International (MNN) – Many of the most unreached countries in the world are also the most difficult for missionaries to enter. How can the Gospel reach them?
Luke Perkins, president of Crossworld, says that working professionals are often welcome where missionaries are not.
“We’re finding in many of the places that have been closed, they are open to people who have some kind of profession or some kind of skill,” says Perkins.
Over the last 15 years, Crossworld has specialized in sending skilled workers to become cross-cultural disciple makers. Some of the areas where Crossworld has found opportunities are in places of Central Asia and the Middle East where many people may never meet a Christian let alone hear about Jesus.
“If we’re really going to move the needle on reaching the unreached and reaching the unengaged, we’ve got to be able to deploy non-traditional, what we would call ‘crossworld marketplace’ workers,” says Perkins.
“The sacred, secular divide that has grown over the years in church history really shouldn’t be there to begin with. It’s all sacred. Work itself is sacred and valuable, and God has designed it.”
Crossworld recently sent a man to work for an IT company and a woman to a hospital, both in unreached areas. After workers arrive to their new context, the ministry then provides ongoing support to thrive and make disciples. From language learning to spiritual health, Crossworld workers receive all they need to succeed.
“The complexity of living cross culturally is not something to be taken lightly,” says Perkins. “A lot of people have gotten hurt even, emotionally and in other ways, by trying to do that on their own, or trying to do that with their family on their own.
“We want people to be able to do that in a healthy way and bear good fruit.”
Pray for more workers to go where the Gospel is needed. Learn how you can get involved at Crossworld.org.
Header photo courtesy of National Cancer Institute via Unsplash.
