A historic gathering took place in southern Africa this fall.
Nearly 50 BIC Church leaders from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, and the UK gathered to identify cross-cultural ministry opportunities.
In each of these countries, congregations are largely mono-ethnic. For example, in Zimbabwe, most church members are from the Ndebele people group. In Malawi, most are Chewa. This is a natural, observable part of church growth – it’s easier and often quicker to share the Gospel with someone of your own cultural or ethnic group.
And yet, these BIC Church leaders understand that there are opportunities to share the Gospel with other ethnic groups. They gathered to learn from each other, knowing that Jesus has called his children to overcome those boundaries, because he is worthy.
I was blessed to attend the conference, and I believe movements like this are emblematic of an exciting reality that we’re already seeing and investing in. It’s a reality that will become characteristic of cross-cultural missions in the years ahead: multi-ethnic, multi-cultural ministry teams partnering together to proclaim the gospel in clear, compelling ways.
We’re already seeing the effectiveness of this approach in our ministry teams in Southeast Asia and among the Yao in Malawi. There is fruit when people go beyond their ethnic realities to partner together – because the gospel is so important!
Jesus prayed that his church would be united as a way of testifying that he truly is the Son of God. By developing these collaborative international teams to tell others about Jesus, we’re living out obedience to Jesus’ prayer, united to tell the world that God loves them as much as he loves himself and that Jesus truly is the Savior.
This Thanksgiving and Christmas season, as we look for more opportunities to unite in ministry with our brothers and sisters in southern Africa and around the world, would you partner with us by making a year-end gift to BIC U.S. World Missions?
I pray God’s rich blessings over you and your family as you celebrate the birth of Christ.
Thank you for your partnership in the gospel.
Jonathan Lloyd
Director of BIC U.S. World Missions
Ways to Give
Give online – Use our online donation form; designate “World Missions Year End Gift” in comment box.
Give by mail – Make checks payable to BIC U.S.; designate “World Missions Year End Gift” in memo line. Send to:
Brethren in Christ U.S.
431 Grantham Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Jonathan Lloyd is the Director of BIC U.S. World Missions.
