News From The Nations

News From the Nations We curate missions-related news items from around the world.

Reading these stories can fuel our prayers for the unreached and provided a backdrop for our conversations with the Lord about where He would have us focus our missions efforts.

We encourage you to read these articles with your eyes open to God's work and an expectant heart, listening for His direction.

Image courtesy of Saiba Rahman. Used by permission.

Searching for Perfection

By Frank Johnson on March 4, 2020 0

FROM CHRISTIANITY TODAY:
From the Bahá’í Faith to Porn to Alpha to Jesus
As Emily Armstrong headed to college at the age of 17, she was a perfectionist, wanted to be an adult, and desired to assert her independence. For her, the ultimate statement of such independence was joining the Bahá’i faith, a religion she believed would ensure perfect order in the world — “no more war, poverty, or racism. One language, one currency, and equality of the sexes.” A “perfect” faith for a perfectionist. she now realizes that “He (Jesus) is our perfection, so I don’t have to be.” Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the Christianity Today Website to read the article From the Bahá’í Faith to Porn to Alpha to Jesus

Photo courtesy of harmeet9000. Used by permission.

To The Jew First

By Frank Johnson on October 14, 2019 0

FROM THE LAUSANNE COMMITTEE FOR WORLD EVANGELIZATION:
To The Jew First
In a paper written for the 2004 Forum for World Evangelization, convened between September 29 and October 5, 2004 in Pattaya, Thailand by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, the Issue Group on Reaching Jewish People with the Gospel provided an excellent 55-page summary of God’s covenant with the Jewish people and His mandate for Jewish evangelism, the status of Jewish believers in Jesus in the world, how Messianic Jews see themselves and various issues which exist within the Messianic community, challenges to the proclamation of the gospel to the Jewish people, and a variety of case studies regarding current practices in the field of Jewish evangelism. Click the button below to read the rest of the paper!

Visit the Lausanne Website to read the article To The Jew First

Photo courtesy of Sander Crombach. Used by permission.

He Found His North Star in the Midst of Dark and Stormy Seas

By Frank Johnson on October 9, 2019 0

FROM ONE FOR ISRAEL:
He Found His North Star in the Midst of Dark and Stormy Seas
#1 New York Times Best-Selling Author Stephen King said this: “Andrew Klavan is the most original American novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich.” In this video, Andrew tells the story of how he — a Jew once in the grip of despair and depression and very seriously contemplating suicide — came to faith in Jesus Christ in the wake of a 3-word bedtime prayer: “Thank You God.” Click the button below to watch the video!

Visit the One For Israel Website to watch the video When God Found Andrew Klavan

Photo courtesy of Myriam Zilles. Used by permission.

How Digital Communication Facilitated a Wiccan’s Conversion to Christ

By Frank Johnson on October 8, 2019 0

FROM RICH TATUM:
How Digital Communication Facilitated a Wiccan’s Conversion to Christ
The Sharpe Logs represent the fascinating story of Kathi Sharpe — a practicing pagan witch (a Wiccan) who converted to Christ and was discipled through digital conversations with Rich Tatum, a then web project manager with Christianity Today International. These “logs” are just that — records of 53 different online conversations Kathi and Rich had through email and instant messenger over a period of almost an entire year. Although the logs are almost twenty years old at the time of this writing, they still provide tremendous insight into how God can work through digital means to bring people to Himself and raise them up to maturity in the faith. Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the Sharpe Logs to read the story of How Digital Communication Facilitated a Wiccan’s Conversion to Christ

Photo courtesy of John Schnobrich. Used by permission.

The Evangelical Church is Growing in Ireland

By Frank Johnson on October 6, 2019 0

FROM THE GOSPEL COALITION:
The Evangelical Church is Growing in Ireland
According to an article written by Jonny Grant and Patti Richter for The Gospel Coalition entitled Reaching Ireland for Christ — Again, only about 0.5 percent of the Republic of Ireland’s population is evangelical and it is the least evangelized country in Europe. At the same time, there have been signs of progress in the wake of the Catholic charismatic renewal in the 1970’s an an influx of missionaries from the United States and Northern Ireland in the 1980’s. Those factors contributed to the establishment and growth of gospel-centered churches scattered throughout the Republic of Ireland. Today there are over 240 evangelical churches with an average attendance of about 80 people. And now, Irish evangelicals are catching a vision to plant churches where Christ is not yet known and to support Christian workers in other countries. Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the Gospel Coalition Website to read this story entitled Reaching Ireland for Christ — Again

Photo courtesy of Sean Griffin. Used by permission.

Proclaiming the Message of Jesus in a Preacher’s Graveyard

By Frank Johnson on October 5, 2019 0

FROM THE GOSPEL COALITION:
Proclaiming the Message of Jesus in a Preacher’s Graveyard
In a March 2017 article entitled Europe’s Most Godless Country May Surprise You, Gunnar Gunnarsson tells the story of how he and his wife, Svava Maria, began planting a church in downtown Reykjavík, Iceland — a place a former minister told him was a “preacher’s graveyard.” The church Gunnar and his wife planted — Loftstofan Baptist Church — has an overarching vision to plant reproducing churches throughout Iceland. Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the Gospel Coalition Website to read this story entitled Europe’s Most Godless Country May Surprise You

Photo courtesy of Yuri Loginov. Used by permission.

Teaching the Bible to Animists

By Frank Johnson on October 4, 2019 0

FROM OMF INTERNATIONAL:
Teaching the Bible to Animists
Hans Bär, a missionary with OMF International, has been involved in evangelism and leadership training among the Karen people in Thailand for over twenty-five years. The Karen people have an animistic background and worldview and that affects how they understand teaching from the Bible. In a December 2018 article on OMF International’s website, entitled Teaching God’s Word to a People from an Animistic Background, Bär identifies several implications of an animistic worldview for Bible teaching. Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the OMF International Website to read this story entitled Teaching God’s Word to a People from an Animistic Background

Photo courtesy of Max Pixel. Public domain.

An Animist Becomes a Follower of Christ

By Frank Johnson on October 4, 2019 0

FROM GOD REPORTS:
An Animist Becomes a Follower of Christ
An article entitled The Animist Shaken to the Core by God’s Truth tells the story of Anton Egamankon, an animist who gave his life to Christ approximately thirteen years ago. “That is who I was — Anton Egamankon, of the Coconut clan, ground owner and new husband, spirit-worshipper and survivor … I heard four months of teaching from God’s Word in my heart-language and my world changed … I realized that I was actually Anton Egamankon, child of Adam, a sinner, unclean, and deserving of death … I believed in Jesus’ work and my identity changed once again. I was now Anton Egamankon, child of the high Creator God, the undeserving sinner who had received one-sided grace and mercy … now I live with a different purpose … I am Anton Egamankon. Follower of Christ.” Click the button below to read the rest of the story!

Visit the God Reports Website to read this story entitled The animist shaken to the core by God’s truth

Photo courtesy of Trevor Cole. Used by permission.