My Top Five Mission Organizations (in no particular order)

1. Gospel for Asia

Through Gospel for Asia, founded and directed by K.P. Yohannan, the Gospel is spread through the use of native missionaries. Instead of paying big bucks for leisurely Americans to go to other countries, GFA trains converts to be missionaries to their own people in their own languages. Americans and other spoiled nations can then financially support these missionaries or even their "Bridge of Hope" children for a measely amount, 100% going directly to the missionary or child of your choice. If you can't afford monthly, then you can just buy a bike for a native missionary to use for the spread of the Gospel!

2. Operation Mobilization International

OM offers short-term and long-term mission trips to all who are willing. Their ships, in particular, not only spread the Word, but also offer practical help, whether medical, educational, or for survival. They are one of the most internationally spread mission organizations in existence. Thank you George Verwer!

3. Open Doors

In a phrase: to serve and support the persecuted church. This is the mission of Open Doors (all for the glory of Christ, of course). It's all about prayer and the Word. As the churches who are being persecuted are spreading the good news, Open Doors encourages and relieves our courageous brothers and sisters through multiple facets. Brother Andrew, who founded the organization, still continues to fight in many dangerous nations for the believer's right to worship the one true God.

4. New Tribes Mission

New Tribes plants churches in previously unreached areas. They do not force our culture or language on these tribes, but simply teach Biblical truth in its purest, un-Americanized form in the tribes' own languages (which you can imagine is a challenge). Trained pilots can be a part of the Mission Aviation division, which allows the Gospel to reach more places; you can take part in short-term or long-term missions, or you can decide to teach missionary children (MK's) while the students' parents are working in the ministry.

5. Compassion International

Though a little different from Gospel for Asia's "Bridge of Hope" program, Compassion International does cover more territory. You can sponsor a child or children for a small amount each month from many, many countries. This monthly cost pays for food, shelter, education, medical needs, etc. for the child; and we all know that the education of the next generation will help get these countries into better shape... hopefully. Compassion also maintains a focus on children suffering from the AIDS epidemic, which has devastated more than one continent. All this from Everett Swanson trying to help a South Korean orphanage!

The Introduction--Why Missions?

Why don't Christians just leave people alone? Who do they think they are, intruding into people's cultures?

Well, hypocritical Christians would subscribe to the above opinions. Anyone who claims the name of Christ has a duty to fulfill His command of "going into all the world" to share the Gospel. Real Christians believe that those who don't believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are going to hell--the worst possible place to go: the only place where God isn't. If we truly believe this, why would we sit on our duffs and watch the world go by? (See Interview with an Atheist)

NO, I don't mean we shove our beliefs on others, but we have to at least give the world the option--maybe Jesus really is Who He says He is?--they can't make that call if they don't have a clue who the heck He is.

And so we go...