THE FRONTIER journal
SPRING 2021
NEWS + STORIES FROM THE MINISTRY OF FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PAGE 2
FRONTIER FOUNDATIONS:
RALPH WINTER + THE INDIGENOUS CHURCH PAGE 11
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS PAGE 16
MULTIPLYING IMPACT IN SOUTH ASIA PAGE 4
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RICHARD HANEY
Anniversary celebrations tend to invite both reflection on the past and contemplation of the future. Indeed, as Frontier Fellowship celebrates its 40th year of frontier mission mobilizing ministry, we recall many stories of God’s faithfulness to us. Not surprisingly, every recollection centers on the dynamic impact of relationships formed between our team of mobilizers, congregations in the Western world and indigenous partners around the world—all drawn together by God’s Spirit to proclaim the Good News of Jesus among the earth’s least-reached people groups. We look forward to sharing some of these stories with you in this issue and throughout the year. We thank God for the men and women who preceded us in frontier mission, upon whose foundations we build. One of them, Ralph Winter (our founder), parlayed his knowledge and curiosity to bring to the mission world a new category of hidden peoples (now known as unreached peoples). He learned from his colleague, Donald McGavran, that the Indian caste system effectively segmented people vertically. Winter also deduced from Cam Townsend’s work in Bible translation that language and ethnicity separated people horizontally. In both cases the movement of the Gospel was inhibited between groups. Thinking about the world’s unevangelized populations in terms of unreached peoples has animated the mission movement over the last 50 years. Frontier Fellowship was born in the early days of this new realization. Dave Dawson, chair of Frontier Fellowship’s Board of Directors, shares more on Page 11. We look to the future with hopeful anticipation. Potential new partnerships are being explored on the Arabian Peninsula and in the Buddhist world of Southeast Asia. Doors are opening for Frontier Fellowship to cast the frontier mission vision to new demographics and new denominations. New ventures into the technological world spur us to innovate new mobilization strategies. Pray with us for wisdom and discernment as we move forward. Consider joining us in Nashville this October 13-14 to celebrate together God’s faithfulness as we look to our future as frontier mission mobilizers. Learn more, and register for our anniversary event, at frontierfellowship.com/40. May God continue to lead, challenge and inspire each of us to take the next steps in frontier mission engagement—until all peoples have had an opportunity to hear the Good News of His Kingdom!
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© 2021 FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP
JOIN US AS WE
Celebrate forty years october 13-14 | nashville, tn
RSVP ONLINE AT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM/40 CALL OUR NATIONAL OFFICE TO RSVP BY PHONE: 612.869.0062
Connecting Mission Leaders conference to follow, October 14-16
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MULTIPLYING IMPACT IN SOUTH ASIA FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP TEAM WITH SEVANAND, SOUTH ASIA PARTNER + BLACKNALL MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NC) LEADERS
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DURING THIS 40TH YEAR OF FRONTIER MISSION MOBILIZING MINISTRY, WE RECALL COUNTLESS STORIES OF GOD USING FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP TO ADVOCATE FOR LEAST-REACHED PEOPLES AND ACTIVATE THE CHURCH TO ENGAGE IN MAKING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS KNOWN. IT HAS BEEN OUR PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS A LINK BETWEEN INDIGENOUS PARTNERS AND WESTERN CHRISTIANS. WE’VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE BLESSING GOD BRINGS TO ALL WHO ARE INVOLVED WHEN PARTNERSHIPS FORM AND FLOURISH. IN THIS ISSUE OF THE FRONTIER JOURNAL, WE CELEBRATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS IN SOUTH ASIA THROUGH THE MOBILIZING FRAMEWORK OF ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR CODY WATSON. A DYNAMIC SEED-SCATTERER, CODY HAS FAITHFULLY TRAVELED THE WORLD SHARING THE FRONTIER MISSION VISION WITH ANYONE AND EVERYONE WHO WILL LISTEN. HIS MOBILIZATION APPROACH REMINDS US OF GOD’S LAVISH, WELCOMING LOVE AS WE ARE CALLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GREAT COMMISSION— THAT ALL PEOPLES MAY ONE DAY BE RECONCILED AND GATHERED INTO THE COMMUNITY OF GOD’S KINGDOM.
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Associate Director Cody Watson’s Chrysler van had more than 250,000 miles on it when he replaced it a few years back. How many of those miles were spent visiting congregations across the US is anybody’s guess, but they likely number in the many thousands. Through countless church visits, prayer meetings, sermons, Sunday school classes, mission committee consultations, conferences and vision trips around the world, Cody has dedicated over 25 years to building a network of relationships between Western Christians and indigenous leaders on the frontier. Cody’s particular area of focus is South Asia. This region—which includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka—is home to more than 3,600 least-reached people groups and most of the world’s 1.2 billion Hindus. Harold Kurtz, Frontier Fellowship’s first director, sent him to South Asia in 1998 to explore potential partnerships. Cody later recalled, “HAROLD USED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE NEEDED MOVEMENTS OF MULTIPLICATION TO SEE THE GREAT COMMISSION FULFILLED. THAT WAS ONE OF THE GUIDELINES I WAS GIVEN: TO LOOK FOR WORK THAT WAS INDIGENOUS, COULD BE SELF-SUSTAINING AND HAD THE POTENTIAL FOR MULTIPLICATION. I SAW THAT IN SOUTH ASIA.” Over the years, Cody has helped form partnerships between our South Asia partners and more than 225 congregations and individuals in the US. Deep relationships have been cultivated, countless prayers have been offered for one another and over 1.2 million dollars has been given in support of resources, tools and training for church planters and disciple-making movements. As a result, millions of least-reached people in South Asia have gained access to the Gospel for the first time, a network of house churches is expanding and Western Christians are growing deeper in faith as they learn to see God through the lens of South Asian followers of Jesus. REFLECTING ON ONE PARTNERSHIP In the early 2000s, as a young South Asian church planter, Sevanand noticed that institutional structures and systems—needed by denominations and large ministry organizations in order to function—had the potential to hinder the more organic disciple-making model he read about in scriptures describing the early church. Sevanand longed to see self-sustaining house church communities emerge, flourish and multiply, so he asked God what he could do. God began forming a vision in Sevanand’s heart: to invite locally-led ministries into a collaborative community that would focus on integrating Gospel witness with community transformation. Such a network would offer enough structure for leaders
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to find encouragement, resources and training, but also allow them the freedom and flexibility needed to remain nimble as they followed God’s Spirit to serve a burgeoning house church movement. Around the same time, Vincent Stubbs was chairing the International Ministries Team at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian Church (Durham, NC). He felt God calling the congregation to engage with a ministry that was sharing the Gospel in the world’s least-reached places. Already familiar with Frontier Fellowship, he reached out with an inquiry. Cody responded right away, eager to share with Blacknall about God’s work in South Asia and the far-reaching impact of partnership. He invited them to get involved, and they have faithfully engaged with Frontier Fellowship’s South Asia partners since 2004. We recently gathered on Zoom for a virtual visit with Sevanand and some of Blacknall’s leaders to hear more about what this partnership has meant to them. Don Hoover, longtime member and current elder at Blacknall, recalled the first time they met Sevanand. He was drawn by the holistic nature of the work in South Asia: “Sevanand’s network is not just concerned with people making confessions of faith. They also acknowledge that our physical needs matter to God, so they’re helping empower communities through microfinance and training. I was also intrigued by their use of Discovery Bible Study (read more about Discovery Bible Studies on Page 15) to present the Gospel. It really relies on the Holy Spirit to do a work in the lives of those hearing the stories. Sevanand’s heart and vision to see South Asia transformed by Christ was so compelling.” Partnering with Sevanand helped Associate Pastor Dave Dunderdale see how much the North American Church can learn from global partnerships: “WE’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE MUTUALITY OF MISSION. YES, WE’RE GIVING MONEY, BUT HOW MIGHT WE BE TRANSFORMED AND DISCIPLED THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR MISSION PARTNERS? “We’ve been encouraged by the way Sevanand’s network is integrating concerns for justice with evangelism, rather than choosing between those priorities. Whether they’re working for justice for women, providing for people’s physical needs, promoting economic development or bringing people to faith in Christ, Jesus is at the heart of it all. We’ve also been really impressed with the biblical nature of Sevanand’s method of disciple-making. It is God-dependent and waits for the Holy Spirit to do something. I’m grateful we can learn from these beautiful examples.”
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Sevanand reminded us that good partnerships flow both ways and take many forms: “Partnership isn’t solely about funding; it’s about life, and life together. We’ve helped many churches in the US learn to engage in disciple-making movements among least-reached peoples in their own neighborhoods. Many American Christians partner with us by offering training and mentoring to our network leaders. PARTNERSHIP IS BEING OPEN TO LISTEN, THEN RECOGNIZING AND AFFIRMING WHAT GOD IS DOING. THIS KIND OF ENCOURAGEMENT SPEAKS VERY POWERFULLY TO LEADERS LIKE ME—THAT WHAT WE’RE DOING IS BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM TOGETHER, DESPITE THE CRITICISM OR OBSTACLES WE MAY FACE.” Throughout our 40-year history, Frontier Fellowship has witnessed time and again the powerful synergy that flows from mutually-impactful partnerships. As Western Christians and indigenous partners graciously participate together in God’s mission, we believe each has the opportunity to give and receive, speak and listen, advise and learn—all the while, God’s Kingdom grows and flourishes exponentially. PARTNERSHIPS TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES—ONE STORY Since its launch in 2008, Sevanand’s network now includes nearly 250 locally-led ministries, each serving thousands of house churches throughout South Asia. One network leader recently shared this story of transformation: Rahi wanted to start a sewing business in his village, so he took out a loan from a local money lender. The loan had a very high interest rate, and Rahi had to choose between repaying the loan or providing for his family. He felt trapped and was utterly discouraged. A friend introduced him to Vihan, a local house church leader. Vihan’s house church, along with several other house churches in the area, had pooled together a portion of their worship offerings to create a revolving fund for microbusinesses. They wanted everyone in their community to experience economic freedom. They loaned Rahi enough money—at no interest—to pay off the high-interest loan. Curious about their love and generosity, Rahi asked them to share stories from the Bible. He and seven members of his family began following Jesus and started a worship group in their own home. Rahi’s sewing business is running well. He’s able to provide for his family while also repaying the loan to the local worship group. He and his family have peace, salvation and economic stability.
+++ It’s impossible to measure the full impact of a mobilizer like Cody, or a network leader like Sevanand or an engaged congregation like Blacknall. ONE THING IS CERTAIN: WHEN GROUND IS CULTIVATED, SEEDS ARE PLANTED AND GARDENS TENDED, THERE’S NO TELLING HOW MUCH FRUIT A SINGLE SEED WILL PRODUCE. It’s stories like Rahi’s that remind us that the harvest is plentiful and ripe. It’s partners like Blacknall and Sevanand that motivate us to keep tilling the ground and scattering the seeds of frontier mission as we watch and wait to see how God will continue to grow His Kingdom.
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FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP IS PASSIONATE ABOUT MOBILIZATION + PARTNERSHIP. YOUR GIFT TO THE FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY FUND WILL HELP US RECRUIT + TRAIN NEW MOBILIZERS FOR SOUTH ASIA + BEYOND. GIVE ONLINE AT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM/MINISTRYFUND
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AFTER THIS I LOOKED, AND THERE WAS A GREAT MULTITUDE THAT NO ONE COULD COUNT, FROM EVERY NATION, FROM ALL TRIBES AND PEOPLES AND LANGUAGES, STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE AND BEFORE THE LAMB, ROBED IN WHITE, WITH PALM BRANCHES IN THEIR HANDS. THEY CRIED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, “SALVATION BELONGS TO OUR GOD WHO IS SEATED ON THE THRONE, AND TO THE LAMB!” REVELATION 7:9-10
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Frontier
FOUNDATIONS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE PEOPLE + PRINCIPLES THAT SHAPED US
Photo above (L-R): Ralph Winter, Vergil Gerber, Donald McGavran + C. Peter Wagner at Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA). Reproduction courtesy of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton, IL.
NEXT PAGE: REFLECTIONS ON RALPH WINTER + THE INDIGENOUS CHURCH
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RALPH WINTER + THE INDIGENOUS CHURCH BY THE REV. DR. DAVID DAWSON CHAIR, FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship (now Frontier Fellowship) began forty years ago at the initiative of Ralph Winter. Where did the “frontier” concept originate in the Christian tradition? We could say, “God has been engaging new people with the Gospel from the beginning of time!” God commanded Abram to leave Ur of the Chaldees for new lands. The prophets complained that Israel saw this as giving them ethnocentric privileges. Paul’s conversion on the Damascus Road led him to take the Gospel to Gentiles. Roman Catholic missions emerged with energy for new lands after 1500. William Carey, forerunner of the Protestant modern missionary movement, was off to Asia by 1800. Always the direction was over the next hill to people who had not heard of Jesus. Donald A. McGavran (possibly the most prominent mission scholar of the mid20th century) was a third-generation missionary in India prior to founding the School of World Mission at Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California (1965). Among his first faculty members was Ralph D. Winter, a Presbyterian missionary among tribal mountain people in Guatemala. Dr. Winter saw Dr. McGavran as a mentor and spent ten years at Fuller. They believed that God has been redeeming people from the beginning of time, so that “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). McGavran observed the missionary tradition of building mission stations in foreign lands—offering schools, clinics and churches as individuals were invited to follow Jesus. But McGavran was convinced that this did not work very well, nor was its God’s plan. Most Western missionaries’ ancestors came to follow Jesus as families and clans. McGavran proposed “people movements” over “mission stations.” This was what Jesus meant when he instructed the disciples to teach all nations (panta ta ethne in Greek): all cultures, tribes and ethnic groups (not the political nations of our day). McGavran believed that the missionary should not be asking people to turn their backs on their tribe and become (culturally) just like the missionary. The missionary’s barbarian forbearers, worshiping trees and rocks in northern Europe, did not become culturally Mediterranean when they turned toward Jesus and gave up their pagan gods. Winter, as a colleague of McGavran, was also reflecting on these matters from his missionary experience in Guatemala. He gave the most important speech
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"I SEE THE WORLD CHURCH AS THE GATHERING TOGETHER OF A GREAT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WHERE WE DON’T MAKE EVERY NEW PERSON COMING IN PLAY A VIOLIN IN ORDER TO FIT IN WITH THE REST. WE INVITE THE PEOPLE TO COME IN TO PLAY THE SAME SCORE – THE WORD OF GOD – BUT TO PLAY THEIR OWN INSTRUMENTS, AND IN THIS WAY THERE WILL ISSUE FORTH A HEAVENLY SOUND THAT WILL GROW IN THE SPLENDOR AND GLORY OF GOD AS EACH NEW INSTRUMENT IS ADDED." —RALPH WINTER, 1974 LAUSANNE CONGRESS at the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization (1974), a pivotal gathering of 3,000 evangelists and missionaries from around the world. Winter made a dramatic impact with his observation that there were 17,000 ethne (people groups) consisting of 2.7 billion people who had no indigenous church. Over half of them had no missionary among them. They would never hear the name of Jesus unless someone crossed cultural barriers to tell them, and very few mission agencies were actually doing that. This very brief description of McGavran’s and Winter’s missionary passion is much too scant, but it will suffice here to remind us that it was Ralph Winter who traveled to Portland, Oregon, in 1981 to ask pastor and former missionary Harold Kurtz to head Winter’s new organization, Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. Forty years later we remember these two men who, moved by the Spirit, were the pioneers of this continuing movement. The work is far from done, because many barriers remain to be overcome and more people are needed to carry on this ancient calling. Among those challenges: Do Christians today (from North or South) believe that this is truly a central tenet of the faith? Is this conviction evident in how our congregations act? Is justice served if we reserve the Jesus story for our tribe? What insights into God’s love are being lost because a people group has no followers of Jesus? And, speaking of our tribe, who converted our ancestors? Two thirds of the world’s Christians today are in Asia, Africa and Latin America. This portion of the Christian community is most likely to find least-reached peoples among their neighbors. They lead us in passionate pursuit of “an indigenous church for every people.” Frontier Fellowship celebrates its 40th anniversary by renewing its commitment to enhance a “mission vision for every church.”
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DISCOVERY BIBLE STUDY Discovery Bible Study (DBS) is one of the primary tools church planters in South Asia use to share the Good News of Jesus. We asked Sevanand, one of our partners in that region, to tell us more about this important resource: "DBS helps people discover the truth about God from Scripture. We tell a Bible story to a group of people, then ask them to repeat it in their own language and become familiar with it. Once they have memorized the story, we ask, 'What do we learn about God or Jesus from this story?' We don’t interpret the story for them. We believe the Holy Spirit is the teacher. "After each participant has had a chance to share what they have learned, we ask, 'How can this be applied in your life? What will you do as a result of what you have learned?' "After more sharing together, we ask, 'With whom are you going to share this story in the coming week?' In addition to their own lives being transformed through the power of God’s Word, participants are sharing the Good News with their family, friends and community. "DBS is the engine for the house church movement. Many people learn the Scriptures and then immediately respond by choosing to follow Jesus. It has proven to be a very effective tool for sharing the Gospel!"
DOWNLOAD A GUIDE TO TRY WITH YOUR SMALL GROUP: DBSGUIDE.ORG.
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PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS “I ADMIRE [SCHOOLS IN THE SAND’S] FAITHFULNESS AND THEIR BURDEN TO SEE MARWARI BHIL CHILDREN GET SOME EDUCATION. I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THEM AND TRUST THE LORD WILL CONTINUE TO USE THEM.” —A FRIEND OF SCHOOLS IN THE SAND
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ETHIOPIA On top of the global pandemic, Ethiopia has struggled this past year with intense political turmoil and ethnic conflict. Pray with us for peace and justice to reign over this nation. Light of Hope Ministry Ethiopia (LOHME) celebrates 20 years of ministry this year! The Arsi Oromo Bible has been translated and awaits funding for printing and distribution. Ask God to provide the necessary resources. With schools closed during the pandemic, LOHME focused on building relationships and strengthening partnerships with community members. As a result of the love and care they showed to their neighbors during such a difficult time, many doors opened for the Good News of Jesus to be shared. We thank God that schools are now open and LOHME is able to continue their good work. The Suri Literacy Project resumed literacy training when schools reopened in February. We're grateful that partner churches did not waver in their support of this project, despite an extended hiatus due to COVID-19 and a local cholera outbreak last year. Thank God that the Suri people are gaining access to the Gospel through this project. CONTACT: FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP NATIONAL OFFICE INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
SUDAN + SOUTH SUDAN Pray for our Darfur Outreach partners as they navigate significant leadership transitions. The principal of the Bible school in Sudan died earlier this year. He was a good friend to us and we grieve this loss. The school’s accountant has been hoping to retire but will remain until a new accountant is hired. Ask God to comfort and guide our partners. Thank God for the generous gift of land given to the Nile Theological College in South Sudan. They will use it to build a new school with dormitories, allowing them to prepare more students to take the Good News of Jesus to least-reached peoples in the region. Our Sudanese / South Sudanese Refugee Ministry partners are training a new group of young men to be church planters. Once training is complete, these men will return to their homes in various least-reached regions of Sudan equipped and eager to share the Gospel. We thank God for the 10 widows who have welcomed 50 orphaned refugee children into their homes. CONTACT: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR DENISE SCIUTO DSCIUTO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
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NIGER Eglise Evangélique de la République du Niger (EERN) is celebrating 60 years of ministry in 2021! We praise God for His faithfulness to EERN and pray that He would continue to bless them as they serve their least-reached neighbors and communities. Church planters are establishing the first EERN church in the desert city of Agadez, increasing Gospel access to the Fulani and Tuareg peoples, as well as the many refugees passing through the area. In a nearby town, another EERN team is reaching out to the nomadic Tubu people. EERN’s primary schools are considered the best in the nation. In addition to receiving an excellent education, Muslim students at EERN’s schools also gain access to the Good News of Jesus through the loving presence and witness of Christian educators. Through partnership with a church in Virginia, EERN recently completed construction of a new primary school. With the help of generous donors, we are partnering with EERN and Fruit Development International to explore the feasibility of a Business as Mission opportunity in Niger. CONTACT: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR DONALD MARSDEN DMARSDEN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
SOUTH ASIA Despite the global challenges it brought, COVID-19 also provided our South Asia partners with many opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus. Thanks to generous donations from congregations and individuals in the US, delivery of emergency relief funds allowed our partners to provide food, hygiene supplies and transportation support to those in need. These acts of kindness and generosity opened opportunities for the Gospel to be shared in neighborhoods previously unreached. Women who had been unemployed were given jobs creating masks for their communities. Thousands went public with their faith in Jesus! We are encouraged as we see the Lord moving in South Asia, even in the midst of such disheartening times. Our partners in South Asia have been facilitating numerous training events throughout the region. These events are designed to train, equip and encourage new church planters as they begin Discovery Bible Studies (see Page 15) and plant new house churches. CONTACT: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR CODY WATSON CWATSON@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
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MIDDLE EAST 2020 saw the launch of the Egypt Frontier Network and regular virtual gatherings of former vision trip participants and our partners in Egypt. We celebrate the ways God is using technology to deepen global partnerships. The Bible Society of Egypt is working on a translation of the Bible into colloquial Arabic, a project that could have a far-reaching impact throughout the Arabic-speaking world. Pars Theological Training Centre continues to faithfully provide teaching, counseling and support to members of the underground church in Iran, a nation hard-hit by COVID-19. Church fellowships were unable to meet due to social distancing guidelines, exacerbating the isolation Iranian followers of Jesus were already experiencing because of their faith. Pray for Pars as they support their Iranian friends during this season of grief and stress. Our partners on the Arabian Peninsula continue to engage Muslims inquiring about Jesus. Small, but growing, underground churches are emerging in some of these countries. We are exploring new partnerships in this region and hope to take a vision trip there within the next year. CONTACT: FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP NATIONAL OFFICE INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
CENTRAL ASIA Our Central Asian Youth Ministry and Central Asian Migrants Ministry partners held fruitful Zoom meetings with their networks and with US partners. These gatherings brought much-needed encouragement, fellowship and prayer for one another. A partner in Russia was able to purchase an apartment. They now have a stable and safe space for their house church. Through Springs of Water, a new Business as Mission church planting initiative has been launched. Equipped with water purification systems, church planters make a living providing low-cost clean water in least-reached communities, opening doors to share the Gospel. One Women’s Shelter renovated their building and can now house eight more women and children. Ask God for provision to expand the other location’s capacity. The Rural Community Center is bringing community health lessons, focused on maternal and infant health, to new villages. This shows God’s love in a region with high mortality rates for mothers and children under five. CONTACT: ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS RITA JOHNSON (RJOHNSON@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM) + DONALD MARSDEN (DMARSDEN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM)
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FRONTIER STORY: CENTRAL ASIA WOMEN’S SHELTER Associate Director Rita Johnson is passionate about educating and inspiring congregations and individuals to join God’s work in Central Asia, particularly among women and children. She recently shared this story from one of our two Women’s Shelter partners: Staff and volunteers at one Women’s Shelter thank God and celebrate the expansion of their shelter space. This space provides a haven for women and children seeking refuge from human trafficking, forced prostitution, domestic violence and abandonment. During this remodel and expansion, they saw firsthand how investing in families is yielding fruit, leading to long-term holistic healing. Luba* came to them as a client three years ago. Her husband, Kenny*, was angry and abusive, and seemed unwilling to change. Over the years, as the women from the shelter supported Luba, they also had opportunities to interact with Kenny as they modeled the healing and restorative love of Jesus. When they sought local skilled workers for the remodeling project, Kenny offered to assist. The other construction specialists accepted Kenny, which showed that great change was happening in his home. As the Women’s Shelter team, with God’s help, nurtured Luba’s family, Kenny became kinder and developed a newfound sense of responsibility. The women from the shelter are so thankful to see this new growth in not only the women and children that they serve, but entire families! We thank God for those who support this ministry through prayer, encouragement and financial support. God is using vibrant partnerships to transform communities in Central Asia and beyond! *name changed for security
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CENTRAL ASIA WOMEN’S SHELTERS + THE REST OF OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS AT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM/PARTNERS
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INDONESIA Light of the Islands (LOTI) faithfully continues sharing the Good News of God’s Kingdom with least-reached people groups throughout their region, though COVID-19 travel restrictions have limited their access in some places. We thank God that two team members who contracted COVID-19 earlier this year have recovered. We also celebrate the recent addition of a new church planter to the LOTI team. Join us in praying that God would give her wisdom and creativity as she adapts to her role. On a recent outreach, the team had to travel several arduous hours over rough roads to reach a remote area. They arrived after dark, exhausted, and met two families with whom they’d had contact in the past. The team reminded the families of the Gospel and were overjoyed to hear that all of them were continuing to follow Jesus and grow in faith. One team member later shared, “I felt this journey was tough at first, but it ended with joy!” Thank God with us for bearing such good fruit through this dedicated team of church planters. CONTACT: FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP NATIONAL OFFICE INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
MONGOLIA Twenty years ago, Mongolian pastors challenged their congregations to participate in the Great Commission, and 150 Mongolians were soon sent to neighboring nations to share the Gospel. Ten years later, only 15 of them remained on the field. Most returned home with a deep sense of discouragement and failure. They reported feeling woefully underprepared and wished they’d had more training and support. Mongolia Frontier Mission Initiatives (MFMI) formed with the vision to address these needs and mobilize the Mongolian Church anew with a frontier mission vision. During the months of COVID-19 lockdown, MFMI spent time developing a strategic 9-year plan. Their goals include developing short-term frontier mission opportunities for Mongolian Christians and opening a training center to equip workers for long-term service. By 2030, they hope to have 100 missionaries placed in 10 countries. Pray for God’s guidance as they prepare training materials and recruit mobilizers to share this vision with Mongolia’s Church. CONTACT: ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR KRISTIN HUFFMAN KHUFFMAN@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
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PAKISTAN Schools have reopened in Pakistan, allowing Schools in the Sand to resume their work teaching children from marginalized people groups. Boys and girls who would not otherwise have access to primary school education are receiving quality instruction that prepares them for future educational opportunities. Because of Schools in the Sand's faithful presence and generous service to the community, local families in this least-reached region are open to hearing more about the Good News of Jesus. We thank God for His faithfulness in opening doors of access to the Gospel. Compared to other parts of Pakistan, the region in which Schools in the Sand serves has seen relatively few cases of COVID-19. Ask God to continue to protect teachers, students and parents from the pandemic and allow this crucial ministry to continue its work.
CONTACT: FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP NATIONAL OFFICE INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP NEWS 2021 marks Frontier Fellowship’s 40th year of frontier mission mobilizing ministry! We hope you’ll be able to join us in Nashville October 13-14 as we gather to celebrate God’s faithfulness and look to the future of frontier mission mobilizing ministry. Learn more and RSVP online at frontierfellowship.com/40. Call our National Office at 612.869.0062 to RSVP by phone. We continue exploring potential partnerships on the Arabian Peninsula and in Southeast Asia’s Buddhist world. Pray with us for God’s wisdom and direction. While we miss visiting US churches and global partners in person, technology has allowed us to stay connected through prayer calls and virtual vision trips. FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP IS CONNECTED TO OVER 30 PARTNERS—INDIGENOUS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST WHO ARE MAKING THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS KNOWN ON THE FRONTIER. WE’D LOVE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THEM! TO SCHEDULE A VIRTUAL VISIT, CONTACT INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM
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Celebrate WITH US
OCTOBER 13-14 | NASHVILLE, TN
7132 PORTLAND AVENUE SUITE 136 RICHFIELD, MN 55423–3264 FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM INFO@FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM 612.869.0062
INVITING BELIEVING COMMUNITIES TO ENGAGE PEOPLE GROUPS WHERE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS AND HIS KINGDOM IS NOT YET KNOWN.
IT’S OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY, AND YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US IN NASHVILLE THIS OCTOBER TO CELEBRATE GOD’S FAITHFULNESS AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF FRONTIER MISSION MOBILIZING MINISTRY. LEARN MORE + RSVP ONLINE AT FRONTIERFELLOWSHIP.COM/40. CALL OUR NATIONAL OFFICE TO RSVP BY PHONE: 612.869.0062. (CONNECTING MISSION LEADERS CONFERENCE TO FOLLOW OCTOBER 14-16)
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