International (MNN) — Today is St. Patrick’s Day. You might think it’s a secular holiday, but there’s more to it than that.
“St. Patrick’s Day has become about ‘bangers and mash’ and green beer. If you read the history of the real St. Patrick, he was an evangelist who wanted to rescue people from persecution and poverty,” says Steve Johnson, Executive Director of Alliance for the Unreached.
“He was an incredible man of God and an incredible man of prayer.”
Ireland’s patron saint was born Maewyn Succat in the fourth century, and the Lord called him to reach the Druid people for Christ. He journeyed throughout Ireland, sharing Christ until his death on March 17, 461 A.D.
“St. Patrick spent his life trying to minister to people who desperately needed to hear the Gospel. He was a man of prayer and action,” Johnson says.
In honor of Saint Patrick’s legacy, Alliance members are praying today for the world’s unreached people groups. “Right now, there are more than three billion people on Earth who have no access to the Gospel,” Johnson says.
“That’s more than a third of the world’s population, and that’s what we’re trying to change. But it won’t happen until we get on our knees and [tell] the Lord, ‘Use us as You would choose.’”
Learn more and pray alongside the Alliance by downloading a free action guide here.
“Ask the Lord, ‘what is it You want me to do to be a part of Your mandate?’” Johnson suggests.
“Not everybody is called to do remote (overseas) ministry or be St. [Patrick], but everybody has a role to play in the Great Commission.”
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of alleksana/Pexels.
