foundation for missions and books I’d encourage everyone to read. However, the book I would encourage everyone to read first is Justin Schell’s, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church. I valued Schell’s book first and foremost because of its accessibility. At just eight chapters and 109 pages, it is a highly readable book offering keen insight into the Scriptures without getting bogged down in overly theological language. It is, however, far more than simply a CliffsNotes version of other mission books. The language, examples, and teaching are clearly presented and easy to read.
For example, reflecting on the Great Commission, Schell writes:
In the Great Commission, God continues with his original plan in Eden, a world filled with men and women who would reflect and represent the good God in all the earth—that is, disciples of all nations.
With clarity and clear examples, Schell walks through the Bible and gives a simple but solid overview of the whole Bible’s mandate for missions. Chapter one introduces the biblical God of mission, his character and his purpose in mission. Chapters two through eight then walk through the biblical story from Eden through the Fall to Abraham and the exodus before exploring Matthew 28 and the Great Commission. It then follows the early church as they work to obey Jesus before bringing the book to a close with a survey of the Epistles and the Book of Revelation.
As part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series of books printed by Crossway, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is the first book I’d recommend to a mission committee working to gain a better understanding of why we do missions. It would be a helpful book for any pastor feeling the need to have a better understanding of missions in the church and could also be a book for small groups to utilize for study and discussion. I have created a simple chapter reflection guide, which I trust will be beneficial for individuals and small groups as they work through this book. This worksheet, as well as, links to the book can be found below.
As part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series of books printed by Crossway, The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is the first book I’d recommend to a mission committee working to gain a better understanding of why we do missions. It would be a helpful book for any pastor feeling the need to have a better understanding of missions in the church and could also be a book for small groups to utilize for study and discussion. I have created a simple chapter reflection guide, which I trust will be beneficial for individuals and small groups as they work through this book. This worksheet, as well as, links to the book can be found below.
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The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church is a book I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to build a solid biblical foundation for understanding God's mission. I found it to be both deeply insightful and remarkably accessible—a combination that is not always easy to find. Whether you are new to missions or have spent years studying the subject, this book offers a clear, biblical framework for understanding God's heart for the nations. It is a resource I expect to return to often as I continue helping others discover their place in the mission of God.
Article Resources
- The Mission of God and the Witness of the Church by Justin Schell
- Chapter Reflection Guide Worksheet
- The Short Studies in Biblical Theology Series
- Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
- The Mission of God's People by Christopher Wright
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A practical and interactive resource to help churches use the World Cup to inspire prayer, learning, and gospel engagement among the nations.
By Aaron Myers
Last month I shared ways churches can use this summer’s World Cup to help their congregations learn, pray, and engage missionally. Today, I want to highlight a specific resource designed to help mission pastors and committees create fun, interactive ways for their churches to explore the 48 participating nations.
My hope is that this resource will increase awareness, fuel prayer, and deepen your congregation’s understanding of God’s heart for the nations.
The World Cup Teams Prayer Guide is a free downloadable PDF. It includes a one-page overview for each of the 48 teams coming to Canada, the U.S., and Mexico this June.
Each team’s page includes:
The guide also includes a handful of practical ideas for how to use these pages with your congregation. Think of these as starting points—you may find even more creative ways to engage your church. The goal is simple: create a fun, interactive connection to the nations that stirs prayer, generosity, and a willingness to go.
Download the guide today and begin planning how your church can engage the nations during the World Cup this June and July—through learning, prayer, and meaningful outreach.
My hope is that this resource will increase awareness, fuel prayer, and deepen your congregation’s understanding of God’s heart for the nations.
The World Cup Teams Prayer Guide is a free downloadable PDF. It includes a one-page overview for each of the 48 teams coming to Canada, the U.S., and Mexico this June.
Each team’s page includes:
- Country name and flag
- World map showing location
- Key demographic information
- Two fun facts
- Three prayer points (via Prayercast)
- QR code to the Prayercast video
- QR code to the Joshua Project page
- QR code to the FIFA team page
The guide also includes a handful of practical ideas for how to use these pages with your congregation. Think of these as starting points—you may find even more creative ways to engage your church. The goal is simple: create a fun, interactive connection to the nations that stirs prayer, generosity, and a willingness to go.
Download the guide today and begin planning how your church can engage the nations during the World Cup this June and July—through learning, prayer, and meaningful outreach.
We’d love to all learn from one another so please let us know how you are using the resource in the comments below.
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Why Great Commission leaders must learn to live faithfully between the church and the nations.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
In his book Culture Care, Mako Fujimura develops the idea of the “mearcstapa”, an old English word that means “border stalker,” which he uses to describe a particular kind of Christian vocation—someone who lives attentively and creatively at the boundaries between worlds and cultures. With the idea of the border stalker, Fujimura captures a vision for Christian artists and thinkers who live and move between faith and culture, church and society and different traditions. As they occupy this space, border stalkers are able to listen to and learn from both sides, serving as cultural translators between groups that don’t normally talk to one another.
If you are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings then you are familiar with Aragorn, the border stalking king who wanders in and out of the worlds of elves and dwarves and hobbits and man, inviting them to fight for the King and the kingdom rather than staying stubbornly at home.
The Apostle Paul was a border stalker who said, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
And of course Jesus was the ultimate border stalker. He is the one
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death--
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
While Fujimura uses this idea mainly to cast vision for artists, I think we can also find application of the term helpful in thinking about the vocation of the mission pastor and mission mobilizer.
If you are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings then you are familiar with Aragorn, the border stalking king who wanders in and out of the worlds of elves and dwarves and hobbits and man, inviting them to fight for the King and the kingdom rather than staying stubbornly at home.
The Apostle Paul was a border stalker who said, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
And of course Jesus was the ultimate border stalker. He is the one
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death--
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
While Fujimura uses this idea mainly to cast vision for artists, I think we can also find application of the term helpful in thinking about the vocation of the mission pastor and mission mobilizer.
As I think about the great commission and the role of the mission pastor and mission mobilizer, the image of the border stalker resonates with the work that they do. Many have lived cross-culturally and have a deep desire to help the church in North America grow in her ability to see the nations among us through the eyes of Jesus and see with new urgency the nations of the world and the countless billions who remain unreached with the gospel.
Characteristics of an Effective Border Stalker
Fujimura describes the border stalker as someone who lives in the liminal spaces between worlds. But simply occupying those spaces does not make someone an effective guide. To faithfully serve as bridge-builders between the church and the nations, mission pastors and mobilizers need certain qualities. Without them, border stalkers will be ineffective at best—and antagonistic at worst.
Patience
Mission pastors, mobilizers, and missions champions have often been shaped by experiences that deeply formed their heart for the nations. We have seen the need. We feel the urgency. Many of us have been, as one mobilizer put it, “wrecked for the ordinary.”
But the people in our churches have not all had those same experiences. And even when they have, they may not respond as we did. That is why patience is essential.
A Turkish proverb says, damlaya damlaya göl olur—“Drop by drop, a lake is formed.” Building a missions culture requires steady, faithful, repeated investment over time. We must commit to small, consistent steps in the same direction, trusting that God will gradually deepen the vision and passion of a congregation.
Keep dripping the vision. Invest in those who respond.
Humility
Humility positions us to understand what God is already doing in a church and to join Him there. And humility begins with listening.
Rather than leading with our agenda, we should begin by hearing the stories of pastors, leaders, and church members. Ask thoughtful questions—not only about missions, but about their lives, ministries, burdens, and passions.
When we assume God is already at work in the people before us, we become better equipped to discern where their God-given passions intersect with the Great Commission. It is at that intersection that mobilization begins.
Hospitality
Hospitality means creating space for people to come as they are and meeting them there.
Yes, it includes hosting well. But more deeply, hospitality is an attitude of invitation—a willingness to meet people where they are, to create safe spaces for honest questions, and to patiently walk with them through their uncertainties.
Hospitality gives grace when others do not immediately share our urgency. It extends generosity to those still learning to see the nations through God’s eyes. Border stalkers must be hospitable people.
Beauty
Vision for the nations is often caught before it is taught.
One missions leader said, “The heart can rarely feel what the eyes have not seen.”
Scripture must remain foundational in helping people discover the Father’s heart for the nations. But beauty—through stories, testimony, art, poetry, and imagery—often awakens the imagination and stirs the affections in ways raw information cannot.
Stories of God’s work among the nations help people not merely understand the Great Commission, but feel its weight and wonder. A shared an example of this recently in my article Beauty and Beyond.
Beauty helps vision move from the mind to the heart.
A Final Word
As border stalkers, mission pastors are working to see their churches grow in their heart for the nations and the ability to partner with God in His kingdom expanding work. Mission mobilizers are focused on the church more broadly and their work, often for a particular mission agency, is focused on marshalling prayer, resources and people across the ocean and into service among people who do not yet know the hope of Christ.
Missions mobilizers and mission pastors—the church in North America needs you to guide them into the Father’s heart for the nations, into a growing desire to be a part of the great commission, and into the harvest among the unreached locally and globally.
Be border stalkers for the Lord. The church needs you.
Characteristics of an Effective Border Stalker
Fujimura describes the border stalker as someone who lives in the liminal spaces between worlds. But simply occupying those spaces does not make someone an effective guide. To faithfully serve as bridge-builders between the church and the nations, mission pastors and mobilizers need certain qualities. Without them, border stalkers will be ineffective at best—and antagonistic at worst.
Patience
Mission pastors, mobilizers, and missions champions have often been shaped by experiences that deeply formed their heart for the nations. We have seen the need. We feel the urgency. Many of us have been, as one mobilizer put it, “wrecked for the ordinary.”
But the people in our churches have not all had those same experiences. And even when they have, they may not respond as we did. That is why patience is essential.
A Turkish proverb says, damlaya damlaya göl olur—“Drop by drop, a lake is formed.” Building a missions culture requires steady, faithful, repeated investment over time. We must commit to small, consistent steps in the same direction, trusting that God will gradually deepen the vision and passion of a congregation.
Keep dripping the vision. Invest in those who respond.
Humility
Humility positions us to understand what God is already doing in a church and to join Him there. And humility begins with listening.
Rather than leading with our agenda, we should begin by hearing the stories of pastors, leaders, and church members. Ask thoughtful questions—not only about missions, but about their lives, ministries, burdens, and passions.
When we assume God is already at work in the people before us, we become better equipped to discern where their God-given passions intersect with the Great Commission. It is at that intersection that mobilization begins.
Hospitality
Hospitality means creating space for people to come as they are and meeting them there.
Yes, it includes hosting well. But more deeply, hospitality is an attitude of invitation—a willingness to meet people where they are, to create safe spaces for honest questions, and to patiently walk with them through their uncertainties.
Hospitality gives grace when others do not immediately share our urgency. It extends generosity to those still learning to see the nations through God’s eyes. Border stalkers must be hospitable people.
Beauty
Vision for the nations is often caught before it is taught.
One missions leader said, “The heart can rarely feel what the eyes have not seen.”
Scripture must remain foundational in helping people discover the Father’s heart for the nations. But beauty—through stories, testimony, art, poetry, and imagery—often awakens the imagination and stirs the affections in ways raw information cannot.
Stories of God’s work among the nations help people not merely understand the Great Commission, but feel its weight and wonder. A shared an example of this recently in my article Beauty and Beyond.
Beauty helps vision move from the mind to the heart.
A Final Word
As border stalkers, mission pastors are working to see their churches grow in their heart for the nations and the ability to partner with God in His kingdom expanding work. Mission mobilizers are focused on the church more broadly and their work, often for a particular mission agency, is focused on marshalling prayer, resources and people across the ocean and into service among people who do not yet know the hope of Christ.
Missions mobilizers and mission pastors—the church in North America needs you to guide them into the Father’s heart for the nations, into a growing desire to be a part of the great commission, and into the harvest among the unreached locally and globally.
Be border stalkers for the Lord. The church needs you.
- Culture Care by Mako Fujimura
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Four simple ways to engage the nations as the world gathers for the biggest event on earth.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
This summer, the eyes of the world will be on North America as Canada, the U.S., and Mexico host the 23rd FIFA World Cup. Teams and fans from across the globe will travel to cities throughout the continent to take in the action.
While the Super Bowl draws over 100 million viewers each winter, the World Cup reaches nearly 5 billion people worldwide. Soccer (football) is the world’s game—played by more people, in more countries, than any other sport. And the World Cup is its greatest stage.
This summer, the nations are coming to us. This global moment is not accidental. In Acts 17:26 the Apostle Paul says, “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find Him . . . “
As the world comes to North America in June, many will come from places where there is little if any gospel witness, places where Bibles or churches are hard to find and from countries where Christians are persecuted. It is a Kingdom opportunity and now is the time to begin to prepare to step into the good works which God is preparing for His church to do. We can do that in four simple ways.
Learn
The posture of a disciple of Jesus is the posture of a learner. The World Cup creates unique opportunities for individuals, families and communities of faith to learn about His creation, the vast panorama of cultures and languages and faith backgrounds. Here are a few ideas:
Who is Playing? - Part 1
The World Cup begins with group play where four teams play one another and the top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage. You can see all of the groups and the countries in each group at the Wikipedia page for the 2026 World Cup. This is a great place to begin learning about the countries who have qualified and even where they’ll be staying. The Algerian national team will be staying in Lawrence Kansas, the Saudi Arabian national team will be in Austin, Texas. [Wikipedia: World Cup 2026]
Who is Playing? - Part 2
Now that you know who the teams are and what nations they represent, visit the Joshua Project page for each country where you can learn what the status of Christianity is in each country. Below you can see a screenshot of Joshua Projects page on Algeria and the United States. This visual paints a picture of what missiologists mean when they use the word “Unreached.” In the U.S., 76.5% of people would identify as Christian, and 26.6% are part of an evangelical church. In Algeria, a nation of over 47 million people, only 0.1% would identify as Christian—and there is no measurable evangelical presence. In the United States, a person can encounter a Christian almost anywhere. In Algeria, those opportunities are nearly nonexistent. Joshua Project is an excellent resource to learn about the countries and the people who will be visiting this summer. [Explore at Joshua Project]
While the Super Bowl draws over 100 million viewers each winter, the World Cup reaches nearly 5 billion people worldwide. Soccer (football) is the world’s game—played by more people, in more countries, than any other sport. And the World Cup is its greatest stage.
This summer, the nations are coming to us. This global moment is not accidental. In Acts 17:26 the Apostle Paul says, “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find Him . . . “
As the world comes to North America in June, many will come from places where there is little if any gospel witness, places where Bibles or churches are hard to find and from countries where Christians are persecuted. It is a Kingdom opportunity and now is the time to begin to prepare to step into the good works which God is preparing for His church to do. We can do that in four simple ways.
Learn
The posture of a disciple of Jesus is the posture of a learner. The World Cup creates unique opportunities for individuals, families and communities of faith to learn about His creation, the vast panorama of cultures and languages and faith backgrounds. Here are a few ideas:
Who is Playing? - Part 1
The World Cup begins with group play where four teams play one another and the top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage. You can see all of the groups and the countries in each group at the Wikipedia page for the 2026 World Cup. This is a great place to begin learning about the countries who have qualified and even where they’ll be staying. The Algerian national team will be staying in Lawrence Kansas, the Saudi Arabian national team will be in Austin, Texas. [Wikipedia: World Cup 2026]
Who is Playing? - Part 2
Now that you know who the teams are and what nations they represent, visit the Joshua Project page for each country where you can learn what the status of Christianity is in each country. Below you can see a screenshot of Joshua Projects page on Algeria and the United States. This visual paints a picture of what missiologists mean when they use the word “Unreached.” In the U.S., 76.5% of people would identify as Christian, and 26.6% are part of an evangelical church. In Algeria, a nation of over 47 million people, only 0.1% would identify as Christian—and there is no measurable evangelical presence. In the United States, a person can encounter a Christian almost anywhere. In Algeria, those opportunities are nearly nonexistent. Joshua Project is an excellent resource to learn about the countries and the people who will be visiting this summer. [Explore at Joshua Project]
What is Soccer?
It may be a funny question but let’s admit it—most reading this article did not grow up playing soccer and may not be all that interested in the sport. For the sake of the gospel however, I want to encourage you to learn. The unreached of the world love this sport. They love it passionately and so gaining a little knowledge is a simple act of kindness. Learning to care about the things others care about not only increases our ability to have conversations, it grows our compassion and empathy. It may be a bit of dying to self for some of us, but isn’t that what Christ calls us to do? [Learn from Bundesliga]
It may be a funny question but let’s admit it—most reading this article did not grow up playing soccer and may not be all that interested in the sport. For the sake of the gospel however, I want to encourage you to learn. The unreached of the world love this sport. They love it passionately and so gaining a little knowledge is a simple act of kindness. Learning to care about the things others care about not only increases our ability to have conversations, it grows our compassion and empathy. It may be a bit of dying to self for some of us, but isn’t that what Christ calls us to do? [Learn from Bundesliga]
Pray
Once you’ve learned a bit about the nations coming to the World Cup, I want to encourage you to begin praying for the teams and the fans that will accompany them. This is an important first step we can take to engage the nations among us. Here are a few ideas to help you foster prayer during the World Cup.
Prayercast
Prayercast has created some amazing prayer videos for every country in the world. As the World Cup approaches, begin prayerful watching and praying through the Prayercast videos for each of the countries coming to play. Watch the Algeria Prayercast video below. [Find a Nation at Prayercast]
Once you’ve learned a bit about the nations coming to the World Cup, I want to encourage you to begin praying for the teams and the fans that will accompany them. This is an important first step we can take to engage the nations among us. Here are a few ideas to help you foster prayer during the World Cup.
Prayercast
Prayercast has created some amazing prayer videos for every country in the world. As the World Cup approaches, begin prayerful watching and praying through the Prayercast videos for each of the countries coming to play. Watch the Algeria Prayercast video below. [Find a Nation at Prayercast]
World Map
Find a large world map and post it in your home where you can see it and then mark each of the countries who are coming to play in the World Cup as a way to remember to pray.
Operation World
Operation World has resources for prayer for every country on earth including country summaries, powerpoint slides for group prayers and their Pray for the World book. [Visit Operation World]
Mobilize Others
The World Cup creates a fun and engaging opportunity to mobilize your family, small group, or church into learning, praying and potentially going to the nations. The nations will be all over the news this summer and it will be good news. Here are a handful of ideas for mobilizing others.
The FIFA Bracket Challenge
Americans love their fantasy sports leagues and so inviting a group of friends from church to play FIFA’s bracket challenge creates some friendly competition and with it, an opportunity to get to know the teams and the nations they represent. Use this as a launching point for discussions and prayer about unreached people groups from the countries that are playing. [FIFA Bracket Challenge]
The Church FIFA Wall
Find a wall at church where you can hang a large world map. Put a pin in each country coming to play that attaches to a country information card or page. Have prayer cards and other information available for people to take home and commit to pray. Post all the groups and then the bracket for the knockout stage and keep it up to date as the tournament progresses. Group play begins June 11th and the tournament final is on July 19th so you’ll have over a month to highlight the nations.
Host A Watch Party:
Invite a group from church or a small group to come together to watch a key match. If your church has missionaries serving in one of the countries that are represented, this could create a unique opportunity to learn more about the country. Bring resources to give to everyone and be sure to utilize halftime to watch the Prayercast video for that country. Cast vision for the spiritual needs and send everyone home with a prayer card.
Adopt a Team:
Choose a team that is from a country where there are unreached peoples and challenge your congregation to pray. Be sure and create opportunities for learning, awareness and prayer. And of course, as mentioned before, host a watch party. Order small hand held flags from the country to give to everyone.
Reach Out
With the World Cup coming to North America, each team will bring with it their fan base. Many already live in the U.S., Canada or Mexico and many more will travel here to take in a game or just to be near the action. There are sixteen locations between the three countries [see map] and you don’t need to buy a ticket to the game to reach out. Fans will be in the host cities and around the stadiums for days during the group stage and they’ll be really easy to find. Just look for the Turkish or Algerian or Saudi flags and jerseys. Here are a few ideas for reaching out.
Sports Event Evangelism
SEE has been taking teams to sporting events for outreach and are preparing to do so again for the World Cup. If you live near a host site or are willing to travel, check them out. [Learn More and Join a Team]
Host a Watch Party
CRU has created the Victory Beyond the Cup resource to help any individual or group host a watch party right in your community. If you have immigrants and refugees in your community they’ll be watching the World Cup and this resource will give you the resources and materials to invite the nations into your home or church for a meaningful World Cup event. [Get Your Host Kit Here]
Give a Gospel
The Pocket Testament League has World Cup themed, pocket-sized Gospels of John. Order a pack of ten or 100 in English or in any number of languages that will be represented by World Cup teams. [Pocket Testament League]
Connect Online
Did you know that hundreds of thousands of people from all of the countries that are coming to this global event are wanting to connect with native English speakers online for an opportunity to practice speaking English, to connect and to build new friendships?
Speak Truth Cafe provides unique opportunities for North American Christians to connect with students in a non-North American country, who wants to improve their English conversational skills and is willing to do so by reading the Bible during those English conversations. They would love to help you connect. [Get Started: Speak Truth Cafe]
If you’d be interested in forming an online outreach team within your local church community to connect with people from Turkey specifically, I’d love to help you get started. Reach out to me through the About page.
Let The Games Begin
The World Cup is more than a sporting event, it is a moment of global gathering. The nations are coming to North America and I hope this article has sparked a few ideas for you and your church to partner with God this summer.
Let’s learn from one another.
What ideas do you have in these four areas—Learn, Pray, Mobilize, Reach Out?
Share them in the comments section below so we can encourage and equip each other to engage the nations together.
Find a large world map and post it in your home where you can see it and then mark each of the countries who are coming to play in the World Cup as a way to remember to pray.
Operation World
Operation World has resources for prayer for every country on earth including country summaries, powerpoint slides for group prayers and their Pray for the World book. [Visit Operation World]
Mobilize Others
The World Cup creates a fun and engaging opportunity to mobilize your family, small group, or church into learning, praying and potentially going to the nations. The nations will be all over the news this summer and it will be good news. Here are a handful of ideas for mobilizing others.
The FIFA Bracket Challenge
Americans love their fantasy sports leagues and so inviting a group of friends from church to play FIFA’s bracket challenge creates some friendly competition and with it, an opportunity to get to know the teams and the nations they represent. Use this as a launching point for discussions and prayer about unreached people groups from the countries that are playing. [FIFA Bracket Challenge]
The Church FIFA Wall
Find a wall at church where you can hang a large world map. Put a pin in each country coming to play that attaches to a country information card or page. Have prayer cards and other information available for people to take home and commit to pray. Post all the groups and then the bracket for the knockout stage and keep it up to date as the tournament progresses. Group play begins June 11th and the tournament final is on July 19th so you’ll have over a month to highlight the nations.
Host A Watch Party:
Invite a group from church or a small group to come together to watch a key match. If your church has missionaries serving in one of the countries that are represented, this could create a unique opportunity to learn more about the country. Bring resources to give to everyone and be sure to utilize halftime to watch the Prayercast video for that country. Cast vision for the spiritual needs and send everyone home with a prayer card.
Adopt a Team:
Choose a team that is from a country where there are unreached peoples and challenge your congregation to pray. Be sure and create opportunities for learning, awareness and prayer. And of course, as mentioned before, host a watch party. Order small hand held flags from the country to give to everyone.
Reach Out
With the World Cup coming to North America, each team will bring with it their fan base. Many already live in the U.S., Canada or Mexico and many more will travel here to take in a game or just to be near the action. There are sixteen locations between the three countries [see map] and you don’t need to buy a ticket to the game to reach out. Fans will be in the host cities and around the stadiums for days during the group stage and they’ll be really easy to find. Just look for the Turkish or Algerian or Saudi flags and jerseys. Here are a few ideas for reaching out.
Sports Event Evangelism
SEE has been taking teams to sporting events for outreach and are preparing to do so again for the World Cup. If you live near a host site or are willing to travel, check them out. [Learn More and Join a Team]
Host a Watch Party
CRU has created the Victory Beyond the Cup resource to help any individual or group host a watch party right in your community. If you have immigrants and refugees in your community they’ll be watching the World Cup and this resource will give you the resources and materials to invite the nations into your home or church for a meaningful World Cup event. [Get Your Host Kit Here]
Give a Gospel
The Pocket Testament League has World Cup themed, pocket-sized Gospels of John. Order a pack of ten or 100 in English or in any number of languages that will be represented by World Cup teams. [Pocket Testament League]
Connect Online
Did you know that hundreds of thousands of people from all of the countries that are coming to this global event are wanting to connect with native English speakers online for an opportunity to practice speaking English, to connect and to build new friendships?
Speak Truth Cafe provides unique opportunities for North American Christians to connect with students in a non-North American country, who wants to improve their English conversational skills and is willing to do so by reading the Bible during those English conversations. They would love to help you connect. [Get Started: Speak Truth Cafe]
If you’d be interested in forming an online outreach team within your local church community to connect with people from Turkey specifically, I’d love to help you get started. Reach out to me through the About page.
Let The Games Begin
The World Cup is more than a sporting event, it is a moment of global gathering. The nations are coming to North America and I hope this article has sparked a few ideas for you and your church to partner with God this summer.
Let’s learn from one another.
What ideas do you have in these four areas—Learn, Pray, Mobilize, Reach Out?
Share them in the comments section below so we can encourage and equip each other to engage the nations together.
Further Reading: Four Ways To See The Nations At Our Doorstep
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In a world that feels like it’s moving faster every day, the mission Jesus gave us hasn’t changed: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” But the methods we use to engage that mission must be shaped by the context we live in—an increasingly digital, globally connected world where the nations are just a click or a short walk away.
I believe that ordinary believers, filled with the Spirit and equipped with simple tools, can be the ones God uses to reach the unreached. That’s why we’re excited to announce two new training opportunities designed to help you and your church take meaningful steps into the mission of God—whether that’s online or across the street.
From Pew to Pixel: Sharing Jesus in Digital Spaces
We are living in an unprecedented moment for gospel proclamation. Over 5 billion people around the world use the internet, and many of them—including millions of Muslims—are asking spiritual questions online. But here’s the truth: many followers of Jesus are sitting in the pews every week without realizing the missional opportunities available to them right from their smartphones and laptops.
That’s where the From Pew to Pixel training, comes in.
This practical and inspiring Zoom training equips everyday believers to begin sharing Jesus in digital spaces and will introduce you to Embassy, a ministry of Crescent Project. Whether it’s through social media engagement, messaging apps, or specialized platforms for outreach, you’ll learn simple, biblical approaches to start gospel conversations with those who are seeking.
You’ll discover:
Explore More and Register Here
Strangers No More: Welcoming Refugees with Gospel Hope
Over the past decade, the nations have come to us. Refugees from places like Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, and Myanmar are settling in neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the U.S.—bringing with them both incredible needs and incredible openness to friendship and faith. International students are flocking to our universities - often coming from places with little access to the gospel. Immigrants from the unreached world are coming to serve as doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs.
And yet many churches don’t know where to begin. How do we build bridges? How do we move from fear to friendship? How do we step into the lives of those who have lost so much, and help them find hope in Jesus?
Strangers No More is a one-day, in-person training designed to help you and your church answer those questions.
In this training, we will:
Learn More and Register Here
I believe that ordinary believers, filled with the Spirit and equipped with simple tools, can be the ones God uses to reach the unreached. That’s why we’re excited to announce two new training opportunities designed to help you and your church take meaningful steps into the mission of God—whether that’s online or across the street.
From Pew to Pixel: Sharing Jesus in Digital Spaces
- Online via Zoom
- June 24, July 29 or August 23
We are living in an unprecedented moment for gospel proclamation. Over 5 billion people around the world use the internet, and many of them—including millions of Muslims—are asking spiritual questions online. But here’s the truth: many followers of Jesus are sitting in the pews every week without realizing the missional opportunities available to them right from their smartphones and laptops.
That’s where the From Pew to Pixel training, comes in.
This practical and inspiring Zoom training equips everyday believers to begin sharing Jesus in digital spaces and will introduce you to Embassy, a ministry of Crescent Project. Whether it’s through social media engagement, messaging apps, or specialized platforms for outreach, you’ll learn simple, biblical approaches to start gospel conversations with those who are seeking.
You’ll discover:
- The biblical foundation for digital outreach
- Proven tools and strategies for connecting with unreached people online
- Real stories of transformed lives through digital witness
- How to get started—right where you are
Explore More and Register Here
Strangers No More: Welcoming Refugees with Gospel Hope
- In Person | Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- July 12, 2025 | 9:00 AM–2:00 PM CT
- Empower Sioux Falls Campus | Sioux Falls, SD
Over the past decade, the nations have come to us. Refugees from places like Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, and Myanmar are settling in neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the U.S.—bringing with them both incredible needs and incredible openness to friendship and faith. International students are flocking to our universities - often coming from places with little access to the gospel. Immigrants from the unreached world are coming to serve as doctors, engineers and entrepreneurs.
And yet many churches don’t know where to begin. How do we build bridges? How do we move from fear to friendship? How do we step into the lives of those who have lost so much, and help them find hope in Jesus?
Strangers No More is a one-day, in-person training designed to help you and your church answer those questions.
In this training, we will:
- Explore God’s heart for the foreigner and displaced throughout Scripture
- Participate in A cross-cultural scavenger hunt, where participants visit three to four immigrant-owned grocery stores
- Learn practical ways to begin connecting with new American neighbors
- Discover how simple hospitality and Spirit-led discipleship can lead to transformation
Learn More and Register Here
Why This Matters Now
These trainings aren’t just events—they are invitations. Invitations for ordinary Christians to step into the story God is writing in the world today. Invitations to engage in mission not someday, but today—in the everyday moments, on the devices we already use, and in the neighborhoods we already live in.
My vision has always been simple: help everyday followers of Jesus find their place in God’s mission to the nations. We believe that begins with equipping. That’s what these trainings are for. And we hope you’ll join us.
So, whether you’re ready to take your first step into digital outreach or you feel stirred to begin welcoming refugee and new immigrant families with the love of Jesus, we believe these resources will be a blessing to you—and through you, to many others.
Let’s not settle for comfort or complacency. Let’s live on mission—wherever we are.
These trainings aren’t just events—they are invitations. Invitations for ordinary Christians to step into the story God is writing in the world today. Invitations to engage in mission not someday, but today—in the everyday moments, on the devices we already use, and in the neighborhoods we already live in.
My vision has always been simple: help everyday followers of Jesus find their place in God’s mission to the nations. We believe that begins with equipping. That’s what these trainings are for. And we hope you’ll join us.
So, whether you’re ready to take your first step into digital outreach or you feel stirred to begin welcoming refugee and new immigrant families with the love of Jesus, we believe these resources will be a blessing to you—and through you, to many others.
Let’s not settle for comfort or complacency. Let’s live on mission—wherever we are.
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When Samuel Zwemer left rural Iowa to sail to Bahrain in 1891 there were few in the Arabian Peninsula who had heard the gospel. His work over the next forty years is seen in many ways as the genesis of missions work among Muslims in the Middle East and Zwemer is now known as the “Apostle to Islam.” He responded to the call of God to take the gospel to the Muslim world by leaving everything in order to live in Bahrain and later, Egypt. He learned the language, he started a literature ministry, he mobilized others to join him and he used every available means to share the gospel with Muslims. At the beginning of the 20th century however, those means were limited to the missionary himself and the printed page.
In Western Christians in Global Missions (2012), Doug Birdsall is quoted saying, “The Great Commission is for every church in every culture in every generation. There are no exclusions. But . . . every church in every culture in every generation must determine the way in which they respond to this responsibility -- in a way that is appropriate to time and context.” Zwemer and his contemporaries were faithful to respond to the great commission in every way they knew how for their time and context. Missionaries like Zwemer have been sent by churches to the unreached places of our world for the last 200 years. They have done and will continue to do amazing work and we see the fruit of their labors all across the globe.
Peggy is another believer from rural Iowa who is sharing the gospel with Muslims. She has not yet learned another language and hasn’t traveled outside the U.S. and yet every Tuesday morning she jumps on a video call with a young university student living in a Muslim majority country. They’ve been reading through a creation to Christ set of stories from the Bible as a way for this young lady to practice English, a language that will open up doors for opportunity for better education and future employment. Peggy is the first true follower of Jesus this young lady has ever met. For the first time in her life she is reading the living and active word of God. For the first time in her life there is a Christian who is praying specifically for her and her family.
Peggy’s ministry, appropriate for her time and context, highlights the increasingly blurred edges of sending versus going. In Zwemer’s day, the missionary went and did their work and their sending churches prayed and supported them but had few other opportunities to connect with the work. Missionary work was literally a world away.
Globalization and innovations in technology have quickly brought our world closer together than ever before. A recent search on a commonly used language exchange app found that over 200 people from Turkey, a country that is 99% Muslim, had logged onto the app in the previous 24 hours looking to connect with a native English speaker. Searches of several other Muslim majority countries resulted in much the same reality. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are actively looking for friendships with native English speakers online. And indeed, they are finding friends. They are connecting with secular humanists and new age spiritualists, radical atheists and run of the mill hedonists. As I lead Embassy, an online outreach for Crescent Project, the focus of our work is to see that more and more of them connect with true followers of Jesus.
Jesus urged his disciples to pray for harvest workers to be thrust out into the harvest fields (Luke 10:2). The church is a slumbering giant, a harvest force that needs to wake up to the fact that every believer can be a part of completing the great commission among the nations. A love of Jesus and an Internet connection are all that is required. A new day is dawning when those who are sending are also going and the lines between sending and going are increasingly blurring.
In Western Christians in Global Missions (2012), Doug Birdsall is quoted saying, “The Great Commission is for every church in every culture in every generation. There are no exclusions. But . . . every church in every culture in every generation must determine the way in which they respond to this responsibility -- in a way that is appropriate to time and context.” Zwemer and his contemporaries were faithful to respond to the great commission in every way they knew how for their time and context. Missionaries like Zwemer have been sent by churches to the unreached places of our world for the last 200 years. They have done and will continue to do amazing work and we see the fruit of their labors all across the globe.
Peggy is another believer from rural Iowa who is sharing the gospel with Muslims. She has not yet learned another language and hasn’t traveled outside the U.S. and yet every Tuesday morning she jumps on a video call with a young university student living in a Muslim majority country. They’ve been reading through a creation to Christ set of stories from the Bible as a way for this young lady to practice English, a language that will open up doors for opportunity for better education and future employment. Peggy is the first true follower of Jesus this young lady has ever met. For the first time in her life she is reading the living and active word of God. For the first time in her life there is a Christian who is praying specifically for her and her family.
Peggy’s ministry, appropriate for her time and context, highlights the increasingly blurred edges of sending versus going. In Zwemer’s day, the missionary went and did their work and their sending churches prayed and supported them but had few other opportunities to connect with the work. Missionary work was literally a world away.
Globalization and innovations in technology have quickly brought our world closer together than ever before. A recent search on a commonly used language exchange app found that over 200 people from Turkey, a country that is 99% Muslim, had logged onto the app in the previous 24 hours looking to connect with a native English speaker. Searches of several other Muslim majority countries resulted in much the same reality. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are actively looking for friendships with native English speakers online. And indeed, they are finding friends. They are connecting with secular humanists and new age spiritualists, radical atheists and run of the mill hedonists. As I lead Embassy, an online outreach for Crescent Project, the focus of our work is to see that more and more of them connect with true followers of Jesus.
Jesus urged his disciples to pray for harvest workers to be thrust out into the harvest fields (Luke 10:2). The church is a slumbering giant, a harvest force that needs to wake up to the fact that every believer can be a part of completing the great commission among the nations. A love of Jesus and an Internet connection are all that is required. A new day is dawning when those who are sending are also going and the lines between sending and going are increasingly blurring.
If you found this article helpful,
please share it with your friends.
please share it with your friends.
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Equip your missions committee with practical, actionable ideas to cultivate a thriving missions culture that mobilizes your entire church for God’s global purpose.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
Missions committees. They are an important part of any small church and yet increasingly, it’s becoming more and more difficult to know if the churches they serve are all that interested. It can be an uphill battle to keep global missions at the forefront of church culture as congregations become busier than ever with frantic schedules and hurried lives. Previous generations saw missions as an important part of the duty of all Christians and so they joyfully gave to the work of global missions, attended missions emphasis events and prayed regularly for those missionaries whose pictures adorned refrigerator doors. Within younger generations, that emphasis is slipping and this can make the work of the missions committee difficult and frustrating.
I was recently reading the story of two small churches in rural Minnesota who, between their founding in the late 1870’s until 1980, had sent out 35 missionaries and 55 pastors. These two churches sent out a new missionary every three years! They did this by creating a strong culture focused on global missions. In 1887 they began celebrating the Fourth of July with a missions festival in addition to the quarterly missions festivals they already had. Ladies' prayer meetings for mission work and the missionaries they supported were held weekly for decades. Older members report that there was a general expectation that their young people would go into missions, the pastorate, the medical field or teaching - anything focused on serving. These churches had in them an ethos for missions.
While we probably won’t be able to talk our church leaders into five mission festivals a year, there are things we can do to grow a missions culture in our churches. In Turkish there is a proverb, “Damlaya, damlaya göl olur” – drop by drop a lake is formed. The focus of these ten ideas is to take small but consistent steps to increase awareness of God’s heart for the nations, working toward slow but steady growth in mission culture at your church.
Note: As our churches and world become increasingly digital, be sure and pay attention to how you talk about your missionaries, from the stage in particular, during Sunday morning services if they are being shared online. This creates a real challenge in telling the story of what God is doing in and through our missionaries, but their security and ability to remain in their country of service is vitally important. Make sure and have a good conversation with them about what is appropriate and not appropriate to share. Every missionary will have different contexts and different thoughts on their security.
1. It Starts With You
It’s an old truism that a leader can’t lead where he or she hasn’t been. In order to lead your church toward a more robust mission culture, the mission committee is going to need to lead the way. A few years ago I wrote Ten Ways to Focus on the Great Commission this Year. I’d encourage you to bring this article to your mission committee and discuss a few options to pursue together. Choose just one to get started with - even one is more than none and will be the first step toward greater missions awareness and excitement. Some of these will also show up in the rest of the list below.
2. Movie Nights
Movie nights are a fun way to bring your congregation together for fellowship while also creating an opportunity to stir their hearts for the nations. You could host quarterly movie nights or one in the fall and another in the spring. Make these fun nights and perhaps open them up to the greater community. Pop popcorn, serve ice cream and after the movie is over, spend some time praying for your missionaries and the countries in which they serve. Make sure and preview the movies so you can let parents know if it would be appropriate for their kids. Here are a few movies that will encourage and challenge your congregation: End of the Spear | Beyond the Gates of Splendor | The Insanity of God | Many Beautiful Things: The Life and Vision of Lilias Trotter | Better Friends than Mountains | More Than Dreams Movies | The Distant Boat
3. Serve The Kids
Investing early in the kids of your church will ensure that a heart for missions starts at a young age. Fill your church library with missionary biographies written for children and young adults [YWAM Publishing]. Have each Sunday school class “adopt” one of your missionary families. Hang their picture in the classroom along with a flag and a map of the country in which they serve. Make sure the teacher is getting the missionary’s newsletter and sharing updates with the kids. Pray for them every week and make sure the missionaries know there is a class of kids who are praying for them every week. Learn about a simple snack from the country and bring it to class for the kids to share. And, if the missionary family is visiting your church, make sure they spend the Sunday school hour with the kids. Some churches have a missions moment for the kids every day of VBS and take an offering to support their work. There are a lot of creative ideas for getting the kids of your church excited about missions.
4. Prayer Focus
A pastor friend of mine once told me that our hearts and minds follow our prayers and our pocketbooks. And so if we want our hearts to grow in a certain area, we need to focus on beginning to pray more for it and find ways to give towards it. I’ll focus on prayer here. It’s important that our congregations begin praying for our missionaries and the mission endeavors of our church. Here are a few ideas for how to do that:
- Prayercast Videos - Prayercast creates powerful videos that are usually 3-5 minutes long and focus on particular countries by creating a beautiful video montage with a native of that country praying for their people. These can be helpful to play during a church service, small group or a specific prayer meeting for missions. Here are a few examples: Turkey | Ukraine | Bangladesh They also have religion specific videos that can be very helpful: Islam | Judaism | Ayatollah Khamenei
- Prayer Guides - There are a lot of different prayer guides being produced for people groups, countries and religious festivals. These are often 30 day guides, sometimes in print and others through email, but all of them will both help your congregations pray and also help them learn more about the work that the missionaries we send are apart of. Here are a few examples: 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World | 15 Days of Prayer for the Hindu World | Voice of the Martyrs Global Prayer Guide | Let All the Peoples Praise You
- Prayer Events - As you build the culture of prayer in your church it will be important to begin to host regular prayer events for your missionaries and the great commission needs of our world. You want the majority of the time to be spent in prayer but it can be good to start with some worship, utilize a prayercast video or two and have a prayer focus for the night or a list of topics to be praying through. Reach out to your missionaries a week before the event and ask if there are specific ways you can be praying for them.
5. Missionary Focus
It’s important to keep your missionaries and the missions efforts of your church and denomination continually in front of your congregation. If the only time they hear about a missionary family you support is when they come and visit every 3-4 years, there’s not going to be a lot of relationship built. Without relationship, prayers will be meager and support lacking. So one thing a mission committee can work toward is ensuring that the congregation gets to know the missionaries supported by the church. And while the missionaries themselves have a role to play in this, the mission committee is most equipped to actually make it happen. A few ideas have already been discussed in the previous topics. And like the prayer focus above, I’ll offer a number of bullet points with ideas for how to do this better.
- Share Their Stories - When you get a newsletter from a missionary, find ways to share highlights with the congregation. This could be as an announcement on a Sunday morning, an insert in the bulletin, an email in the church email chain or a text to members of the church. Video Updates. Invite your missionaries to create 2-4 minute video updates to share with the church several times a year. This is something they can create with their phone and will allow your congregation to see and hear from them more regularly.
- Monthly Focus - Consider using a month to focus on a missionary. One week you could share a video update. The next week you could use a Prayercast video about the country in which they serve. Another week could be just a story or testimony about a person they’ve impacted. You can be creative but make sure and pray for them each week as well as a congregation. If you have six missionaries your church supports you could do this every other month and cover them all in the course of the year.
- Serve Them - It is important to get your congregation involved in serving them as well. Send cards at Christmas and allow some in your congregation to write a short note of blessing. Invite the congregation to contribute to send gifts to the kids of the missionaries. You’ll want to communicate with mom and dad first to see what would be best. Bless your missionaries with a gift card to Amazon or Starbucks (you’d be surprised how easy it is to find a Starbucks around the world these days). Find ways to bless these families as they serve in the field.
- Utilize their Time - When missionaries are on home assignment and are going to be coming and visiting your church work in advance to plan their time with you. Have them visit the kids’ Sunday school class who have been praying for them. Give them time to share from the stage during the service. Provide a table for them in the entryway where people can learn more and talk with them after the service. Help them get people signed up for their newsletter. Do you have small groups? See if you can have them visit small groups to share in a smaller setting. This will allow more people to hear from them but it will also communicate your interest in and desire to partner well with the missionary. When they come all the way to your church just to share a five minute update after which few people talk with them, it can be hard for missionaries to feel like the congregation is even interested in them or their work.
6. Short Term Missions
Many of the missionaries I know point back to short term ministry or mission trips as instrumental in beginning to shape their hearts toward making Christ known among the nations. Creating opportunities for youth and adults from your church to engage in short term missions then is a fantastic opportunity to disciple hearts and cast vision for missions. Talk to the missionaries you have sent out and see if there are opportunities to come and serve with them or if their sending organization has short term mission trips. You can find other opportunities at: Global Gates Sifting Week | Adventures in Missions | Ethnos 360 | Praying Pelican | Hundredfold | Cafe 10/40 | Multiply
7. The Perspectives Course
Perspectives in the World Christian Movement is a powerful 15 week course that will give participants a new “perspective” on God’s heart for the nations. The Perspectives course is another launch point for many of the missionaries I talk with who claim it was this course that sent them on a trajectory toward the mission field. Classes are available in person or online. Perspectives in the World Christian Movement
There are also other curriculums similar to Perspectives that can be used for Sunday school classes or small groups. These kinds of classes can be a simple way to help your congregation to be more informed about God’s missionary heart and what He is doing to bring the nations to himself. A few of these include: Storyline | God’s Heart For The Nations
8. Vision Trips
Vision trips are different from short term mission trips. They are for a small group of people from your congregations who are A) considering long term missions and want to learn more, B) Leaders in your church who you as the missions committee want to gain a deeper understanding and heart for God’s work among the nations, C) People who can specifically serve the missionary family you are going to visit, D) Prayer warriors, and E) Members of the missions committee. It doesn’t need to be all of these but as you can see, the focus of the trip is not on the personal discipleship of those who are going like it may be on a short term mission trip. The group isn’t going so much to serve as to listen and learn.
These trips are about deepening relationships and helping you as a sending church move toward deeper levels of engagement and understanding. They could also be about exploring new opportunities for partnership in new locations.
9. Host a Conference
It can be a lot of work, but is an opportunity to put together a great weekend program to help encourage your church to catch a vision for missions and the work God is doing in drawing the nations to himself. It can also be a great opportunity to partner with other local churches in order to share the workload and costs of a conference and to get out of our respective silos to do kingdom work together. Some organizations are looking for churches to partner with and will bring in the content and speakers. There are also a lot of great conferences going on across the world that will be an encouragement to those who go. Here are a few: | Moody Bible Mission Conference | Cross Conference | Urbana. You can find a complete list of conferences, trainings and other missions events at Missions Catalyst. And if you need help thinking through how to host your own, regional mission conference, we'd love to assist in any way we can. Reach out at our about page.
10. Missionary Hosting
Several times a year one or more of the missionaries you support will come and visit your church. They are most likely on what used to be called their furlough though that term was never accurate. That word conveys the idea that their work has been suspended for a season, that they are on vacation or a break. And this is categorically not what three months back in one’s home country feels like. One agency I’ve worked with now calls these times away from their country of service as their Ministry in North America (MINA) which is much more accurate. It is ministry and it is work.
Some missionaries will put thousands of miles on a vehicle over the course of two to three months in the summer. Nearly every weekend finds them in a new church, engaging with new people, working to meet unsaid expectations and for some, all of this with kids in tow. When they come and visit your church, my challenge to you is to make that time as special and meaningful for them and their family as possible. Missionaries aren’t proud of it, but we all have a mental list in our heads of the churches they can’t wait to go back to and the ones they dread. So how do you become a “can’t wait to get back to” kind of church? Here are a few ideas:
- Communicate Well - You’ll have to discover what a colleague of mine calls their “communication love language”. Some people email. Others text. Some just want a phone call. Missionaries may do most of their communicating on Whatsapp. Whatever it is, once you find it, begin communicating early with them once you hear they are coming back to the states. I’ll cover some of the other details of this below but make sure they feel wanted and welcome. Ask lots of questions to learn what their expectations and needs are. Do they need to raise a lot of extra money this year or are they just wanting to tell the story of what God is doing and raise up more prayer support? As you communicate, remember that they may be in the midst of a long road trip and may be setting up meetings all along the way. You may need to be patient if you don’t hear back right away. If it’s been a week, send a gracious reminder. They are probably having the same kinds of conversations with many others and will appreciate the reminder.
- Lodging - Every family is different so make sure and ask the missionary coming to visit what they would prefer for lodging while they are with you. Some will want to stay with a family - this will be more likely if ample opportunities have been made in the past to build relationships. Others, especially those with kids, might really feel blessed to stay at the local hotel with a mini water park inside. Another missionary family might love the chance to stay at a cozy Airbnb or someone’s guest house.
- Schedule - While most missionaries I know would love to be invited to share in multiple classrooms, small groups and in the service as I mentioned above, some may be in a season that just doesn’t allow that. If they have small kids, they may not want to drag their toddlers to six different events during the few days they visit. My kids disliked going to new churches every weekend when they were small. Those are the kinds of challenges your missionary family may be struggling with. Letting them know that there is grace for whatever works best for them will go a long way in helping them have a good experience at your church.
- The Small Things - There are lots of small things you can do to make their stay with your church a good experience. If they have small kids, a gift bag for each with some things inside (things you’ve asked mom and dad to help you pick out) will go a long way toward blessing the whole family. A well stocked Starbucks gift card will allow mom and dad to enjoy coffee as they travel. The offer of a date night for the parents (give them a gift card to a favorite local restaurant) will allow them to have much needed time together - something that is desperately hard to find when traveling from church to church. And because most missionaries are on a pretty tight budget, it can be a real blessing to give them a small cash gift to help with their travel expenses.
- Make Space for Relationships - The most important thing that any missionary takes away from a visit to your church will be relationships. Relationships only grow with time and so you need to create the time for that to happen. As a mission committee it's a great idea to share a meal with your missionaries after the service on Sunday to just hear more from them. If one of the kids in the church makes a good relationship with one of the missionary’s kids, encourage them to become pen pals, either in the traditional manner or through email or social media. Whatever you can do to help foster relationships and build a real partnership will go a long way to serving the missionaries you support.
This list of ten ideas is not meant to overwhelm. Celebrate the things you are already doing and pick one or two to try and initiate in the future. If you keep at it with patient endurance you will slowly see your congratulation grow in both their understanding of their role in the great commission and their passion to be a part of it.
If you have other ideas you seen or tried at your church, please share them in the comments below.
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It was several years ago that I wrote about a ministry tool called the E-Scale. Used mostly in cross-cultural contexts, “The E-Scale helps compare the cultural distances that Christians need to move in order to communicate the gospel with others. E-0 refers to evangelism of church-going Christians. E-1 extends to the very same culture through one barrier, that of “church culture.” E-2 evangelism presses into a close, but still different, culture. E-3 evangelism pushes to very different cultures.”(1)
The basic idea is that the closer a person is culturally to the people they are trying to reach, the fewer the barriers there are to overcome. Sharing with an old high school friend has few barriers for communication. Moving to a Central Asian village presents a profusion of barriers to overcome; language will need to be mastered, worldview will need to be understood, customs, history, and more will need to be learned and applied to the sharing of the gospel. The relative cultural distance in this setting is immense compared to talking with an old high school buddy. On the E-scale, a high school friend is E1 where new acquaintances in Central Asia are an E-3.
The basic idea is that the closer a person is culturally to the people they are trying to reach, the fewer the barriers there are to overcome. Sharing with an old high school friend has few barriers for communication. Moving to a Central Asian village presents a profusion of barriers to overcome; language will need to be mastered, worldview will need to be understood, customs, history, and more will need to be learned and applied to the sharing of the gospel. The relative cultural distance in this setting is immense compared to talking with an old high school buddy. On the E-scale, a high school friend is E1 where new acquaintances in Central Asia are an E-3.
Missiologists and missionaries alike have discovered the importance of partnering well with national churches and near culture churches in seeing the Gospel introduced into frontier mission fields. Investing deeply in the discipleship of believers who already know the language or who grew up in a culture that was more similar to the target people group than the western missionaries then becomes an important strategic work in frontier missions by reducing barriers to communication. Some have called this “near-culture missions” which The East West Center for Missions Research and Development defines as “reaching unreached people groups through sending missionaries from geographically, culturally, and linguistically proximate people groups. This has also been referred to as proximate missions.”(2) The more we can harness the innate skills and gifts of local believers to share the gospel the more often the gospel will be shared clearly and understandably. Near-culture missions is an important strategic opportunity that the global church has been embracing.
Reading a new book, Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions by Jolene Erlacher and Katy White, I’ve begun to re-evaluate what it means to be ‘near-culture.(3)” It started with a statement from a training document for Steiger International, a ministry focused on reaching urban youth around the world.(4)
Reading a new book, Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions by Jolene Erlacher and Katy White, I’ve begun to re-evaluate what it means to be ‘near-culture.(3)” It started with a statement from a training document for Steiger International, a ministry focused on reaching urban youth around the world.(4)
The current urban generation, connected by consumerism, social media and the entertainment industry, forms the largest global culture to ever exist. It spans the globe, sharing the same values, listening to the same music, watching the same movies and sharing the same posts. This global culture is largely influenced by one predominant worldview: Secular Humanism—God is irrelevant and man is at the center. In this relativistic culture, we are god and consumerism is our religion.
Many have called Gen Z digital natives. Born between 1995 and 2010, the first of Gen Z were twelve years old when the iPhone was introduced in 2007. As a generation, most did not choose to have smartphones, their parents simply bought them for them. Embracing them fully however, they have come and are coming through their teenage years with 24/7 access to the internet and social media. While the mental health results of this has been nothing short of devastating,(5) it is clear that they are more connected globally than any previous generation. It has been said that a ten year old in Omaha could very well have as much in common with a ten year old in Rome or Rio or Riyadh than with their own grandparents.
And so if it is true that Gen Z is the largest global culture to ever exist, then Erlacher and White are on to something important when they say, “Given the trends in shared perspectives and values of young people across cultures, Generation Z possesses a unique opportunity. An understanding of generational views in one cultural context may equip them to engage young people more effectively in other contexts.” Could Gen Z Christians be near-culture missionaries to Gen Z Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist and atheist Chinese around the world?
I’m not sure they are waiting to find out.
Last year I had a zoom call with a fifteen year old in Dallas who was leading discovery Bible studies with teens from different religious backgrounds from all across the globe on Discord, a social media platform used by the online gamer community. My daughter is connected with friends in France, Turkey and the UAE.
No one mobilized them to go, they were already there.
For all the challenges that Gen Z faces, I am excited to see where they will lead us in the work of completing the great commission. We certainly need to continue to focus on equipping near-culture Christians living inside the 10/40 window, but might it be that Gen Z believers who are already connected with Gen Z friends inside the unreached nations of the earth will be the next powerful force in kingdom expansion.
Perhaps we need to focus less on getting them to go as we went, and rather on developing disciples who love God and love others and have a heart for making disciples wherever they are . . . because for many, they are already there.
And so if it is true that Gen Z is the largest global culture to ever exist, then Erlacher and White are on to something important when they say, “Given the trends in shared perspectives and values of young people across cultures, Generation Z possesses a unique opportunity. An understanding of generational views in one cultural context may equip them to engage young people more effectively in other contexts.” Could Gen Z Christians be near-culture missionaries to Gen Z Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist and atheist Chinese around the world?
I’m not sure they are waiting to find out.
Last year I had a zoom call with a fifteen year old in Dallas who was leading discovery Bible studies with teens from different religious backgrounds from all across the globe on Discord, a social media platform used by the online gamer community. My daughter is connected with friends in France, Turkey and the UAE.
No one mobilized them to go, they were already there.
For all the challenges that Gen Z faces, I am excited to see where they will lead us in the work of completing the great commission. We certainly need to continue to focus on equipping near-culture Christians living inside the 10/40 window, but might it be that Gen Z believers who are already connected with Gen Z friends inside the unreached nations of the earth will be the next powerful force in kingdom expansion.
Perhaps we need to focus less on getting them to go as we went, and rather on developing disciples who love God and love others and have a heart for making disciples wherever they are . . . because for many, they are already there.
1. Missionary statesman Ralph Winter and Bruce Koch wrote “Finishing the Task: The Unreached Peoples Challenge” in which they shared the idea of the E-Scale and how to apply it to missionary strategy. This was published in an eleven page article in the Winter 2002 issue of the International Journal of Frontier Missions.
2. THE BRIDGES OF GOD: Exploring the Strategic Significance of Near-Cultural Mission. This is an extensive article written by David Bogosian filled with clear definitions and examples from both the Bible and modern day missions efforts. Accessed Nov. 22, 2023 (http://ewcenter.org/?p=8786).
3. Erlacher, Jolene; White, Katy. Mobilizing Gen Z : Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions. William Carey Publishing. Kindle Edition.
4. Steiger International website, “Is There More?,” downloadable PDF, 9.
5. It is beyond argument that giving pre-teens and teens smart phones and social media right as they are navigating what we all know as the most difficult time of our lives - junior high - has had devastating results on the mental health and overall quality of life for Gen Z. Jonathan Haidt writes about these issues at his Substack, After Babel. See also the Varkey Foundations global study of the general health and well being of Gen Z. Through over 20,000 surveys from 20 different countries there is a wealth of information in their report which you can read HERE.
2. THE BRIDGES OF GOD: Exploring the Strategic Significance of Near-Cultural Mission. This is an extensive article written by David Bogosian filled with clear definitions and examples from both the Bible and modern day missions efforts. Accessed Nov. 22, 2023 (http://ewcenter.org/?p=8786).
3. Erlacher, Jolene; White, Katy. Mobilizing Gen Z : Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions. William Carey Publishing. Kindle Edition.
4. Steiger International website, “Is There More?,” downloadable PDF, 9.
5. It is beyond argument that giving pre-teens and teens smart phones and social media right as they are navigating what we all know as the most difficult time of our lives - junior high - has had devastating results on the mental health and overall quality of life for Gen Z. Jonathan Haidt writes about these issues at his Substack, After Babel. See also the Varkey Foundations global study of the general health and well being of Gen Z. Through over 20,000 surveys from 20 different countries there is a wealth of information in their report which you can read HERE.
