By Jeanette Biesecker, Director of Ministry Advancement
I know many Christians who provide financial support to the work of overseas missionaries. For generations, the American Church has been a great “sending” nation for the gospel of Christ in reaching people in other nations and cultures. The idea of going to a foreign land and living sacrificially to reach third world cultures is exciting and worthy of support. But I wonder if the American Church has noticed our own culture changing around us?
America is no longer considered to be a “Christian nation” and in fact is becoming more and more anti-Christian, yet the Church has not yet fully shifted its vision to see that local missionary work is just as and maybe (dare I say it?) even more valuable than sending missionaries out? I’m sure many would argue with the thought, but consider that without a strong Christian culture here in our homeland, we will eventually lose the support base for all missionary work around the world. The Christian culture here is in fact in so much trouble that other nations are now sending missionaries here!
I admire local missionaries. They don’t necessarily go to exciting native tribes or cultures with the gospel. They choose to reach America’s inner city populations, the poor in mountainous regions or mid-west and western reservation lands, and many other demographics right here at home.
Working at a Christian retreat center, I spend every day among “at-home” missionaries in our Bible Adventure program and the 4.12 Leadership Training program who are dedicated to reaching public school children, 60% of which have never heard of Jesus. At-home missionaries are my heroes, and especially Joy El’s missionaries. They see the need and they live sacrificially right here among us to meet that need, to reach the next generation of American children, to keep a remnant of the Christian culture here at home alive and growing.
This Christmas, will you consider supporting an at-home missionary? Joy El has 14 at-home missionaries on staff. Several have financial support needs remaining this year. If you are willing to help meet their financial needs, please follow this link to give: https://joyelcamps.org/donate/donate-online/.
Thank you for your support!
Click on the articles below to read more about the American Christian culture and missionaries in the American mission field:
https://www.barna.com/research/post-christian-cities-america-2017/
https://www.modernday.org/missionaries-in-america/
https://blog.oup.com/2015/02/missionaries-america/
