Japan has a population of 126 million people with roughly 37 million of those living in the Tokyo area. We have close to 600,000 foreigners living in Tokyo with that number expected to rise dramatically in the next few years based on Japan's shrinking labor force. Less than 1% of Japan's population consider themselves an evangelical Christian, with an estimated 95% of the population never having had an adequate presentation of the gospel. It is widely recognized as the 2nd largest unreachable people group in the world. Japan also has one of the highest populations of elderly people in the world and one of the lowest birthrates in the world. Japan's culture is heavily influenced by Buddhism and Shintoism but with many living out an atheistic or agnostic existence. Our church is located directly across the street from Tokyo University, one of the largest universities in Japan. There are around 28,000 students currently enrolled there.
London Lowrance - Daughter
Melissa Lowrance - Wife
Finley Lowrance - Daughter
Our mission field covers a vast area. The eleven countries that make up Southern Africa are home to 182 million people, 50% of which are under the age of 18. AGWM currently has approximately 80 missionaries in Southern Africa. Animism is rampant throughout Southern Africa. Animism is regularly mixed in with “Christianity;” creating a form of folk-Christianity that is leading unknowing people to hell. This creates a significant challenge for the advancement of the Gospel because people think they are “Christians” when they are not. Due to inadequate discipleship – many “Christians” continue to pray to their ancestors and visit witchdoctors. As a result, beneath a thin veneer labeled “Christianity”- spiritual darkness and the scourge of lostness remains pervasive throughout Southern Africa. Unreached groups of people are desperately underserved and continuing to wait for the hope of the Gospel to reach them.
Raegan's ministry in Romania has a three-fold mission: First to care for adandoned infants. Second to assist foster care programs for adandon children. Third to provide maternal care in a facility offering mothers alternatives to adandonment. Raegan is the network facilitator for Europe's compassion care network as well as the lead pastor at the International Church in Bucharest, Romania.
Japan has 127 million people but less than 1% is Christian. We minister in Fukuoka city a 2.2 million. Japan is considered an Unreached People group by AGWM
4% of Generation Z in America have a biblical worldview. 96% of people who make decisions to follow Christ do so prior to their 30th birthday. In MN: there are 425,000 college students and 1.2 million young adults. In USA: there are 18.6 million college students and 21.56 million young adults.
The Godwin family has been serving with AGWM missions since october 1994. They served in Mongolia (Asia Pacific) for over 18 years - pastoring, coaching and mentoring leaders, working with women in prostitution and coming out of prostitution, women's prisons, served in leadership for the bible school and helping to begin new churches. Never dreaming that they would leave the work in Mongolia, God began to put into their hearts that He was bringing change. In 2013, during the World Missions Summit in Fort Worth Texas the Godwin's heard Omar Beiler (Regional Director - Eurasia), speak about the great need in Estonia. Within a years time, through personal prayer and God bringing specific and incredible confirmation, Bob and Chrissy knew God was calling them to go to Estonia to plant the Church among the unreached of this nation. One of the great parts of this whole process and story of going to Estonia has been the commitment of the Mongolian Church to send us out - as we shared of God’s call on us to move to Estonia they began to share with us their desire to send us through their prayer and through their finances! We also believe that Mongolians Christians will be a part of church planting teams in Estonia! That’s exciting! We are now in the process of planting the church in west Tallinn (Haabersti).
River Valley 500. Staffing and leading (directing) DTS: This includes being a mentor and walking alongside students in this 3 month lecture phase and leading the 2 month international outreach. -Worship and music ministry: We get to lead worship at our YWAM base and once a month at our local church, Horizonte. Currently we are leading worship for our summer Mission Adventures teams (highschool/college teams that come back-to-back for a week camp to be trained in evangelism and go out into our community and share Jesus). We’ve also been a part of the music ministry called Contraste where we play music in cafes/restaurants and use it as a tool to draw people in to evangelize. -Homes of Hope: Building homes for families living in poverty in our community. My husband and I get to host teams and be a part of the 2-3 day house builds. My husband has also been a part of the family-selection team.
Steve and Trina are missionaries with Assembly of God World Missions in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. They are serving as Team Leader Overseers of Live Dead East Africa. They have responsibility for teams in 6 countries. Their primary focus is church planting among unreached people groups and training. In addition, Trina ministers to young ladies.
We stay up to date with information from the Joshua Project and from Evangelical/Pentecostal groups based in Ethiopia by which we can see the numbers of languages, ethnic peoples, churches that have been planted by the major Pentecostal groups in country (including the EAG and the Full Gospel Believers Church of Ethiopia), UPGs in Ethiopia and our surrounding neighbors.
Mark and Janie have served as missionaries in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, since 1994, where they have been involved in university campus ministry, leadership development, and church planting. Through their “Churches for Churches” program, the Durenes are helping with new church plants in 5 cities, including Teung, where River Valley Church partnered to launch the church. Currently, they are helping to train several other potential church planters, and also serve as mentors to many other pastors throughout the northern Thailand area. In addition, they are the directors of the Global University Thai’s second Bachelor’s program, where they are training current and future Thai ministers. Mark serves as the AGMF Thailand Country Moderator, as well as on several national boards, including Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand (Northern region); Every Home for Christ, Thailand; Thailand AG Northern Region Board of Presbyters; and others. Janie writes Sunday school curriculum for several churches and directs the children’s program at a church in Chiang Mai.
Herb and Karen work in Manila, Philippines, in addition to the general Asia Pacific. Their main role is teaching EPHOD seminars.
PAThs based out of Lomé, Togo represents 32 countries (29 African, and 3 Western) Three quarters of our students hold executive positions in their National Church in Africa. More to come!