How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? Romans 10:14
Pioneering Initiatives
We go where few are willing to go... ...and use all possible means to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
Pioneering Initiatives – Breaking New Ground
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Romans 15:20
New Places
OM’s ministry around the world is characterised by the desire to go where few are willing to go and to identify those who have no opportunity to hear about Jesus. This means reaching out to those of other religions as well as people in remote, inaccessible parts of the world.
Planting churches and distributing Bibles and Christian literature play a vital part, ensuring people can learn about Jesus in their own language and cultural setting.
“No one has the right to hear the gospel twice while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” - Oswald J. Smith
New Ways
While proven methods are still valued, OM workers are constantly seeking creative and innovative ways to connect with people and to demonstrate and proclaim the truth about Jesus.
OM Sportslink uses the universal language of sport to open doors for the Gospel, equipping and empowering people to be effective in sport ministry. Gifted artists are building bridges for the Gospel through community art projects.
And businessmen and women are bringing about spiritual, social, economic and environmental transformation by using their skills in the heart of the community. Business as Mission (BAM) helps to create businesses that are run for profit on the basis of kingdom principles.
ArtsLink works to bring glory to Jesus among the nations, by creating short and long-term outreach opportunities for visual artists. ArtsLink teams are often invited into places where there is no visible church.
Is AidsLink making a difference? Consider Krishna*: from a small Nepali village, he married young and left for India to support his wife as a migrant labourer. Far from home, he contracted HIV in brothels. He later developed AIDS and was helped by an OMer to find both treatment and the Lord. He wanted to serve God but, because of his illness, the church refused to baptise him and Bible school refused to accept him.
Last year he was extremely ill, yet worked long hours as a manual labourer building roads. It was literally killing him. We needed someone to work in the HIV/AIDS ministry, and a few of us committed to support him financially.
Last week we visited the work and were greeted by a shining, grinning Krishna. He has ministered to the ten or so families in the group, many of whom have come to Christ. From his own initiative and meagre funds, he is taking English and computer classes in the evenings and progressing well.
We went to the hospital together, visiting those with AIDS and families receiving home based care. We gave him vitamins; he gave them away! We listened as he gave taxi drivers information on HIV. We visited his home, a 2x4m one-room shack where he reads his Bible and writes poetry. We also met his wife who goes to the support group and the church and is close to accepting Christ. Recently, he shared his testimony in a church and five people accepted the Lord.
An outreach has been initiated to engage Chinese students studying in Singapore. The first few months in a new country are crucial as students face dietary, racial, social and relational issues, and pressure for good grades. The team invited 18 Chinese students for a day of activities that fostered bonding and interaction. Staff demonstrated the meaning of Christian love, kindness and goodness. One student wrote in her essay: “This was the first time I knew what cooperation was.”
Within two months, participants increased to 45. A warm, trusting friendship is building and students are calling and emailing about their challenges in school and with personal issues. Six in the same apartment have opened their home for weekly visitations. Meaningful discussions about Jesus Christ flow as students become curious about the love and friendship extended to them. Two have requested Chinese-English Bibles.
The most promising Chinese young people are foreign-educated and will one day return to China to become influential in their work, possibly holding key leadership positions. They have the potential to be bearers of Good News to friends and families.
The stigma associated with HIV is so great that patients prefer not to be seen at their local clinic. The OM team showed God’s love to the patients, praying with them, encouraging them and giving out 500 roses to the staff and patients, letting them know that God loves them and there is hope for their future. Some team members went for an HIV test themselves to understand how patients feel when they get tested. They had many good conversations and it was a joy to sing and praise the Lord together with patients, even in the midst of suffering.
One OMer remarked, “I met up with Daniel from Zimbabwe. Daniel followed Christ some years ago, backslid, and now has contracted AIDS. He rededicated his life to the Lord and seeks to serve God. Daniel lives on the street; I am trying to get him into a shelter. It is so easy to talk about statistics and forget that there is a person behind every statistic.” Father Barry, who runs the ministry said, “Many missionaries talk big but these OMers are the footwashers of Jesus”.
Run 4 The World races raise awareness of and funds for OM ministries. Proceeds benefitted AIDS Link Nepal, Tariro Day Care Centre in Zimbabwe and SportsLink camps worldwide. Thirteen countries signed up to organise a R4TW event, creating opportunities to connect with their communities, draw different groups together and create awareness of international projects and needs. Since 2007 more than 1500 people in 25 nations, aged from 2 months to 92, have given their energy to see over US $20000 raised for local and international projects. www.r4tw.org
New Places
