We often pray, “Lord, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Yet, we frequently wonder, “Lord, what are You doing right now on earth?”
At the end of September, two significant global gatherings took place. The 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly met in New York City, drawing extensive media coverage. However, what received far less attention was the 4th Lausanne Conference on World Evangelism, held in Seoul, Korea. Over 5,200 church workers and missionaries gathered—remarkably, 75% of them from outside North America. This represents a profound shift, often called The Great Transition in global missions.
When I was with my mentor in Seoul, I shared with him what I am learning in the WordPartners workshop. He said, ‘There is nothing more important for my ministry these days.’
In Matthew 9, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38 ESV). So, what is the Lord doing? He is raising up many laborers from outside the USA to take the gospel to the nations! In a world inundated with troubling news, we can take heart: Jesus is building His church. He hears our prayers and is answering by sending out workers. May this encourage our worship, our prayers, our giving, and our going.
This is also why I have devoted this season of my life to serving with WordPartners in Central Asia. Equipping national pastors and church planters in the Word of God is crucial for the spread of the Gospel. Just a few days ago, a brother in one of our new training groups shared with me, “When I was with my mentor in Seoul, I shared with him what I am learning in the WordPartners workshop. He said, ‘There is nothing more important for my ministry these days.'” As we planned for our next workshop, he mentioned that the government had recently installed facial recognition cameras around their meeting place. We are now seeking a new location for the upcoming workshops.
In light of these developments, we are reminded that God is at work in ways both seen and unseen, raising up leaders and laborers from all corners of the world. Your partnership in this mission continues to make a lasting impact as we equip pastors to faithfully preach the Word of God. We are deeply grateful for your prayers, support, and investment in the spread of the Gospel.
