With so many changes going on in our country and around the world, and so much to pray for, it is no surprise that many Christians and churches only rarely focus on missions. We are all SO familiar with Jesus words of the Great Commission – but apparently that “we” does not speak for the American church in general!  A report released in April 2022 by the Christian research organization, the Barna Group*, found that only 20% of American churchgoers truly know what the Great Commission is. One spokesperson, David, is quoted as saying “What we found out was that 85% of pastors believe that missions is a mandate for all Christians. But we found that only about 25% or so of all Christians believed it was a mandate for all believers,”

Another mission website** reports that about 6% of what is given to churches goes into missions of some sort, but 88% of that goes to food drives, feeding the poor and other local ministries within 10 miles of where they were given. Of course, there are still millions to be reached with the Gospel within our own country, but it is very clear that only very few American Christians are actively involved in spreading the Gospel “around the world”. Yet the reality is that the need is greater than ever!

* Link https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-barna-report-reveals-us-church-beliefs-about-missions/
** Link https://www.passionlife.org/missions-statistics/

I recently saw a news article about an incredibly huge spiritual event that has been going on for the past 6 weeks in India. Over 400 MILLION Hindus gathered in one city in Northern India for a special religious ceremony, which included bathing in icy cold river waters to “cleanse their sins”. Authorities set up a sprawling tent city spread across 4,000 hectares of open land along the banks of the rivers to accommodate the visitors, who arrived at the grounds in colorful large processions, singing and dancing along the way. To put it in perspective: that is more than if EVERYONE in the USA converged on 15 square miles = one-fourth the area of Washington DC!!

I encourage you to spend just a couple of minutes following the link to this article https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3e1488lvno  and considering the true challenges we face to respond to the Great Commission – bearing in mind the billions of other people that are also lost and trapped believing false religions.

How can we reach the rest of the world with the Gospel of Jesus if we do not raise mission awareness in our churches? I pray that as we seek the Lord to find what God wants US to do, He will help us recognize the opportunities and develop those relationships needed for us to fulfill our part in God’s plan! Let’s renew our efforts as we continue to support and pray for Pastor Sika, Pastor Honoré and others God has connected us with!
Prayerfully, Shirley

Pastor Sika in Togo says they have recently been experiencing many problems with the electricity in Lomé, making communication very difficult. He sent us this photo showing the church within the Joseph Project compound that finally has the doors and windows completed. We praise God as we remember that first little church building over 10 years ago! What blessings and testimonies have we seen reported from there since then! We continue to pray for provision and protection for Pastor Sika and his team as they faithfully continue to preach the Gospel by radio, in churches, schools and especially in remote pagan villages.

Pastor Sika also reports that one of the JP students, Afi, who has been doing an apprenticeship as a hairdresser, has graduated and plans to set up shop in Lomé. She hopes to be able to train other girls from the JP in this trade once she gets established. She is shown here with her graduation certificate. We pray that she, and others who graduate, will be instrumental in helping train more students from the JP as they leave school. Also we praise God for the couple who, once again, have sent funds to help planting at the JP ag program. This enables the orphanage to grow much of its own basic food staples. The Joseph Project continues to have an ever-increasing impact on that pagan area of south-eastern Togo – let’s keep it in our prayers!