Think about the number of churches in your community. More than likely, you have at least several different local congregations you can choose to attend. Unfortunately, many individuals in developing countries do not have that opportunity. Countless villages around the world are miles away from a single church or a Christian witness of any kind.
The few Christians who reside in these areas often desire to build a church in their community, but don’t have the funds needed to do so. Some even have a heart for full-time ministry, but they are unable to pursue that passion because they must spend all their time providing for the immediate needs of their families.
Pastor Chao*, a church planter in central China, said he has seen this problem firsthand.
“Many young people love to serve the Lord full time, but after they get married, they find it hard to take care of their families, so they must leave their ministry and find jobs,” he said.
Most of these young people will move to the city where they can find high-paying positions more easily. Unfortunately, this means that the villages are especially lacking in godly leaders and churches.
Even if these young people stay in their villages and in the ministry, they often struggle to meet the costs of rent and basic necessities to maintain a church. In China, and other countries where Christians are discriminated against, the costs can be even greater. Landlords in these areas will often charge churches more than other tenants or pressure them to evacuate.
Many young Christians have a desire to spread the love of Christ in their communities, but they’re unable to do so effectively without support to start and maintain a church.
They need your help . . . and you need theirs!
Have you ever wished you could make a global impact for Christ but didn’t know how? Now’s your chance!
National pastors like Pastor Chao are strategically positioned in their own countries . . . ready and able to reach their communities with the Gospel. They just need your help.
You can provide a church planter in their own country with the support needed to not only begin their ministry, but grow it as well. You have the opportunity to expand the Kingdom of God in remote villages worldwide by coming alongside a faithful church planter, providing the resources needed for ministry.
Pastor Chao shared how a single church plant can transform a community.
“When we started our church in our current town, there were no Christians, we started from zero,” he said. “But today, there are more than 100 members in our urban church.”
Like Pastor Chao, national pastors in China and many other countries are attempting fulfill their roles in the body of Christ, but the body is not fully effective without all its parts. You could be that vital part of the body of Christ that enables churches to be built and individuals come to God.
A single church planted in an unreached community has the ability to affect countless lives as generations hear God’s Word and share their faith with those around them.
“If we can provide help to the church planters and support them, that is the most important,” Pastor Chao said. “Providing Bibles is important, but providing support for a church planter so they can be in ministry full time will have a lasting impact on the church.”
Will you help these national pastors around the world be the hands and feet of Jesus?
When you give, you’re empowering one godly leader to fulfill God’s calling and share the Gospel in one of the least-reached areas around the globe.
*For security reasons, names have been changed.
