Middle East/North Africa (MNN) — What does it take to answer the call of the Great Commission overseas?
The first step is prayer. This is a decision that should not be taken lightly, and understanding God’s calling on one’s life is a process that should involve prayer, listening, and conversation with one’s Christian Community.
The second step is…
Don’t worry – this is where many Christians get lost. How does one move from a place of accepting God’s calling to actually living it out?
That’s why Global Outreach International exists – to bridge the gap between spiritual calling and practical execution. CEO John Darnell describes the organization as a “mission-sending organization” that helps “missionaries who have a calling from the Holy Spirit to go around the world.”
The strategy is straightforward; equip would-be missionaries with the tools to meet a particular physical need, then help them bridge the gap between practical help and spiritual salvation.
“Whether that’s medicine or education, church planning, refugee care, orphan care, whatever it is, they’re doing that to open the door to share the Good News of Jesus.”
This strategy has helped them place more than 300 missionaries in 50 countries. Recently, many missionaries have fallen into one of two approaches.
The first is refugee work. “You know what’s happened in Syria? You know what’s going on in Israel? There are so many opportunities in neighboring countries to care for refugees, even if it’s not in the Middle East where those refugees are landing. As we saw after Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, in Romania […] there was just openness to the Gospel [and] openness to what God is doing.”
The second is medical work. “We have people in the Middle East who have gotten jobs working in hospitals. They’re obviously not going as missionaries. Their names aren’t on our website, but they’ve gotten jobs in hospitals […] and clinics.”
True, this work often requires anonymity for security purposes. But God grants courage, and Global Outreach International equips its partners with the tools they need to help reduce danger. Risk won’t ever be fully eliminated, but there are ways to be smart about work in places hostile to the Gospel, and Global Outreach International knows many of those methods.
“At the end of the day, it’s the spirit dwelling and giving us the confidence and comfort to move forward,” he says.
Is any of this moving your heart? Then we’ll connect you with Global Outreach International here. Ask questions. Chase after what God’s moving in you. Think about the roll you could play in God’s plans.
And even if you don’t go overseas, think about how you can support international workers. What’s more, the Great Commission can call you into action even in your own neighborhood.
“Pray faithfully. Look for ways to encourage missionaries and try to connect with them directly, to see how you can pray for them and maybe get to support their ministry.”
Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.
