urban mission Archives | Within Reach Global https://withinreachglobal.org/tag/urban-mission/ Thu, 17 Jun 2021 09:37:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://withinreachglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-wrgSmallTransparent-32x32.png urban mission Archives | Within Reach Global https://withinreachglobal.org/tag/urban-mission/ 32 32 Blessing Tribes In The Conflict Zone https://withinreachglobal.org/blessinginconflct/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blessinginconflct Thu, 17 Jun 2021 04:43:48 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=9825 The entire world has become more aware of the Burma Conflict because of recent protests and stories in the news. In February 2021, the military took control of the country. Since then, unrest gripped not only the major cities but the border regions as well when the Burma Army dropped bombs on innocent villages. Many […]

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The entire world has become more aware of the Burma Conflict because of recent protests and stories in the news. In February 2021, the military took control of the country. Since then, unrest gripped not only the major cities but the border regions as well when the Burma Army dropped bombs on innocent villages. Many deaths have been reported and thousands have been displaced. The Karen ethnic tribe is a particular target for the brutal Burma Army. Thousands of Karen people fled to the Thailand border in hopes to receive help. However, little help came. Right now, thousands of people are living in the jungles because it is not safe to remain in their homes.

Last week, the Within Reach Global Thai Outreach Team traveled down to the Thailand and Myanmar border. The purpose of the trip was to work alongside our ministry partners along the border and encourage their ministry efforts. We wanted to help initiate a gospel-centric outreach that met the tangible needs of hurting people, too. The team encountered numerous people who have been seriously impacted by Myanmar’s ongoing war. The images they saw and the things they experienced were heartbreaking. They visited a children’s home of 25 kids (soon to have 25 more) from Buddhist or animist families. The children are between the ages of 10 and 15 years old. These children were given the opportunity to have a safe space away from the tragedies of war. They are receiving a menial education as they reside together, far from their families. Many of them have lost loved ones along the way.

The kids our team encountered were scared, shy, and overwhelmed because familial ties were broken and their entire world turned upside-down. All hope seems lost through the eyes of these little ones. Military attacks continue relentlessly, and everything is uncertain.

Imagine your kids in this situation. It would tear you apart. This should cause Christ-tethered compassion to rise up in your heart and mine.

Driven by compassion, we supplied the children with the blankets, mosquito nets, and mattresses you provided. Your generosity was felt. For the first time in months, the kids have a blanket to stay warm during lonely nights and hope to know that someone cares.

But that’s not all you helped provide. We also brought Bibles in the Karen language so that they can learn God’s word. This is how you’re impacting people on the other side of the world. Thank you so much for your generosity!

Most of these kids had never heard the gospel before our team arrived.

The Bibles we provided empowered the leader of the home to share stories from God’s word and introduce these precious kids to the love of God.

But the list of needs goes on for miles. Thousands of people still need shelter, food, and clean drinking water.

While we desire to meet all of these physical needs, more than ever we want to address their spiritual deficit. We want these people to meet the Savior of the world: Jesus!

Your prayers and generosity in providing for underprivileged and forgotten people do not go unrecognized. We encourage you to pray that God continues to raise many Christians from around the world who will help these lost and hurting unreached peoples.

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2019 Year In Review https://withinreachglobal.org/2019-year-in-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2019-year-in-review Wed, 01 Jan 2020 13:48:37 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7692 2019 is over and 2020 brings a new season of purpose and joy as you take part in God’s missions mandate. But before we jump into a new year, we want to pause and remember what God did in and through us in 2019. Isaiah 26:12 describes what really took place in 2019: “All that […]

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2019 is over and 2020 brings a new season of purpose and joy as you take part in God’s missions mandate.

But before we jump into a new year, we want to pause and remember what God did in and through us in 2019.

Isaiah 26:12 describes what really took place in 2019: “All that we have accomplished, You have done for us.”

These words ring true in our hearts. God somehow chooses to use our feeble efforts and inabilities to reveal His glory in and through us. We are simply jars of clay that house all-surpassing power.

With that thought in mind, here are some of the highlights of what God did through the ministry of Within Reach Global in 2019.

Our local missionaries and foreign staff shared the Gospel to 1,700 people from 120 villages. 19 unreached people groups were impacted by this witness. We saw 105 recorded healings—a powerful testimony of God at work to reach the unreached!

 

To start a giving plan or to continue your donations in 2020, please visit our Donate page here.

 

Download the PDF of the Within Reach Global Year in Review here or click the image below.

 

The Rock Outreach Center

  • Visited The Rock outreach center
  • Experienced severe persecution
  • 1 church multiplied to 4 churches
  • 450 people from 20 villages heard the Gospel

New HQ: Chiang Mai, Thailand office

  • First office since the founding of WRG in 2008
  • The office serves 7 outreach centers in Southeast Asia
  • New staff and interns joining
  • Center for hosting short-term trips and teams

Missions Pulse Podcast

Gospel-Loaded MP3 Players

  • Voice of the Martyrs partnership
  • Gave away 2,400 Gospel-loaded mp3 players
  • Healings and salvation happened through mp3 content

Chinese Student Outreach

  • Regular outreach to university students
  • Reaching unreached people groups in the urban setting
  • Relational discipleship changes lives

WRG Missionary Convention

  • Theme: Colossians 1:27: “Christ in You The Hope of Glory”
  • Gathered in Thailand for security purposes
  • Time of refreshing, strategy, and renewed vision
  • Focused on disciple multiplication movements (DMM)

2020 Focus

  • Continued focus on the vision of reaching unreached people groups
  • Growth of staff and interns
  • Upcoming short-term mission trips

 

We are so thankful for your faithful prayers and financial support! You are a rope-holder, lowering us down into the goldmine of souls in Southeast Asia.

Without your generosity, there would be little impact. In fact, your generosity creates redemption and transformation.

Thank you for continuing to link hearts and hands to reach the Gospel-deprived people groups of the 10/40 Window!

To start a giving plan or to continue your donations in 2020, please visit our Donate page today.

To donate by check, make your check payable to “Within Reach Global” and send to:

Within Reach Global
P. O. Box 1591
Prescott, AZ 86302

We are so grateful for your monthly giving. May God bless you back richly this new year!

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Within Reach Global Has a New Operations Director https://withinreachglobal.org/new-operations-director/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-operations-director Mon, 20 Aug 2018 07:32:06 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7329 We are thrilled to announce that our new operations directors just joined Within Reach Global! But before we get into the details of their story, let’s back up a bit. In October, we will celebrate ten years of God’s faithfulness through the ministry of Within Reach Global. We have shared the Gospel with thousands of […]

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We are thrilled to announce that our new operations directors just joined Within Reach Global! But before we get into the details of their story, let’s back up a bit.

In October, we will celebrate ten years of God’s faithfulness through the ministry of Within Reach Global.

We have shared the Gospel with thousands of unreached peoples, seen hundreds of salvations and baptisms, discipled new believers, planted over 25 churches, and established eight outreach centers.

All this, God accomplished through weak and unassuming vessels—the founders and missionaries serving in foreign fields.

But when we look out at the ripe fields encompassing the homes of unreached and unengaged people groups, our hearts burn for more to come to salvation.

Why has the global Church so overlooked nearly three billion people, unwilling to share God’s grace and glory with those on the fringes of our evangelistic efforts?

The answers are, of course, nebulous. But we confidently contest that the unfinished task is merely a matter of priorities.

Did you know…

  • Christians gave $677 billion (96.8% of total Christian giving) to pastoral ministries (mostly in Christian nations);

  • $20.3 billion (2.9%) went to “home missions” in the same Christian nations;

  • $2.1 billion (.3%) went to the unevangelized non-Christian world (this is different than “unreached”);

  • An estimated $450 million was designated toward unreached peoples.

What do these statistics mean in real time? The $450 million given to missions among unreached peoples—only 1% of total Christian giving—went to ministry among unreached people groups. That is only .001% of the $42 trillion income of Christians. Better stated:

For every $100,000 that Christians make, they give $1 to the unreached.

(To see more statistics regarding the missions and the unreached, Check out The Traveling Team here.)

These staggering numbers are overwhelming. Our heart in sharing this reality with you is to inform you that the Church’s misplaced priorities are evident in these statistics. If we genuinely desire to see the return of Christ, we will turn our eyes toward the ripe harvest fields of the earth, publicize the name of Jesus, and play our part in finishing the Great Commission task.

What does that mean for us at Within Reach Global?

We need more harvest hands! We need more missions giving directed toward those waiting for a witness of the Gospel. We need prayer warriors to stand in the gap and implore the Spirit of God to open eyes to the Gospel.

Jacob and Betsy Smith, along with their four children just arrived in Thailand after many years of ministry in South Africa. They served at Impact Africa, helping grow the amazing ministry taking place on the African Continent. Less than a year ago, they felt the Holy Spirit rekindling their zeal for the unreached world. These long-time American friends have now joined us as our new operations directors.

We believe that God’s timing is perfect, and expect to see many new breakthroughs and open doors as we dream together.

Jacob will be helping us create a better structure to host the move of God in and through the ministry of Within Reach Global. We believe we must get better before we get bigger. This new structure will enhance short-term teams, empower long-term missionaries, and open new doors to serve among the unreached people groups we are targeting at Within Reach Global.

Please pray that God will continue to bless our relationship with unity and vision. At the end of the day, we desire to honor God and reach unreached people groups. We want to see many more names written in the Lamb’s book of life! Join us in prayer and giving on this matter.

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Vision at Our Local Missionary Convention https://withinreachglobal.org/vision-local-missionary-convention/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vision-local-missionary-convention Mon, 20 Aug 2018 07:20:05 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7338 With China’s constant governmental and seasonal changes, our role at Within Reach Global is changing. We will continue to pioneer new outreaches among unreached people groups, disciple new believers, and plant new churches. But God is leading us into a season of empowerment of our local missionaries. We want to be dream-makers and vision-instigators! Within […]

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With China’s constant governmental and seasonal changes, our role at Within Reach Global is changing. We will continue to pioneer new outreaches among unreached people groups, disciple new believers, and plant new churches. But God is leading us into a season of empowerment of our local missionaries.

We want to be dream-makers and vision-instigators!

Within goal in mind, we host bi-annual missionary conventions for our local missionaries. We gather everyone together from all our outreach centers, worship together, pray for one another, speak into their lives, and launch them into the ministries God has called them to. 

Our recent missionary convention was a powerful time of learning and growing together. We reviewed our vision and mission:

Vision: Our vision is to honor God by reaching unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window with the Christian gospel.

Mission: We accomplish our vision by trailblazing to places where there is no presence of the gospel, discipling, training and partnering with local believers, establishing outreach centers, planting churches, and releasing church plants to reach their own people groups.

We heard testimonies of God’s greatness and spent time in His presence. We taught about the Father heart of God, of our identity as sons and daughters, the armor of God, renewing your mind (based on the book, Switch On Your Brain), and Holy Spirit refilling and refreshing. Everyone had a wonderful time and felt refreshed for the next season of ministry.

Our local missionaries are our heroes. We believe that God will use indigenous missionaries and ministers to bring revival in Southeast Asia. Please pray with us.

To support one of our outreach centers, click here. 

To support one of our local missionaries, click here. 

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International Day for the Unreached https://withinreachglobal.org/international-day-for-the-unreached-2018/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=international-day-for-the-unreached-2018 Sun, 20 May 2018 14:02:56 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7310 This is an important day. It’s a day that stirs our souls with passion for God’s glory and for those who have never heard of Him before. Sunday, May 20 is recognized as the International Day for the Unreached.  We want to invite you to join the 90-minute LIVE broadcast that will begin at 5:00PM […]

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This is an important day.

It’s a day that stirs our souls with passion for God’s glory and for those who have never heard of Him before.

Sunday, May 20 is recognized as the International Day for the Unreached. 

We want to invite you to join the 90-minute LIVE broadcast that will begin at 5:00PM PST / 8:00PM EST

To watch LIVE, click here.

Believe it or not, 5 billion people on earth have no relationship with Jesus, including 2 billion who have never heard the gospel.

Check out the incredible facts about the unreached on Within Reach Global’s 10/40 Window page here.


Today is the International Day for the Unreached! Watch LIVE and join us in prayer here!
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They’ve never heard. Not once. And they have no access to the good news.

Of the nearly 12,000 people groups on earth, 7,000 are less than 2% evangelical (i.e., unreached people groups). Even more troubling is the fact that approximately 3,200 of these groups (i.e., unengaged-unreached people groups) have no believers working among them with a church planting strategy. Learn more here.

This reality burns in our hearts at Within Reach Global. We exist to honor God and reach the unreached. Do you care about those who have never heard of Jesus before? You might want to read this riveting article.

The above statistics are common knowledge in some evangelical circles and among the missionary community. However, it troubles us that so many Christians have little understanding about the reality of brokenness among unreached people groups.

Sunday, may 20, 2018, marks the International Day for the Unreached.

What difference will it make on Monday?

This is a question you and I need to answer. If we say we care about the things of God, it follows that we share His emotion and passion for those without a hope of hearing His good news. 

The Apostle Paul wrote,

“I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (Rom 15:20-21, ESV).

Go with us to the unreached and unengaged. Learn more about Within Reach Global’s outreach centers and local missionaries.

Let’s join together to publicize the name of Jesus in regions largely left out of our evangelical priorities. 

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10 New Year Resolutions for Missions https://withinreachglobal.org/10-new-year-resolutions-for-missions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-new-year-resolutions-for-missions Mon, 08 Jan 2018 05:04:32 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7184 A new year is here and with it come a wide array of new initiatives, ambitions, and resolutions. Many of these resolutions will prove altruistic and some will see them come to pass. Others will pass into oblivion and the opportunities for change will wait for yet another year. With new year’s resolutions swirling around […]

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A new year is here and with it come a wide array of new initiatives, ambitions, and resolutions. Many of these resolutions will prove altruistic and some will see them come to pass. Others will pass into oblivion and the opportunities for change will wait for yet another year.

With new year’s resolutions swirling around everyone’s mind, I’d like to encourage you to set eternity on the forefront of your decision-making. Placing yourself within the panorama of God’s epic redemptive salvation plan will cause you not only to make a lot of decisions but make the proper decisions. 

What really matters? Are your desires at the epicenter of your resolutions or do God’s desires take precedence? Are you living each moment for the Kingdom of God and His glory? These are questions we should all be asking at the commencement of a new year.

Beginning with the end in mind (Revelation 7:9) will help you make the right decisions today. Our God is a missionary God. He is passionate about all nations (people groups, tribes, ethne). And although conversation about the unreached world in the 10/40 Window is rarely on the tip of our tongues, these ten resolutions to consider might help propel you deeper into the heart of God.


With tons of resolutions in mind, here’s 10 New Year Resolutions for #Missions
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This article was originally written by Chuck Lawless and appeared on the International Mission Board website. See the source article including all original links here.

 

1. In my quiet time, I will watch for evidence of God’s heart for the nations.

If you look for it, you’ll find it throughout the Scriptures. Highlight texts whenever you see them. The God who called out Abraham to be a blessing to the nations (Gen. 12:1–3) is the God who deserves the worship of all the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations (Rev. 7:9–10).

2. I will pray for missionaries by name at least one day per week.

Maybe you already know a number of missionaries. If not, ask your pastor to help you connect with some for whom you can pray. Come regularly to withinreachglobal.org and like Within Reach Global on Facebook to learn about missionary stories, and then pray with intentionality. Sign up for the newsletter to receive specific updates straight from the heart of the unreached world.

3. I will learn about, and pray weekly, for unreached peoples.

Go to joshuaproject.net, and do some research. Prayerfully choose a people, and pray that the gospel gets to them. Consider this truth: you may be one of the few persons in the world praying for this group. (At Within Reach Global, we are targeting a number of unreached people groups. Please contact us if you would like to pray for our target tribes.)

4. I will learn about internationals in my community.

Missions begins at home, especially when God is bringing the nations to us. Talk to your pastor or local government officials to get demographic information about your community. Talk to the international student office at a local university. Find out who is around you. Get to know them. Share the gospel with them. Pray for them.

5. I will intentionally get to know my international coworkers and neighbors.

The nations may be right around you, but perhaps you haven’t slowed down enough to get to know them. Reach out to them. Invite them to your home. You may be surprised how open they are to spending time with you and talking about spiritual backgrounds.

6. I will plan to take a mission trip this year.

Most of us can go somewhere, even if it’s in the United States. Plan to set aside the dollars and time to be a witness among the nations. If you know you can’t go this year, plan to give financial support so someone else can go. Sacrifice so many might hear the good news. (Learn about short-term opportunities at Within Reach Global here.) 

7. I will listen to and read the news through a Great Commission lens.

As you learn what’s happening in the world, think about what might be happening spiritually in countries in the news. Pray for believers and missionaries there. Then, pray for the people there who don’t know Jesus. We are bombarded by a constant stream of media. Don’t be exasperated by the news—let it drive you to your knees. 

8. I will visit ethnic restaurants in my area to get to know internationals.

It’s great to go eat, but ask to meet the owners. Talk to your servers to learn about their background. Ask about their faith. Go there regularly, and get to know people in your community who may need Jesus. I think you’ll find many people willing to talk.

9. I will pray that my church pastors have a great passion for the Great Commission.

I’ve never seen a strong mission-minded church without a strong Great Commission pastor and staff. Churches seldom develop a passion that is not exhibited in the pulpit every Sunday. Pray for your pastor, and then follow his lead to the nations.

10. I will honestly consider and answer the question, “Is God calling me to be a full-time missionary?”

Every believer must ask and answer this question. Be open to God’s calling, and listen well through his Word, his Spirit, and his people. And while you’re praying this way, pray for your children and grandchildren to do the same.

I realize I’ve suggested a lot here. Don’t worry about accomplishing all of these goals, but at least start somewhere. Even one resolution toward missions is great if you’ve never had such a resolution in the past. Do something—and have a blessed and obedient 2018!

 

This article was originally written by Chuck Lawless and appeared on the International Mission Board website. See the source article including all original links here.

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I only give the first row candy just like the Church only gives the reached world Jesus https://withinreachglobal.org/candy-for-the-first-row/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=candy-for-the-first-row Wed, 13 Sep 2017 04:32:51 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7148 It might have come across a little crass, but I’m glad I did it. The world we live in is not a fair place. Not everyone gets the nice home, the picket fence, the freedoms and health care and the equal opportunities. And not everyone gets Jesus. Sadly, not everyone gets Jesus. #missions #unreachedClick To […]

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It might have come across a little crass, but I’m glad I did it.

The world we live in is not a fair place. Not everyone gets the nice home, the picket fence, the freedoms and health care and the equal opportunities.

And not everyone gets Jesus.


Sadly, not everyone gets Jesus. #missions #unreached
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It might have been politically incorrect to pass out candy to the first row while neglecting the entire congregation, but it was the perfect portrayal of the great imbalance of global missions.

So here’s what happened.

I had just flown around the world, from Thailand to America, and after over 30 hours, I finally arrived in Spokane, Washington. I was exhausted yet impassioned, on a mission to challenge and inspire the Western Church to remember the plight of the unreached world. It was my birthday, July 27, 2017, and after the worship session at Victory Faith Fellowship, I was given a sliver of time to compact 20 years of missions experience into 5 minutes.

I told a story of Bright Eyes, our Within Reach Global local missionary, ministering to 1,000+ orphans and underprivileged children among 74 villages. But I don’t think anyone remembered the story. It was hard to pay attention in such a strange and chaotic environment.

You see, before the Thursday night service began, I gave 2 ushers a stealthy mission. I handed them 3 bags of candy that I had purchased at the Dollar Store, explaining that they should only pass out the goodies to the first row. They should not, under any circumstances, share with anyone else in the congregation.

I stood on the stage and announced that I had a gift for “everyone” at church that night. I watched the smiles form on the 200 faces in attendance. “Ushers, can you please pass out the gifts?” I requested. I continued my story about Bright Eyes, about orphans and church planting and unreached people groups. Simultaneously, like clockwork, the ushers passed out the candy, but only to the first row.

I paused midway between my missionary narrative. “Has everyone received a gift yet?” I asked. Hands raised all over the auditorium—except for the first row! “Ushers, please, can you pass out the gifts I brought?” I requested again. And just as planned, the first row received even more candy while everyone else was overlooked.

Again, the service was interrupted as I asked if everyone had received a gift. Ecstatic hands waved, eyebrows scrunched, and confusion fell over dozens of faces. Again, the ushers loaded up the front row with more goodies while good-hearted people in all succeeding rows were explicitly ignored.


I only give the first row candy just like the #Church only gives the reached world #Jesus.
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I continued telling stories from Southeast Asia—about The Cliff outreach center and orphans and unreached villages. And 5 times, the candy was given to the first row of church folk while the rest of the congregation was forgotten.

The pastor grew frustrated. A murmur of hushed whispers and awkward giggles traveled around the church. Finally, I stopped mid-sentence.

“Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice before everyone has heard it once?” I quoted Oswald J. Smith.

“This imbalance is outrageous and intolerable! Why is it that we have so overlooked millions and millions of people, willfully allowing them to live and die without Christ? Why do we keep selfishly stuffing ourselves, hoarding the Gospel message from those who have never heard it before?”

There was a hush across the room. The truth of the reality of the great imbalance of global missions was made known. The light clicked on. It was a visual interpretation of the plight of unreached people groups throughout the 10/40 Window.


Why do we keep stuffing ourselves, hoarding the Gospel from those who have never heard?
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I stepped off the stage and the service continued, and I prayed that my presentation did not fall on deaf ears.

But the question remains: Church, are we listening to the heart of God for all nations? Are we doing all we can to see Revelation 7:9 come to pass—every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne of God?

For how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard of Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?

Lord, send out more workers into the ripe harvest fields of the world!

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If you say you care about the kingdom of God then it’s natural to care about the unreached https://withinreachglobal.org/you-care-about-the-kingdom-of-god/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=you-care-about-the-kingdom-of-god Mon, 21 Aug 2017 04:50:30 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=7141 The Kingdom of God is advancing around the world, permeating every alcove and cranny of the earth. The Spirit of God is coursing over precipitous mountains in Southeast Asia, refreshing communities embanked along Africa’s rushing rivers, awakening longing spirits in North America’s urban neighborhoods. The Kingdom of God is advancing around the world, permeating every […]

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The Kingdom of God is advancing around the world, permeating every alcove and cranny of the earth. The Spirit of God is coursing over precipitous mountains in Southeast Asia, refreshing communities embanked along Africa’s rushing rivers, awakening longing spirits in North America’s urban neighborhoods.


The Kingdom of God is advancing around the world, permeating every alcove and cranny of the earth.
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We care about this, you and I—Christians who love Jesus and want to see the glory of God revealed in our world. Hence justice ministries and food pantries, foster care programs and outreach among the homeless. Discipleship communities and worship nights, outreach to the poor and 24-hour houses of prayer, local ministry and global missions—all these are expressions of the body of Christ seeking to establish the Kingdom of God in our world.

Still, admittedly, sometimes it doesn’t seem that the Kingdom of God is taking root in certain parts of the earth.

Why? Because the media blasts inundate us at every turn with messages of racial tensions, war rumors, overt sexuality, and declining spirituality. So, where’s the Kingdom of God again?

We are emotionally overloaded with absorbing and sorting information, which leads to spiritual numbness. We are like the proverbial “frog in the bottom of a well”, 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā), a Chinese idiom which describes a narrow perspective or myopic view of the horizon.

Admit it: sometimes our entire perspective looks like a small baby blue orb of sky over the lip of the deep, narrow well.

What we really want is to see God’s Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it always is in heaven. In our zip codes, cities, states, countries, and even to the ends of the earth, our hearts beat to see the name of Christ lifted up that all men, women, and children be drawn to God’s grace and glory.

If that is really going to happen, here’s what we need to start praying: “God, pour Your Spirit into this deep well! Let the waters of Your grace and glory raise me to a broad horizon!”


“God, pour Your Spirit into this deep well! Your waters raise me to a broad horizon!”
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And as that happens, you and I (the proverbial frogs at the bottom of a well) float upward and the tiny blue circle expands. A new horizon appears. We see clearly now. The landscape is wide and the world brilliant. The will of God becomes clear and the peoples in the far off distance grow important to us.

From our Jerusalem’s and Judea’s, from our Samaria’s and even to the ends of the earth—the advent of the Kingdom of God is our greatest aspiration.

The Kingdom of God knows no boundaries. Geographical coordinates are a trivial notion to a God who dwells outside the restraints of time and space. Christian outreach in Seattle or Dallas or Boston is as meaningful to God as Kingdom ministry in Bangkok or Beijing, Copenhagen or Cairo.


Geographical coordinates are a trivial notion. God dwells outside restraints of time and space.
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To love the things of God—to adore God Himself—is to care about the things He cares for, namely people. People everywhere, not just at home. Souls on the brink of eternity at every geographical juncture of our planet.


To love the things of God—to adore God Himself—is to care about the things He cares for.
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Queue and enter the unreached world.

I believe that it is high time we as global Christians realize that we have long overlooked millions of people. We have not given them a chance to hear the Gospel. We go on mission trips to Western nations, to South, Central, and Latin America, to much of Africa where the Gospel has gone many times over. But we completely forget that the task is not yet finished.

Millions are waiting at the other end of our obedience. They are called unreached people groups and they live in the 10/40 Window. They have little to no access to the Christian Gospel.

That’s got to change.

This is my prayer: as God pours His Spirit into your well; as you rise to recognize a broader horizon, you come to understand the heart of God more thoroughly. Because to say that you love the Kingdom of God—even God Himself!—is to say that you love what He cares about.

Here’s the simple message: God cares about unreached people groups—individuals beyond the sphere of our present evangelistic outreaches. And here’s the simple response: join Within Reach Global in bringing the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth.

You can do this by sponsoring an outreach center or a local missionary through our Within Reach Global sponsorship program.

God wants to grow your horizon beyond that small blue orb of sky. He wants you to see what He sees, to feel what He feels. His heart beats for people who have never heard of Him before.

Does yours?

The post If you say you care about the kingdom of God then it’s natural to care about the unreached appeared first on Within Reach Global.

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A short-term American team’s journey to unreached regions https://withinreachglobal.org/a-short-term-american-teams-journey-to-unreached-regions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-short-term-american-teams-journey-to-unreached-regions Wed, 19 Jul 2017 05:16:15 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=6803 Every Within Reach Global excursion to China’s rural countryside is a unique glimpse of the unreached world, a panoramic reminder that the Great Commission task is not yet finished. The global Church is busy with multiple ministries and missional outreach—most of which are wonderful examples of the heart of God. But sadly, in our busyness, […]

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Every Within Reach Global excursion to China’s rural countryside is a unique glimpse of the unreached world, a panoramic reminder that the Great Commission task is not yet finished. The global Church is busy with multiple ministries and missional outreach—most of which are wonderful examples of the heart of God. But sadly, in our busyness, we have little prioritized the unreached world in the 10/40 Window.

Like Within Reach Global on Facebook.

Our heart, our passion is to finish the Great Commission task by going to the unreached world. Pray and go with us! withinreachglobal.org

Posted by Within Reach Global on Monday, July 10, 2017

 

Bags packed, vehicles loaded with 20 Americans from The Rock of Roseville church, we began our journey from megacity toward the bucolic landscapes of Southwest China.

Outside the window, the milieu shifted: expansive rice fields, precipitous mountains, then cavernous valleys bejeweled with occasional packed mud homes and ramshackle residences. These hills are home to numerous unreached people groups.

One week prior, the view that our short-term team witnessed was altogether different: long stretches of smooth Western highway, vehicles magically driving in their proper lanes, here and there a Walmart, Starbucks, In-N-Out Burger.

Now, criss-crossing the mountain ranges, up we ascended, higher, higher into the plains and plateaus that the global Church, in large part, has long overlooked and even forgotten.

One of our three vehicles cannot make the uphill journey. We alight, walk the rest of the way, lightening the load for the gutless-wonder-of-a-van.

Brandon from The Rock of Roseville team shares why suffering and persecution are promises of Jesus, fanning the evangelistic flame of global missions. withinreachglobal.org

Posted by Within Reach Global on Sunday, July 16, 2017

 

“The Bible talks about going out into the world and preaching the Gospel. That doesn’t always mean comfort. In fact, the Gospel often spreads quicker amidst discomfort and where there is hardship. That’s the culture that Christianity blossomed in.” — Brandon

The unreached are unreached for a reason. They dwell on silent mountaintops where trickling streams tucked between craggy ranges flow along lofty elevations. The sporadic clucking of chickens and clanking of rice pots in these village settings startle birds overhead; a pig squeals, a water buffalo stirs beneath stilted hut.

It’s remarkable how the advent of the Kingdom of God is much less subtle than we might have expected—quiet at first, a fiery flicker, like kindling, a spark that will soon become a blazing flame among those who have never heard of Jesus before.

“Do you know who Jesus is?” I ask. A blank stare is the only response, often followed by, “Jesus? Is that some kind of soap?”

They do not know. The Gospel, still a fantasy in these parts is shrouded in secrecy—an unthinkable travesty. And how can they find out about the heart of God unless we go? That is why we’re here today.

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” — Romans 10:14-15

The terrible injustice of unreached people groups

It was Morgan's first time in an unreached village and she came to understand the terrible injustice that people in the 21st-century have still never heard the name of Jesus before. withinreachglobal.org

Posted by Within Reach Global on Monday, July 17, 2017

 

“The reality of unreached people groups is such an injustice. The Church should be sending people to these villages. We should be going. We should care more. My heart really opened up and realized that it is a huge deal that people still don’t know who Jesus is.” — Morgan

All day, we lounge (uncomfortably) on six-inch stools, breaking sunflower seeds with our molars, chatting, listening to the village chatter. We lend a hand to the locals and slaughter a goat, some chickens, slice and debone fish. We sense the Spirit of God hovering over these mountains. The advent of God’s Kingdom is nigh. A scaly dragon, long keeper of these hills, shifts restlessly, knowing his time is short. For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

In our going, hearts slowly awaken to the reality of God’s grace and glory. The going is slow—reluctant, we think, perhaps even sedated according to our monochromatic manner of time. But where seed is sown, a harvest is sure to come; the harvest is in the seed.

Unreached peoples are just normal people. But it is heartbreaking that gospel might never reach them.

Posted by Within Reach Global on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

 

“Unreached peoples are no different than Americans; they’re just normal people. This realization demystifies missions. We find that they are not an obscure, nameless, faceless conglomeration of individuals. But it is heartbreaking that the Gospel may never reach them.” — Faith

At Within Reach Global, we long to see salvation spring up among those who have never heard the Gospel message before. We desire to see new disciples, churches planted, local leaders emerge, revival fire fall. This happens as we lay down our own frivolous and myopic desires, die to self, and take the Kingdom news to regions still waiting at the other end of our obedience.

Smoke billows from the fire pit, cloaking the decrepit living space in soot and darkness. But suddenly a light breaks forth as we stretch out our hands, praying for the locals, empowering the two lone indigenous missionaries to thousands across these sprawling mountain ranges. Tears of joy fall, Christian love arising in a most unassuming spot.

A twelve-year-old girl starts crying. Little did we imagine the impact our seemingly menial presence had upon her little heart. One-by-one, the girls from The Rock of Roseville team hug her. I cup this little sister’s face in my big brother hands. “No matter where you go, no matter what you do,” I begin, “Jesus loves you with all His heart! You are God’s princess! You are precious! You are valuable.”

Instances like these are not as mysterious as they might seem. To demystify global missions, think on this: We, the body of Christ, carry around the all-surpassing power of the Kingdom in cracked and leaky jars of clay. And thank God for the fractures in our weak selves! How else might the glorious power of God flow out to those who are waiting to understand the love of God?

He ain't no super-Christian and he ain't crazy neither! Bob's just breaking missionary stereotypes. withinreachglobal.org

Posted by Within Reach Global on Tuesday, July 18, 2017

 

These unreached regions—these places and peoples who have long been overlooked and under-prioritized—the time has come for them to find out about our Savior Jesus! If Revelation 7:9 is to come to pass—every nation and tribe and people and language standing before the throne of God—do we not have a part to play in partnering with God to make this a reality?

John Piper is fond of saying, “Go, send, or disobey.” I, too, find no other alternative to the command of Jesus.

So choose your response today. Countless lives hinge upon your decision to join God’s epic redemptive plan in the nations.

 

To hear more incredible stories of travels among the unreached, buy The Space Between Memories: Recollections from a 21st Century Missionary by David Joannes!

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Send 10 Chinese missionaries to Tribal Family Gathering conference in Thailand https://withinreachglobal.org/send-10-chinese-missionaries-to-tribal-family-gathering-conference-in-thailand/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=send-10-chinese-missionaries-to-tribal-family-gathering-conference-in-thailand Mon, 20 Mar 2017 07:04:44 +0000 https://withinreachglobal.org/?p=6744 We need a total of $3,000 for this need. This cost covers airfare from China, accommodation, food and conference fees. Would you consider bringing refreshment to our pioneer missionaries? You can donate by Paypal or credit card. We thank you for sowing into the eternal harvest we are witnessing in Southeast Asia! Frontier ministry is […]

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We need a total of $3,000 for this need. This cost covers airfare from China, accommodation, food and conference fees. Would you consider bringing refreshment to our pioneer missionaries? You can donate by Paypal or credit card. We thank you for sowing into the eternal harvest we are witnessing in Southeast Asia!

Frontier ministry is not easy. You cannot begin to imagine the difficulties our local missionaries face: bullets flying over their homes, the constant threat of police interrogation, sickness at every interval.

Yet in the midst of difficulties like these, our local Chinese missionaries continue to reach the least of these, taking the Gospel of Jesus to places it has never been known before.

That’s why we are inviting our local Chinese missionaries to the upcoming Tribal Family Gathering conference from May 2-5 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We believe this will be a powerful time of refreshment, encouragement, and impartation for our dear Chinese brothers and sisters.


Send 10 Chinese missionaries to Tribal Family Gathering conference in Thailand
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These gatherings are a powerful time of many ethnic tribes coming together for the purpose of worship, unity, and serving a particular region of the world. Though there are set times worship, keynote speakers and a pre-arranged order of events, the gathering exists to empower indigenous missionaries to hear the voice of God and be renewed in their missionary service.

And all this takes place in a safe location, something our missionaries are not accustomed to living in a restricted access nation.

We need a total of $3,000 for this need. This cost covers airfare from China, accommodation, food and conference fees. Would you consider bringing refreshment to our pioneer missionaries? You can donate by Paypal or credit card. We thank you for sowing into the eternal harvest we are witnessing in Southeast Asia!

Thank you so much for empowering pioneer ministers in Southeast Asia! The Kingdom of God is advancing, and you are an integral part of this narrative!

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