May 2025 – Missions Catalyst

Data: When You Center a Map on a Specific Country

Source: Engaging Data

Like to play with maps? Maybe you could use a tool to help you create graphics that put a place in its global context. This one is pretty simple, but it lets you make maps from the perspective of any country in the world. You can pick from five map projections and copy a link or download an image to use as you like.

Go to the site and make a map or explore other data visualizations.

For additional fresh perspectives, see 28 Spectacular Aerial Views of Earth That Defy Expectations (DeMilked).

New Books: Mission Fiction, Starting Movements, and the Story of the Church in China

Novel: Taking You Under My Skin

In the foothills of northwest Laos, an unreached tribal group lives unaware of the gospel—until an American army medic is captured and brought to their village. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, this story imagines a mountain tribe’s encounter with Jesus and how it transforms their lives forever.

Learn more or buy the book (William Carey Publishing). You can also watch an interview with the author, Marv Newell, on the same page.

Strategy: What Actually Starts Movements?

The latest book from Dr. Emanuel Prinz draws from research on 147 movements worldwide to explore what sparks and fuels disciple-making movements and breakthroughs, with a focus on the traits and practices of catalytic leadership (and how you can grow in them). Lots of supporting data and practical takeaways for seeing the kingdom of God advance.

Learn more or buy the book (100 Movements Publishing) or get a taste by poking around the author’s website, Catalytic Leadership.

History: Fujian, The Blessed Province

By the 1920s, Fujian was home to more Christians than any other province of China, including key leaders John Sung, Watchman Nee, and Leland Wang. See how the church in Fujian has impacted millions of people in China and throughout Southeast Asia. This is ninth in Paul Hattaway’s province-by-province series about the church in China.

Learn more or buy the book (Asia Harvest) or read excerpts in the ministry’s latest newsletter.

Resource Roundup: Making Mission Trips Better

Sources: Various

The Heart of Short-Term Missions for Long-Term Impact

In the first of several episodes on the topic, Rob Magwood interviews pastor Clint Archer about how to make short-term trips as fruitful as possible (Global Missions Podcast).

Deepen Discipleship Through Short-Term Misisons

Magwood and others also recommend the GoJournal, a reflection tool you may want to use with your short-term teams.

Mission Trip Donations Made Easy

MissionLinked provides a simple, secure way to link people together while raising funds for a short-term mission team or a project (MissionWorks).

Mission Trip Quick Audit

An objective tool can help assess how your mission trip program measures up to best practices and identify areas to strengthen: Short Term Mission Trip Quick Audit (MissionExcellence).

Why Your Short-Term Mission Trip Wasn’t Enough

For many in Gen Z, short-term mission trips are a rite of passage. Something shifts. But all too often it doesn’t last (Radical Living).

Article: The Good and the Hard of Missionary Kid Lives

Source: Tanya Crossman, A Life Overseas

“I have been working in TCK research for over ten years. That includes six large scale surveys (with 200-2000 responses) and over 600 interviews. The data I’m currently analyzing comes from TCK Training’s 2024 survey of 1,643 TCKs around the world. It was a long survey covering a lot of topics and I wish I could spend ten hours a day delving into the details! For now, the initial data on missionary kids has a lot to say about their experiences.”

The article unpacks key findings about missionary kids (MKs) through the research:

Most missionary kids are glad they grew up abroad.
Good things and hard things are often intertwined.
Missionary kids feel a lot of pressure.
Emotional support and mental health are key.

Read more and check out TCK Training. You might be interested in their workshops on raising kids cross-culturally.

Some of this was also included in the May/June 2025 edition of Mission Frontiers magazine, which is focused on the lives and experiences of third-culture kids (TCKs). Much to chew on. Note that the Mission Catalyst calendar includes several June and July events for missionary kids.

Events: Mission Conferences, Training & More for June

Source: Missions Catalyst Calendar

June 2 to October 5, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). New online classes begin regularly.

June 3-4, Mission Agency Consultation (Grapevine, TX, USA). Provided by 16:15 Global Outfitters.

June 5-7, ACMI Virtual Conference (online). An annual event for people ministering among international students. From the Association of Christians Ministering among Internationals.

June 7-8, World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk (international). Coordinated by the Viva Network.

June 8, International Day for the Unreached (global). A third of the world is still denied access to the gospel. Pray and raise awareness. This is an annual event.

June 14-17, Field Security Seminar (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by Crisis Consulting International.

June 16-18, Mission Information Workers Conference (online). Accelerate the development of mission information and the mission information community.

June 16-20, Abide Debriefing (Joplin, MO, USA). Help for moving forward with hope and momentum; from TRAIN International (held multiple times a year; also June 23-27, July 14-18 and twice in October).

June 17, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer for Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI and held on the third Tuesday of each month.

June 17-18, Support Raising Bootcamp (Fayetteville, AR, USA). Provided by Via, formerly Support Raising Solutions. More classes held around the world throughout the year.

June 18-28, Breathe (Wilderswil, Switzerland). A retreat for mission workers offered annually by Catalyst International.

June 19-21, International Missions Conference (Charlotte, NC, USA). An annual event from the National African American Missions Council.

June 20, World Refug e e Day (international). Many churches observe this with prayer on the Sunday before or after.

June 23-27, Storytelling Training (online). Offered regularly by StoryRunners, a ministry of Cru.

June 24, From Pew to Pixel: Online Outreach Training (online). Learn how to share your faith with Muslims online. Will be offered again July 29 and August 23 by Everywhere to Everywhere.
June 29, Day of the Christian Martyr (international). An annual event from Voice of the Martyrs.

June 29 to July 5, Wilderness Reboot (Blue Bronna, AB, Canada). Re-entry retreat for MKs/TCKs (aged 21-35) navigating the ongoing re-entry into Canadian society; an event for teens (17-20) will be held in August.

View the complete calendar, updated throughout the year. Your submissions are always welcome.

Church Growth in Hard Places, Bible Translation, and More

Read or share email edition.

Iran: Three Christian Converts Summoned to Serve Prison Sentences

Source: Article 18, May 8, 2025

Three Christian converts, including a woman pregnant with her first child, have been summoned to begin prison sentences totaling over 40 years on charges related to their religious beliefs and worship meetings.

Narges Nasri, Abbas Soori, and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced in March, and their appeals were rejected in April, meaning they could be summoned to begin their sentences at any time.

Yesterday, the three were told they had five days to submit themselves to Evin Prison to begin their sentences. Failure to do so would mean forfeiting bail equivalent to more than $20,000 each, and sources suggest they may now be out of the country.

The three Christians were arrested in November last year during concurrent raids by intelligence agents on their homes in Tehran.

Read the full story. A related story from Middle East Concern adds some prayer points. Please pray that:

God will strengthen and guide these converts in the decisions they will have to make,
Narges and her unborn baby will be protected through the stress they have endured, and
Those involved in the harassment and persecution of Christians will repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ themselves.

On another and more encouraging note, see also Two Thousand Iranians Turning to Jesus Every Day (Bible Society via God Reports).

Another article from Article 18 reports that a religious freedom group in Belarus has been added to a list of extremist organizations. Police also visited a leader’s relatives and took DNA samples to help them track him.

Southeast Asia: Shan Church Planting, a Story of Growth

Source: OMF International, May 9, 2025

For five or six years, missionaries working with the Shan have said, “We are on the cusp of seeing a movement to Christ taking place amongst the Shan.” When considering church planting among the Shan, it’s crucial to remember those who shared the gospel in challenging times when the Shan people were less receptive.

From 1863 to 1965, expat missionaries worked with Karen missionaries to reach the Shan and Shan-speaking minority groups in Burma. The Shan work in Thailand began much later, in 1953. [During these decades], between 0.05 and 0.1 percent of Shan people have believed in Christ. Only since the late 1990s have the Shan people responded in groups instead of as individuals.

In 2024, an OMF missionary with decades of experience wrote a paper that described the early Shan believers as “one in a thousand” — those who persisted in faith despite persecution, discouragement, and isolation, with little or no support from other believers.

How did it change? Read the full story. It’s a long one, but a reminder that breakthroughs may be preceded by decades of prayer and effort.

Readers might also be interested in a new book coming out on May 28. Check out What Actually Starts Movements: Partnering with God for Kingdom Multiplication, by Emanuel Prinz (100 Movements Publishing).

In another story from East Asia, ministry leaders respond to China’s recent restrictions on foreign missionary activity (Christianity Today).

South Asia: Are High-Caste Hindus Resistant to the Gospel?

Source: Beyond, May 15, 2025

Sanjay and his brother recently traveled to Haryana to meet with some key leaders, gathering at Laksha’s home. Laksha, who is from a high caste, has been an active disciple-maker within the movement for about six years. She and her team are witnessing remarkable growth, particularly among high caste individuals and women. In her district, there are around 36 house churches.

During the meeting, Laksha shared that it’s easy to assume that people from high castes are proud and resistant to the gospel. However, when she encounters those who have become disciples of Jesus, she sees how deeply God has transformed their lives.

World: Don’t Forget the Seafarers

Source: Christian Today, May 7, 2025

A Christian mission agency has called for the welfare of nearly two million seafarers to be taken into consideration, as the global shipping fleet cuts costs by adopting new technologies.

The Mission to Seafarers (MtS) runs 121 centers in ports around the world, and its people visit more than 40,000 ships each year. Seafarers face dangerous oceans and seas to transport more than 90% of the world’s goods and fuel – making them essential key workers who often go unrecognized by the general population.

MtS Secretary General Peter Rouch has expressed concern that often ships’ crews are overlooked when investment is being made in new technology.

“Overworked crew members are more likely to make costly mistakes, which can harm the shipping industry, of course, but the more important aspect is to understand seafarers as much more than a simple resource. Those who enable global trade to function are human beings who will invariably flourish in a web of warm and healthy human relationships.”

Read the full story.

Another story from Christian Today highlights a ministry you might be more aware of, reporting that Alpha International had its most successful year ever, reaching millions across the globe. Praise God.