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The Importunate Neighbour (1895)— William Holman Hunt
I have been reading through the book of Luke with my high school Sunday school class these past few weeks. The focus of the class is on learning to read and apply the word of God to our lives and ultimately, to help them develop the daily habit of reading the Bible. We’ve been working through a plan which, by reading five chapters a week, will take us through the entirety of the New Testament in a year. In my last article I wrote about the Father’s heart for the nations and my journey with these students has only served to strengthen this idea.
While I am the teacher and working to help my students learn to read their Bibles, as usually happens when I read the living and active word of God, I’ve been challenged as well. God is challenging me to continue to deepen my prayer life. Last week it was Luke six and Jesus’ ‘night of prayer’. There is something about the Son of God finding it necessary to spend an entire night ‘praying to God’ (vs. 12) that caused a question to bubble up in my mind: if the Creator of the universe chose to spend an entire night in prayer, might it be reasonable to consider that I might need to spend a few hours in prayer on a more regular basis? That I don’t more naturally default to prayer in my everyday life belies some deeper reality about where I place my faith. Lord help me!
This week it was Luke 11. In this passage, Jesus has been asked by his disciples to teach them to pray. It seems he has modeled a life of prayer and now, in their own aha moment, they’ve decided to ask for deeper instruction. They too want to learn to live lives that default to prayer. In verses 2-4 Jesus gives them the outline for a basic structure of prayer we know as the ‘Lord’s Prayer.’ In Luke we find a pared down version of the prayer we find also in Jesus’ sermon on the mount in Matthew 6. In Luke 11 however, Jesus goes on to share a deeper teaching on prayer with his disciples using first a story, then an exhortation and then ending with an example. Jesus wants them to get it. He wants them to understand deep-down the heart attitude they should carry into prayer.
This brings us to ‘shameless audacity’. Luke 11:5-8 is a story of a man who has a friend suddenly show up at his door. He has no food to offer the customary hospitality required by his culture and so he heads out to another, nearby friend, to ask for three loaves of bread. It’s late. The friend has already put his children to bed and locked down the house for the night. He doesn’t want to get out of bed to help and says as much. In verse 8 Jesus says, “I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” That is the NIV but it is translated similarly in the NASB (shamelessness), the ESV (impudence), the CSB (shameless boldness) and the NLT (persistence and boldness). Eugene Peterson spells it out a bit more in The Message—’if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors’.
This story is followed by Jesus’ exhortation to ask . . . seek . . . knock. . . “Everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (vs. 10). Jesus draws the teaching to a close with the example of an earthly father giving good gifts to his kids compared to our Heavenly Father. Jesus seems focused on teaching his disciples, and us, to pray with confidence, to pray with urgency, and to pray with shameless audacity.
And this of course challenged me—do I pray like that?
The Bible is filled to the brim with examples of people who prayed with the kind of shameless audacity Jesus is pointing to in Luke 11. Here are just a few:
- Abraham bargaining over Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33). Abraham stands before God and negotiates down from fifty righteous people to ten, saying things like "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" He essentially holds God to His own character, and he keeps pushing six times.
- Moses talking God out of destroying Israel (Exodus 32:9-14; Numbers 14). After the golden calf, Moses argues with God about His own reputation among the Egyptians and reminds Him of His promises to the patriarchs. The text says God "relented." Moses even says, "blot me out of your book" if God won't forgive the people (Exodus 32:32).
- Hannah's desperate prayer (1 Samuel 1). She prays so intensely, lips moving with no sound, that Eli the priest assumes she's drunk. She makes a bargain with God for a son and doesn't apologize for the intensity.
- Jesus' parables on persistence. Besides the teaching above, Jesus also shares about the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) who badgers an unjust judge until she gets justice, and Jesus holds her up as a model of prayer.
- The Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7:24-30; Matthew 15:21-28). Jesus tests her with what sounds like a harsh refusal, and she turns his own metaphor back on him: even the dogs eat the crumbs under the table. She is audacious and He commends her faith and grants her request.
- Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). The crowd tells him to be quiet, and he just keeps shouting louder and louder. Jesus stops for him and asks, “What do you want me to do for you?”
If Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock and to do so with shameless audacity, and with so many examples in the Scriptures of the people of God doing just that, why do my prayers often seem so feeble? It may be that in personal requests we lack the confidence to ask audaciously for our own needs and desires. But we know God’s will is for the nations to worship Him, to see disciples made and churches established among every nation, tribe, people and language.
The man in Luke 11 wasn’t hungry. He was pounding on a neighbor’s door at midnight for the sake of a guest. That is the posture I want when I pray for the nations: not asking for my own comfort, but refusing to stay quiet while others go unfed or remain unreached.
And we aren’t twisting God’s arm. We’re asking for what he has already said he wants.
So this week, pick one unreached people group and pray for them by name each day. Ask for workers. Ask for churches. Ask until it feels almost embarrassing, and then keep asking.
Father, you promised that people from every nation, tribe and tongue would worship before your throne. We believe you. So we ask, boldly and without apology: send out workers, open hearts, and plant churches among the unreached. Do not let another generation pass without hearing your name. Amen.
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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 easy-to-use framework for helping new believers develop a lifelong habit of engaging with God’s Word.
By Aaron Myers
One of the most important things we can teach a new believer is how to live a life immersed in Scripture and in Christian community. Without these two things, disciples are especially vulnerable to syncretism on one side and spiritual manipulation on the other.
A friend of mine once drew for me a simple diagram to highlight the importance of helping everyone who walks with Jesus develop a clear and consistent pattern of daily immersion in the word of God. He drew three columns and at the bottom of the first he wrote “No Word.” This column represented people who did not actively pursue reading, understanding and applying the word of God in their lives. Under this he wrote “Alone”. When a person says they are a Christian but is essentially alone in their faith and they are not invested in reading and applying the word of God to their lives, the inevitable outcome is a life of syncretism, the blending of different religious beliefs, cultures, or ideas to form a new, mixed system of faith. We often think of syncretism as something that happens "over there"—in places where animistic beliefs, ancestor worship, or traditional religions get mixed with Christianity. But syncretism is not a problem unique to other cultures. It is a temptation for every Christian in every culture.
The American Christian may blend allegiance to a political party, the American Dream, consumerism, individualism, or the values of popular culture with their faith. They genuinely believe in Christ, but their understanding of what it means to follow Christ has been subtly reshaped by other authorities.
That is syncretism too.
When a person does not have a strong handle on God’s word and is without the guidance of solid biblical teaching, they inevitably begin to form their own system of belief based on pop culture and gut feeling.
Skipping over to the third column, my friend again wrote “No Word” but under this he wrote “Dynamic Personality” with an arrow pointing toward the word at the top of the column, “Cults”. When a dynamic personality gains influence over people who have little grounding in Scripture and little Christian community to help them test what they are hearing, those people become especially vulnerable to spiritual manipulation. The issue isn't simply that they don't know enough Bible verses. They have not learned to recognize Scripture as their authority or to test teaching in community.
My friend then shifted to the middle column and wrote “Immersed in the Word” under which he wrote, “In Community.” The arrow this time pointed toward the phrase “Healthy, Maturing, Faith”. Notice that the answer isn't simply "read your Bible."
The middle column contains two things: the Word and community.
Christianity was never intended to be a solitary exercise in private Bible interpretation. We need Scripture, but we also need brothers and sisters who help us understand it, obey it, question our assumptions, encourage us when we fail, and point us back to Jesus when we wander.
This is why the question, "Where do you see that in Scripture?" can be such a powerful discipleship question. It isn't a weapon for winning theological arguments. In a healthy community, it is an invitation to let Scripture speak.
Through Scripture and Christian community, the Holy Spirit continually exposes, corrects, encourages, and forms us into the likeness of Christ. In this way, we, like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 can examine the Scriptures every day to see if what is said is true.
As disciple makers, one of the first and most important things we can do with new believers is help them develop a lifelong pattern of listening to God through Scripture, responding in obedience, and processing what they are learning within Christian community. We cannot simply assume that a new believer will know how to do this. Intentional modeling and instruction are necessary. Intentional modeling and instruction are necessary. We must equip them to get started and then encourage them to keep at it long enough for it to become a much loved and longed for habit.
A friend of mine once drew for me a simple diagram to highlight the importance of helping everyone who walks with Jesus develop a clear and consistent pattern of daily immersion in the word of God. He drew three columns and at the bottom of the first he wrote “No Word.” This column represented people who did not actively pursue reading, understanding and applying the word of God in their lives. Under this he wrote “Alone”. When a person says they are a Christian but is essentially alone in their faith and they are not invested in reading and applying the word of God to their lives, the inevitable outcome is a life of syncretism, the blending of different religious beliefs, cultures, or ideas to form a new, mixed system of faith. We often think of syncretism as something that happens "over there"—in places where animistic beliefs, ancestor worship, or traditional religions get mixed with Christianity. But syncretism is not a problem unique to other cultures. It is a temptation for every Christian in every culture.
The American Christian may blend allegiance to a political party, the American Dream, consumerism, individualism, or the values of popular culture with their faith. They genuinely believe in Christ, but their understanding of what it means to follow Christ has been subtly reshaped by other authorities.
That is syncretism too.
When a person does not have a strong handle on God’s word and is without the guidance of solid biblical teaching, they inevitably begin to form their own system of belief based on pop culture and gut feeling.
Skipping over to the third column, my friend again wrote “No Word” but under this he wrote “Dynamic Personality” with an arrow pointing toward the word at the top of the column, “Cults”. When a dynamic personality gains influence over people who have little grounding in Scripture and little Christian community to help them test what they are hearing, those people become especially vulnerable to spiritual manipulation. The issue isn't simply that they don't know enough Bible verses. They have not learned to recognize Scripture as their authority or to test teaching in community.
My friend then shifted to the middle column and wrote “Immersed in the Word” under which he wrote, “In Community.” The arrow this time pointed toward the phrase “Healthy, Maturing, Faith”. Notice that the answer isn't simply "read your Bible."
The middle column contains two things: the Word and community.
Christianity was never intended to be a solitary exercise in private Bible interpretation. We need Scripture, but we also need brothers and sisters who help us understand it, obey it, question our assumptions, encourage us when we fail, and point us back to Jesus when we wander.
This is why the question, "Where do you see that in Scripture?" can be such a powerful discipleship question. It isn't a weapon for winning theological arguments. In a healthy community, it is an invitation to let Scripture speak.
Through Scripture and Christian community, the Holy Spirit continually exposes, corrects, encourages, and forms us into the likeness of Christ. In this way, we, like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 can examine the Scriptures every day to see if what is said is true.
As disciple makers, one of the first and most important things we can do with new believers is help them develop a lifelong pattern of listening to God through Scripture, responding in obedience, and processing what they are learning within Christian community. We cannot simply assume that a new believer will know how to do this. Intentional modeling and instruction are necessary. Intentional modeling and instruction are necessary. We must equip them to get started and then encourage them to keep at it long enough for it to become a much loved and longed for habit.
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As a disciple maker it is important to invite your disciple to build this habit into their life and modeling this is the best way to help them get started. I’ve found that it is also helpful to start with a manageable goal. To expect anyone to jump straight into reading large portions of scripture every day is unreasonable. Some will but most will need more modest beginnings, lots of encouragement and simple tools to get started.
Here are a few resources that may be helpful.
New Testament in One Year Reading Plan: This is a simple starting point for someone who is new to consistent Bible reading. It covers the entire New Testament with five chapters per week, leaving two days for catching up. The plan begins with Luke and Acts before moving through the remainder of the New Testament in roughly chronological order. It gives a new believer a manageable goal rather than expecting them to immediately adopt an intensive reading schedule.
VOPS Bible Journaling: The goal isn't simply to get a new believer to read the Bible. We want to help them learn how to hear from Scripture, respond to what God is showing them, obey what they are learning, and share what God is teaching them with others. That's why I developed the VOPS framework. It stands for:
The goal of VOPS is not simply to help new disciples develop a habit of reading the Bible. It is to help them develop a life of listening to God through Scripture, responding in obedience, and sharing what they are learning with others. When Scripture becomes a regular part of our lives and we learn to engage it within the community of believers, we create space for the Holy Spirit to shape us more deeply into the likeness of Christ. The goal isn't simply Bible readers—it is disciples who are increasingly rooted in the Word, formed in community, and equipped to help others follow Jesus.
Here are a few resources that may be helpful.
New Testament in One Year Reading Plan: This is a simple starting point for someone who is new to consistent Bible reading. It covers the entire New Testament with five chapters per week, leaving two days for catching up. The plan begins with Luke and Acts before moving through the remainder of the New Testament in roughly chronological order. It gives a new believer a manageable goal rather than expecting them to immediately adopt an intensive reading schedule.
VOPS Bible Journaling: The goal isn't simply to get a new believer to read the Bible. We want to help them learn how to hear from Scripture, respond to what God is showing them, obey what they are learning, and share what God is teaching them with others. That's why I developed the VOPS framework. It stands for:
- VERSE - What verse is God drawing my attention to?
- OBSERVATION - What is God saying?
- PRACTICE - What is God calling me to do?
- SHARE - Who is God wanting me to encourage?
The goal of VOPS is not simply to help new disciples develop a habit of reading the Bible. It is to help them develop a life of listening to God through Scripture, responding in obedience, and sharing what they are learning with others. When Scripture becomes a regular part of our lives and we learn to engage it within the community of believers, we create space for the Holy Spirit to shape us more deeply into the likeness of Christ. The goal isn't simply Bible readers—it is disciples who are increasingly rooted in the Word, formed in community, and equipped to help others follow Jesus.
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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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Using literature to help the next generation see and love the nations.
by Aaron Myers
Does your church have a mission-minded culture? How about the Christian school you work at or your children attend? And what about your family? In these places, is the biblical commission to reach the nations a priority? One of the simplest and most effective ways to build a missions-minded culture in our churches, schools, and homes is through the books we read.
It has been said that changing the culture of an organization—or church—is difficult. Culture changes slowly. Like a lake formed drop by drop, it is shaped by countless small influences. However, if we are patient and willing to prayerfully work toward change, we can see any church, school or family develop a mission-minded culture that reflects the Father’s heart for the nations.
One aspect of any missions culture is understanding the many different, beautiful, broken, and God-destined cultures of our big, amazing God-created world. For those of us growing up in the church or sending our kids to Christian schools (or homeschooling), experiencing other cultures and interacting with people different than ourselves isn’t often a normal part of our daily experience. It’s not that we’re avoiding cross-cultural experiences; it's just that life is busy and if you live in more rural areas, opportunities may be sparse.
While there are myriad ideas and suggestions for helping build a missions culture—something I work to write about here at Everywhere to Everywhere—with today’s article I want to focus on the power of literature. In a 2024 New York Times opinion piece, author David Brooks reflected on the power of literature:
It has been said that changing the culture of an organization—or church—is difficult. Culture changes slowly. Like a lake formed drop by drop, it is shaped by countless small influences. However, if we are patient and willing to prayerfully work toward change, we can see any church, school or family develop a mission-minded culture that reflects the Father’s heart for the nations.
One aspect of any missions culture is understanding the many different, beautiful, broken, and God-destined cultures of our big, amazing God-created world. For those of us growing up in the church or sending our kids to Christian schools (or homeschooling), experiencing other cultures and interacting with people different than ourselves isn’t often a normal part of our daily experience. It’s not that we’re avoiding cross-cultural experiences; it's just that life is busy and if you live in more rural areas, opportunities may be sparse.
While there are myriad ideas and suggestions for helping build a missions culture—something I work to write about here at Everywhere to Everywhere—with today’s article I want to focus on the power of literature. In a 2024 New York Times opinion piece, author David Brooks reflected on the power of literature:
Deep reading, immersing yourself in novels with complex characters, engaging with stories that explore the complexity of this character’s motivations or that character’s wounds, is a training ground for understanding human variety. It empowers us to see the real people in our lives more accurately and more generously, to better understand their intentions, fears and needs, the hidden kingdoms of their unconscious drives. The resulting knowledge is not factual knowledge, but emotional knowledge.
Stories—particularly stories written by and about people from other cultures—allow readers to travel, to explore and encounter the wonderfully varied peoples of our world. They allow us to learn about other places and customs and to get a sense of the histories and worldviews that image-bearers across the globe carry with them. And books are written for all levels of readers creating a ready made course in cross-cultural study for all ages.
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If we can find good books that take our children into other cultures, and if we prepare them to be cultural detectives, looking for God's fingerprints throughout the journeys of the characters, then we can help them begin to develop eyes to see as the Father sees the many nations of our earth.
As a parent or teacher it is helpful if you prepare yourself to help young readers engage with stories from cultures that may seem strange and different. Two helpful resources are Shane Bennett's article, "Reveling in the Cultural Kaleidoscope," and my article from earlier this spring “Four Ways to See the Nations At Our Doorstep.” You can find links to these at the bottom of the article. Work with young readers to help them become cultural detectives, asking good questions when things that happen are different or unexpected. Help them identify the surface level, observable customs, habits of dress, differing food and language so that they can learn to take the bigger step of understanding cultural and worldview differences.
I have also created two worksheets to help readers reflect on the books they’ve read with cross-cultural exploration in mind. One is designed for elementary-aged students, while the second is more complex and intended for middle-grade readers. I have also created a reading list of books, categorized by reading level and written by or about people from other cultures. Most of these are fiction but there are also a few non-fiction that I think will be helpful.
- Reading List: Books to Help Kids Understand Other Cultures
- Book Reflection Worksheet (elementary): Cultural Detective Notebook
- Book Reflection Worksheet (middle grades): Reader’s Cultural Detective Notebook
Stories offer a powerful opportunity to help readers of all ages begin to interact with and learn from and about other cultures. Encourage your young readers to pick up a good book today and begin the journey. Prepare them for a globalized world. Prepare them to be Christ’s ambassadors among the nations both locally and globally. One story at a time, we can help the next generation develop eyes to see and ears to hear the Father's call to the nations. In this way, we can build a stronger missions culture for the future.
Resources
- Article: Reveling in the Cultural Kaleidoscope
- Article: Four Ways to See the Nations At Our Doorstep
- Reading List: Books to Help Kids Understand Other Cultures
- Book Reflection Worksheet (elementary): Cultural Detective Notebook
- Book Reflection Worksheet (middle grades): Reader’s Cultural Detective Notebook
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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
Thank You.
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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
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends.
- Published on
How globalization and digital culture may be reshaping the cultural distances in Ralph Winter’s classic framework for evangelism.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
It was several years ago that I first wrote about Ralph Winter’s E-Scale as a tool for understanding cross-cultural ministry. As I’ve continued working in cross-cultural ministry over the past two decades—and observed the effects of globalization and rapid innovation in communication technology—I’ve begun to wonder whether it might be time to revisit that article and reflect on how the E-Scale itself may be changing.
If you are unfamiliar with the E-Scale, I encourage you to read my article from 2019.(1) And if you want to go straight to the source, read Winter’s original article as well.(2) Links to both are included at the end of this piece.
In that earlier article, I focused mostly on the left side of the scale, suggesting that efforts to invite non-Christians to attend church are no longer as effective as they once were. As Western culture has become increasingly post-Christian, the distance between E0 and E1 has grown. The non-believers who once visited our churches are, for the most part, no longer doing so.
If you are unfamiliar with the E-Scale, I encourage you to read my article from 2019.(1) And if you want to go straight to the source, read Winter’s original article as well.(2) Links to both are included at the end of this piece.
In that earlier article, I focused mostly on the left side of the scale, suggesting that efforts to invite non-Christians to attend church are no longer as effective as they once were. As Western culture has become increasingly post-Christian, the distance between E0 and E1 has grown. The non-believers who once visited our churches are, for the most part, no longer doing so.
In this article, however, I want to look toward the other end of the scale, where I suspect the opposite may be happening. While the distance between E0 and E1 has grown, the distance between E2 and E3 may be shrinking as global culture becomes increasingly flattened.
As I wrote in another article:
As I wrote in another article:
Sixteen-year-olds in China and Mozambique, Canada and Mexico, the U.S. and Vietnam are watching the same TikToks, following the same Instagram influencers, and learning how to fix their iPhones from the same YouTube videos.
They share gaming advice on Discord and openly mock those of us who still use Facebook. They are poised to work together in business and service better than any generation in history.
Their embodied identities are still shaped by their local cultures, but their digital identities are flattening those distinctions as they interact online with people and content from across the world.”(3)
The barriers to cross-cultural ministry appear to be shrinking with each successive generation and each new leap in globalization and technological innovation. English is rapidly becoming the world’s lingua franca. Growing affluence means more people are traveling beyond their country of birth for both education and leisure. More than five billion people now own a smartphone—roughly 60 percent of the global population—and that number continues to grow.(4) Unsurprisingly, smartphone adoption is highest among younger generations.
None of this eliminates real cultural differences, of course but this flattening creates new opportunities for ordinary believers in local churches to participate in cross-cultural kingdom work in ways that were nearly unimaginable twenty years ago. Yet it also presents new challenges.
Many younger people seem increasingly drawn toward a soft universalism or a kind of build-your-own spirituality sometimes described as therapeutic deism. At the other extreme are those who find themselves pulled into ideological echo chambers, easily shaped by more radical ideologies.
Both realities create real challenges for Christians seeking to share the good news of the gospel. And both require the same dependence on prayer, Scripture, and spiritual discernment that cross-cultural witness has always required.
I am not suggesting that the E-Scale is obsolete. Far from it. But the cultural conditions surrounding it may be shifting. If the distance between cultures is flattening in new ways, it may be worth revisiting this familiar tool and asking how it might inform mission in an increasingly connected world.
None of this eliminates real cultural differences, of course but this flattening creates new opportunities for ordinary believers in local churches to participate in cross-cultural kingdom work in ways that were nearly unimaginable twenty years ago. Yet it also presents new challenges.
Many younger people seem increasingly drawn toward a soft universalism or a kind of build-your-own spirituality sometimes described as therapeutic deism. At the other extreme are those who find themselves pulled into ideological echo chambers, easily shaped by more radical ideologies.
Both realities create real challenges for Christians seeking to share the good news of the gospel. And both require the same dependence on prayer, Scripture, and spiritual discernment that cross-cultural witness has always required.
I am not suggesting that the E-Scale is obsolete. Far from it. But the cultural conditions surrounding it may be shifting. If the distance between cultures is flattening in new ways, it may be worth revisiting this familiar tool and asking how it might inform mission in an increasingly connected world.
Resources
1. Tools for Ministry: The E-Scale by Aaron Myers
2. Finishing the Task: The Unreached Peoples Challenge by Ralph Winter
3. Augmented Digital Identity: A New Generation’s Opportunity to Shine by Aaron Myers
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If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends.
