International (MNN) — A wave of
immigration from North Africa and the Middle East is coming to North America
and Europe.
The International Integration and
Refugee Association estimated 175 million international migrants in 2005, about
2 percent of the global population.
According to that report, the
Middle East, some parts of Europe, small areas of South East Asia, and a few
spots in the West Indies have the highest percentages of immigration population
recorded by the UN Census 2005.
The International Organization
for Migration said there are more than 200 million migrants around the world.
Recent statistics show that Europe hosted the largest
number of immigrants, with 70.6 million people in 2005. Over 45.1 million
immigrants are in North America, followed by Asia–home to nearly 25.3 million.
Evangelist Sammy Tippit marks the
trend in terms of ministry opportunity. "One of the burdens that we have is to try to train leaders in the
principles of spiritual awakening: revival and evangelism, so that they can
reach out in Western Europe and Central Europe and in North America to these
communities and these populations of people."
For example, if he can train an
Algerian national in evangelistic work and pastoral help, that church worker can take that information back into an
Algerian community that has immigrated to France, and perhaps plant a church
among the Algerian population in that community. Because the church worker is Algerian, he
already has a foot in the door. A French national might not be trusted enough
to even begin relationships.
With this idea in mind, the
ministry is co-sponsoring a November training conference at the Billy Graham
Training Center at The Cove for pastors and church leaders.
Tippit shares his burden for the
global body. "The Lord has put it
on my heart to scholarship a significant number of ethnic pastors that have
been brought to this country, to really help them to know some of the great
biblical principles in history of what God has done in revival, spiritual
awakening and evangelism."
If you can help pray for the team or sponsor a
pastor, click here.
