Pakistan (MNN) — Global Advance has a had a good year in both training and laying the groundwork for the future. Through its South Asia Advance initiative and its Alpha Relief initiative, the ministry has been training frontline leaders in some hard to reach places.
Reaching Pastors in Pakistan
(Photo courtesy of Global Advance)
“Pakistan is an incredible opportunity that has opened up for the Gospel’s advance recently. So far, we have held six training events in the nation of Pakistan, training and equipping indigenous leaders,” Global Advance’s Ken Janke shares.
“So far this year, I’m excited to report that we’ve trained 948 frontline leaders.”
The ministry still has two more training sessions to do in Pakistan before the year is done. Furthermore, there are over 400 unreached rural villages in Pakistan and one Global Advance pastor want this to change.
In fact, because of how unreached parts of Pakistan are, some of the frontline leaders being trained by Global Advance have never heard the Gospel preached in Pakistan. Now, Global Advance is trying to help change this by traveling into rural Pakistani villages where few Christians live.
“Our intent is to begin to serve the basic needs of these villages by providing water and resources. We have individuals who are going to these villages on a regular basis to share the Gospel and minister and encourage these families that are believers,” Janke explains.
Because of drought, sometimes water just simply isn’t available in these villages. And when it is, the water isn’t always drinkable. Global Advance is working with these villages to begin drilling wells and give these people access to fresh water.
By providing these basic needs, Global Advance pastors are building relationships through which they can share the Gospel, with the ultimate goal of bringing biblical training and seeing churches planted in these villages. Still, the process of getting to this point has taken three years.
Road to Success
“Part of our process has been one of building key relationships in the country with top leaders. And these leaders have effectively been able to gather and train believers, and these believers are being very careful and effective in the propagation of the Gospel,” Janke shares.
A major roadblock Pakistani Christians need to be careful about working around is the anti-conversion law. One way Global Advance is helping get around this law is through a satellite TV in the country.
Rather than going door to door to share the Gospel, Global Advance pastors wait until people come to Christ through the satellite TV, and then comes alongside them in their walk of faith. But, this method doesn’t take care of all the risks because Christians converting from Islam are often shut out and persecuted by their friends, family, and communities. They can even lose their jobs and careers.
(Photo Courtesy Global Advance via Facebook)
“When they are abandoned, it’s often nearly impossible for the local Christian church in Pakistan to receive them into the church immediately because of these laws,” Janke says.
“We’re in the process of developing safe homes throughout Pakistan where people who do convert can go … where they’ll be discipled, trained, and equipped–sometimes even taught business skills so that they can start new jobs.”
The combination of satellite TV ministry, training pastors, and reaching rural villages has helped Global Advance create a workable method to evangelize and reach Pakistan’s unreached. Global Advance helps connect pastors with each other so that they can keep in contact, pray for, and encourage each other.
How to Help
This month, Global Advance will be having some of these pastors come to the United States for more a time of training and encouragement.
“Please don’t give up on the Islamic nations. Please keep praying for our brothers and sisters in those nations. Pray for Pakistan. Pray for the leaders who are courageously and boldly standing up and declaring the Gospel,” Janke asks.
“Let’s not forget them and there is still work to be done. The Gospel is advancing, [but] there are people who still have not heard the Gospel message. Jesus Christ must be lifted high in Pakistan.”
Continue to pray for the Christians in Pakistan, their safety, and the Gospel’s advancement. Pray also for their encouragement, growth, and boldness in their faith.
For more ways to get involved, click here!
To give to Global Advance’s work in Pakistan, click here!
