missions

Now that the wedding is over, Jessa Duggar and boyfriend Ben Seewald are free to make their trip to Central America on a 12-day mission trip. The two were accompanied by other Duggar family members and S.O.S. Ministries members and set strict rules about their behavior before leaving on the trip, but could an engagement announcement be coming sooner rather than later?

According to the Duggar family blog, Jessa and Ben, along with several other people, all made the trip to Central America, where they have volunteered before. Jim Bob and Josh were the first to visit the area several years ago, and Jim Bob reportedly wants all of his children to experience the joy of a mission trip.

"Mission trips are life-changing," Jim Bob said of his experiences making the journey. more >>

Michelle Duggar could not be happier for daughter Jill and her fiancé Derick as they prepare for their wedding this month, but the mother of 19 is also concerned that the newlyweds will leave the nest and possibly the country. It's a bittersweet time for the Duggar family as they prepare to send one of their own out into the world.

"It really is so exciting for our first daughter to be engaged," Michelle wrote on her family blog. "Even Jim Bob tears up quite a bit these days. He's so happy for Jill and he really appreciates Derick and who he is. We know Derick is going to make a great husband and, hopefully, father. But at the same time, Jim Bob and I are saying to ourselves, 'Oh, wow.' We're realizing our girl is going to start a home and her own family, and that's a big deal, especially for dad."

Jill and Derick are due to marry this month and may choose to go on a missionary trip together soon after their wedding. Derick has worked in Nepal as a missionary, and that's where he was when Jim Bob decided to introduce him to daughter Jill. Derick and his parents all served as missionaries in the country and are committed to continuing to do some type of missionary work. more >>

To mark Monday's 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide, where close to 800,000 people were killed, one survivor working with Operation Christmas Child has shared his personal story of visiting and forgiving the people who murdered his family. He also revealed that the country has experienced remarkable healing and growth in the past couple of decades.

"It was a miracle that God opened up the opportunity for me to meet one of the guys, the guy who killed my uncle, and I was able to share that message of love and forgiveness, and to be able to plant the seeds of hope and love in his life. And [tell him] that Christ also came and died for him, and He loves him just as much as He loves me," Alex Nsengimana shared with The Christian Post.

"It was probably one of the toughest days of my life, but also one of my most freeing days, because I was able to let go and was able to have the peace that only Jesus Christ can offer." more >>

With church attendance dropping and the youth losing interest in faith, leaders from all over the world are scrambling to find ways to better engage those who are disillusioned. British-born ministry 3DM proposes an interesting solution to that very problem and already saw great success in the European Union, planting over 500 churches in just five years.

More about its Huddles, Missional Communities and Shape Language can be read about in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. The Christian Post had the opportunity to sit and speak with 3DM Central members Eric Pfeiffer and Kristine Blaess.

Why is 3DM not just another gimmick for the Christian community? more >>

NASHVILLE – The head of a global ministry said he found it frustrating that many people, particularly in the West, show indifference when it comes to pointing people to Jesus Christ.

"Hundreds of thousands of people are entering eternity without Christ – that should sober us," said Wayne Pederson, president of Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB Global), at the National Religious Broadcasters' International Christian Media Convention on Tuesday. "There are huge stakes for eternity. In our culture, this western society, people are just indifferent to that, which is very frustrating."

Pederson said his organization, which seeks to bring the Gospel to those around the world who have not heard the message of Jesus, is trying to heighten the urgency of global ministry. He shared a two-minute video of Reach Beyond members declaring that they will no longer stand by while people are entering eternity without having heard the message of Jesus Christ. more >>

British ministry 3DM invited various Church leaders in the New England area to join them on a quest to re-imagine discipleship and church culture in America earlier this month.

 The ministry discussed its origins, and introduced some of the innovative tools it uses to teach during this Discipleship and Missions Workshop that took place from Feb. 4-6 at the Church of Emmanuel in Foxboro, Mass.

 The first day and half of the workshop consisted of teaching, the introduction of an innovative shape-based discipling language, and those in attendance participating in unique gatherings coined by 3DM as Missional Communities, Social Space and Huddles that are detailed in the first part of the article. Read it here. more >>