Mission service: Christ, the hope of the world
These outlines are designed to help you pull together different resources to create an engaging service focusing on cross-cultural mission and how God is at work in often difficult places.
We use ‘Creative Access’ to refer to nations, areas or ministries where there is great hostility towards Christianity and where traditional ‘missionary work’ is not possible. Workers, therefore, need to be ‘creative’ in how they proclaim the liberating news of Jesus Christ. In North Africa alone, 200 million people from 472 unreached people groups are unreached with the gospel. That’s 200 million people unknowingly heading for a Christ-less eternity.
Workers use skills in many areas, including business, education and healthcare. Whatever you do for your ‘job’ at home, with a bit of modification you could probably do it in a creative access area.
Whatever role you have, the aim is to be as intentional as possible – to have the name of Jesus Christ on your lips at all times. Whether it is buying bread for breakfast, meeting with a client to discuss business, dropping off children at school, or drinking tea with a friend, the intention is to always be ready to share the truth of the gospel.
The lost need to hear the good news of Jesus. Is God working in your heart? Are you considering working in an area where Jesus isn’t known?
These outlines are designed to help you pull together different resources to create an engaging service focusing on cross-cultural mission and how God is at work in often difficult places.
I would never have dreamt how God would bless these relationships or how he would lead us all in his service. I wonder how he might be calling you?
How do you run a TIMO team in a creative access location? We asked one of our former creative access workers and TIMO team leaders to share their thoughts.
Believing the truth of the gospel of grace pours light into the darkness of fear and loneliness, gives hope to those crushed by sickness, and purpose to those in despair.
Miriam and Holly* discuss how the gospel is making an impact and changing peoples lives.
For the first time in my life I am living somewhere where the gospel is not known. It is hard to describe, but a vivid memory from my first visit to this city was the feeling of being among dead people. There was no genuine joy, no hope, no peace and this is a feeling that persists.