Global Outreach Conference 2023

John Chau, Nate Saint, Jim Eliot, Ed McCully, Pete Heming, and Roger Youderian – these six men share a common story – all died attempting to take the gospel to unreached people. However, it’s what these men don’t have in common that is noteworthy. Five of these men were treated like heroes by both secular media and Christians when they died in 1956. John Chau (pictured), on the other hand, was treated very differently. When Chau died in 2018 trying to bring the gospel to the Sentinelese tribe on North Sentinel Island, India, the media painted John as a naive youth going where he didn’t belong. In reality, he was a highly trained missionary serving with All Nations. The difference in treatment reflects a drastic cultural change, not only in our country but in our churches. Shockingly, some of the greatest criticism of Chau’s death came from Christians who viewed this as an example of Western colonial ideologies at play in evangelicalism.

This highlights a growing trend; increasingly, American Christians hold a surprisingly negative view of missions. Many believe it to be closely tied to colonialism and exploitation, and certainly we could find examples in history of how missions has been mixed with these practices. But are these examples the norm or the exception? Historically, has missions had a positive or a negative impact? And what about missions today? Should we be taking the gospel to cultures like the Sentinelese, or is it better to leave these people alone?

We invite you to attend our annual Global Outreach Conference on November 10-11 as we discuss these questions. Whether you are enthusiastic about missions or you have doubts, you are encouraged to come hear how God has worked in the past and how He is working today!

We are thrilled to have Charles B. join us this year! A long-time friend of ours, Charles has been doing cross-cultural missionary work since 1980. He has lived and worked abroad in China, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Africa. He holds a BA in Russian and Religion, an MBA in Global Business, and hopes to finish his doctorate in the Theology of Work soon. Charles is an ordained minister and mobilizes and mentors faith-based leaders and companies around the globe to be missional in their communities.

This two-day conference is for teens and adults. Please come both days! In addition to our main sessions, we’ll have special breakout sessions on Saturday, including a special session for teens with Charles B. Registration is required to attend the conference ($5 per person), so please sign up at the Welcome Center or using the link above. We look forward to seeing you!