October 2008

I was recently at a mission leaders event at which Ralph D. Winter was honored for a lifetime of achievement in global mission practice, reflection and leadership. The William Carey Center for Global Mission Training in Pasadena, CA, which he founded, continues to resource and train workers from across the globe in cross cultural mission. Probably Ralph's most significant contribution came at the 1974 Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization where called the global mission community to focus on reaching distinct ethno-linguistic people groups within countries. This refocusing on "people groups" has significantly shaped the program strategy of MB Mission and many other mission organizations.

Our work with the Nanerige in Burkina Faso, the Khmu in Southeast Asia and the Berbers in North Africa all reflect a targeted people group approach. There are still hundreds of unreached people groups with no reproducing church in their own context. Most of them are Muslim.

I was reminded this week that 86% of all Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims around the world do not personally know a Christian. They are living in countries with much higher population growth rates than the West. We are increasingly focusing on the mission sending capacity of the "majority world from the global south". They have the numbers and the passion to reach their regions, but frequently lack the training, resources and operational logistics needed. The majority world mission force from the global south now comprises 52.5% of cross cultural workers in the world. Their request is that we do mission with them.

Missions strategy has changed a lot in the past generation. With new challenges we will continue to find new ways of responding. We invite you to join us!

Ministry Highlights

MB Mission workers are developing a new satellite TV program called, "What's Happening?" which will be broadcast to people groups across North Africa and the Middle East, including the Berbers. Satellite TV presents a major opportunity to reach the Arab world and past programs have proven that thousands are hungry for discipleship programs such as this. Please pray over every aspect of this amazing opportunity to help disciple believers in the Arab world.
Pastor Madou has just completed the first baptism course among the Nanerige people of Burkina Faso! Among those in the class was Maliki, who has been working closely with MB Mission missionaries Phil & Carol Bergen to translate scripture into Nanerige for the first time. Pray that God would lead Madou, Phil, and Carol in organizing a baptismal service that might impact the community as well as the lives of the new believers.

Items for Prayer

Pray for the ongoing development of the Changed Life Centre and the Hope 4 Thailand team, which will train leaders among the Khmu of Southeast Asia. Pray also that the leaders of four Khmu churches in the Chaing Rai province of Thailand will experience God in ever deeper ways that continue to transform them spiritually so that they can reach out to their communities with grace and passion.
As India experiences political, environmental and religious unrest in some areas, pray that Christians would have the boldness and ability to speak about the peace, grace and truth found in Christ even in the face of fear and injustice. Pray that Christians would be willing to endure this suffering for the name of Christ and pray that God's name would be glorified as people turn to Him for comfort and provision.

In His Service,
Randy Friesen

pdf Click here to download a Vision for Mission in PDF format 267.32 Kb