WHEATON, Ill. – The International Mission Board and the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College’s Rural Matters Institute have launched a five-year research project that aims to arm the rural church with resources needed to advance the gospel within and beyond the United States. “The idea is to provide information that will benefit rural practitioners in the United States and around the world,” said Dr. Jeffrey Clark, director of rural missiology andresearch for the IMB. “This will involve … [Read more...]

TOKYO, Japan – The world will converge on Tokyo, Japan, twice in the span of a year for two international sporting events, the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Olympics. Southern Baptists and their local church partners in Tokyo will be there to share the gospel with the players, coaches, and fans. Between the Rugby World Cup matches this month, rugby fans supporting the twenty qualifying countries are joining the crowds in Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing. Southern Baptist volunteers from … [Read more...]

EAST ASIA – There are times when the vast lostness in East Asia feels abstract, and others when the statistics fade, replaced by real stories of people I love, like my close friend Karen.* She heard the gospel for the first time after she moved to my city for college. Living in a small town with a Buddhist mother and an atheist father, Karen had never even met a Christian until she moved to the city where I serve. Still today, no one in her family shares her faith, and she doesn’t know … [Read more...]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is by Madeline Arthington, a writer who serves with IMB in Central Asia. HUNGARY—IMB missionaries Gary and Carolyn Miller are tapping into a Hungarian love of nature to build bridges for gospel work through a program called “The Master’s Gardeners.” The idea of using a horticultural program to share the gospel came to Gary several years ago while he was prayerwalking. He stopped to chat with an elderly woman hoeing her garden. His background in farming led … [Read more...]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was written by Caroline Anderson, who serves in southeast Asia as a writer and media specialist for the IMB. SOUTH ASIA—International Mission Board (IMB) missionary Bethany Forrester* meets regularly with a group of four Deaf friends from South Asia. These friends are Hindus and are very interested in knowing more about the One True God. Forrester teaches the group Bible stories in sign language. They are eager to remember the stories and to learn … [Read more...]

COSTA RICA (IMB) — International Mission Board (IMB) missionaries Jeff and Lori Herrington met Costa Rican believer Luis when he took on a leadership role in their local church. Like the biblical Timothy, Luis was deeply influenced by the faith of his grandmother and became a Christian when he was 11 years old. But it was in his post-high school years that 22-year-old Luis began to really understand what it means to walk closely with the Lord. He pursued the Lord in earnest. Now, Luis … [Read more...]

THE MIDDLE EAST – Nasser* is a local believer who is faithfully leading a Bible study for a group of his friends in the Middle East. These men all grew up following the teachings of Muhammad, but now they have made the life-altering decision to follow Christ. They face persecution and discrimination because of their choice. When they gather to study God’s Word, Nasser and his friends first talk about how they are growing in their faith. They then move into a time of worship, followed … [Read more...]

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – A Christian from South Korea arrested in Nepal on charges of “attempting to convert” was released on bail, Aug. 7, sources said. Cho Yusang, a 73-year-old evangelical Christian, posted bail of 150,000 Nepalese rupees (US$1,330) after being arrested on July 23. His health deteriorated after he was incarcerated, and he had been hospitalized, said Tanka Subedi, chair of the Religious Liberty Forum Nepal (RLFN). On Monday (Aug. 5), Subedi told Morning Star … [Read more...]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is written by Rae Hamilton, a writer for IMB. CENTRAL ASIA—Dry and dusty. Rocky and hard. Much of the soil in the Middle East is like this. And it is to be expected. Years of lies and false religion leave the people thirsty. But the soil of Iran is rich and fertile. Loamy and lush. Amir,* a young Iranian man with a ponytail, received the Book of John and heard the gospel from a group of believers. Amir was so interested, he met with an evangelist that … [Read more...]