Guinea is approx. 14 million in population 47 people groups and 29 are unreached 86.9% of the population is unreached Largest religion is Islam, there is some mixture of animism 0.68% evangelical Currently, God has opened the door for Guineans to receive the gospel. The surrounding countries are predominantly Islamic states where it is against the law to proselytize. Guinea currently has an evangelical president so the government is favorable to the Gospel being preached. The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God has a calling to plant churches and is eager to see this work happen in his country. As God has made this opportunity possible. Me and several others including AGWM (who has never sent a missionary to Guinea in its history) and AMI (where I serve full time) has both been led by the Spirit to come into partnership to reach the lost. God is moving and we are excited to minister in this country while the opportunity is here!
I took a two-week exploratory trip to meet up with my future team leaders in Mussoorie, India back in 2016. Before setting foot in a new place, I was eager and already mentally committed to joining this team in India. My trip involved building relationships with locals by participating in a karaoke night, Zumba, and other fun activities. The majority of my time was spent being with my future team leaders and seeing their lives. Hearing their stories and being in the country only grew my excitement for the future.
On a Saturday night during a college retreat trip, God shared an image with me. I saw what seemed to be the ocean with several countries floating in the water. What seemed like a map but was geographically incorrect was the image. In the image, I was floating in the air looking out over the waters. I was impressed that God had created me to be a missionary who lived overseas. I wrote it down in my journal and that began the journey of being in missions.
Chris and Brook are the Directors for the Chi Alpha ministry on the campus of St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
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.
The town of Garissa, Kenya is not too far from the Somali border and although a small town, there are a number of unreached people groups in and around the area. Most of the unreached tribes adhere to some form of Islam, but there is a definite stratification of class and religion within the town between the ethnic Kenyan's and the ethnic Somali's. Our site leader and his family have been in the town for 17 years working on building a small farm in the desert out side of town with modern desert farming techniques alongside an unreached tribe. Through the farm work and bringing medical doctors to this unreached tribe he has built up trust and respect in the community and has been teaching bible studies for the past 17 plus years. We would be joining his team but not necessarily the farm work as there are other unreached people groups in the area that also need to hear the gospel and can be reached through different methods that we plan to join/create.
Richard and Kim work with Youth Alive, which strives to equip Christian students to reach their peers with the Gospel. This is provided in schools through training, resources and outreach opportunities.
The Portuguese speaking nations of Africa are home to some of the largest and fastest growing churches in Africa. The growth has greatly out-paced Biblically trained leadership needed to conserve help establish new believers in the faith and preserve established believers in that faith. The Assemblies of God in Angola with its 2.5 million members, is the second largest AG church in Africa, followed closely by Mozambique with nearly 2 million. The Bible college we began in Angola in 2012, since December, 2023, under complete Angolan leadership and we continue serving in a mentoring/consultant ministry. We have been asked to help in the same manner in Mozambique and will spend a part of February in that country.
The International Assemblies of God in South Africa has approximately 340 churches. The IAG has a mammoth job to reach more people and plant more churches in South Africa.One of the most effective and substantial ways to accomplish this and to engage the ever increasing population of 64 million people in South Africa in through a healthy local pastor leading a healthy and thriving local church. Healthy pastors lead churches into greater health, which reach more people and plant more churches. This is the desire and goal of the Healthy Pastor Healthy Church initiative.
Matthew and Elora work in Summit County, Colorado, which is located near Denver. It is a community ignorant to Christianity, with a focus on 'new age' and eastern religions.
El Salvador is in the aftermath of a 12 year civil war so Gang Violence, Drug Cartel, Immigration and Poverty have pillaged the Salvadoran Family. We are working to Transform El Salvador one family at at time.
Lithuania has a population of approximately 2.8 million people. It was the first country to gain freedom in 1991 from the Soviet Union, so, understanding the nuances that come with a culture that was under oppression for generations is important. Lithuania is predominately Catholic with between 75-80% professing Catholicism, 6% Secular, .8% other (Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist). Only .08% of Lithuanians are Evangelical Christian. Though Lithuania is a predominately catholic country, they like most European countries are experiencing a trend toward secularism, among the younger generations especially. Generational scars run deep, and a spirit of oppression rests on the people of Lithuania making it challenging for them to open up or build relationships. It is said that it takes approximately two years to establish a meaningful connection with one Lithuanian. With the war in Ukraine, there is a renewed fear of what Russia did just one generation ago, and a greater inward focus of self preservation and isolation. Even though they are under the protection of NATO, many Lithuanian people are weary to believe it will protect them from what Russia has been capable of doing in the past. Lithuania carries some pretty staggering statistics, they have the highest suicide rate in the European Union, (double of the United States). Depression is prevalent, yet mental health is avoided in conversation along with struggles in general. Lithuania is number 3 in the world for alcoholism, and 1 in 3 women will or have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime. The outward appearance of most Lithuanians is one of looking put together, accomplished, and successful, yet inwardly, many struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts, addiction and fear of failure.
Genoa is approximately 1/2 million people with less than 2% recognizing Jesus as Savior of their lives. Italy is home to an estimated 105 documented people groups, 23 of which are considered unreached people groups. Genoa is a port city and an International hub. AGWM has never had a missionary in this city and we are excited to be the first.
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!