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Source: Movements, March 14, 2025
In a bustling café in Bangkok, Peter and John sat down to discuss their remarkable journey in Laos—a Southeast Asian nation where the gospel is advancing against incredible odds. Together, they have spent 50 years fostering movements that multiply disciples and churches.
Peter’s journey began in the 1990s. He trained and discipled local believers, leveraging people of peace to spread the gospel through their networks. By the early 2000s, local believers had baptized thousands of new disciples in multiple streams and provinces and saw many dozens of simple churches formed. All of this in a nation still under Communist rule.
In 2009, John started into the work of forming an apostolic band, and with Peter’s guidance, he embarked on the challenge of making disciples among a remote and unreached people group in one of Southeast Asia’s most closed countries.
When [national church leaders] introduced traditional seminary programs, Peter and John met with the denominational leaders to share what God was doing and explain why preserving a simple, biblical approach to disciple and church multiplication was critical.
To their surprise, the national church leaders not only embraced the vision but invited them to train all their leaders in movement principles and practices. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully, and those passionate about multiplying disciples were empowered to proceed.
At the center of this transformation was a 70-year-old patriarch of the church. God stirred his heart, and he dedicated his remaining years to seeing multiplying churches planted among every people and place in the country.
Since 2017, over 50,000 new disciples have been baptized, and 1,200 churches have been planted across Laos. In 1990 the Christian population was 0.2% then grew to about 2% by 2007, today it is over 3%.
Over 100 people groups—mostly animists—have been engaged by near-culture or same-culture disciples. Movements are thriving among minority groups, but reaching the Buddhist-majority Lao people remains one of the greatest challenges. Second and third-generation churches among Buddhists are still rare.
Read the full story and listen to an interview with Peter and John (Movements podcast). Last year, we also reviewed a great book about reaching the unreached in Laos. Check out The Faith Road.
We love stories about Christians and churches overcoming differences to collaborate. You might also be interested in a story about churches in Scotland “twinning” with churches in Malawi in a partnership blessing both parties (Christian Post).
Source: Morning Star News, March 6, 2025
Muslim landowners in Pakistan abducted a Christian laborer, shaved his head and facial hair, blackened his face, and paraded him on the back of a donkey for allegedly stealing wood from their property, his brother said.
On the assumption that impoverished Catholics in Muslim-majority Pakistan have little chance of obtaining legal defense, at least seven Muslims attacked Wasif George, 34, of village Chak 110-GB Chak Jhumra in Faisalabad District, Punjab Province, after he had gone to gather wood the evening of February 27, said his brother, Patras George.
Wasif George has since plunged into depression, telling his family that he wanted to end his life, his brother said.
“If he had indeed committed any wrong act, the landowners could have had him arrested and charged under the law,” Patras George told [reporters]. “But they instead used this as an opportunity to spread their fear in the village.”
“The entire village lined up on the streets and witnessed the inhumane treatment meted out to my brother,” he said. “No one had the courage to stop his persecutors as they brandished guns and threatened to shoot any person who dared to rescue the Christian.”
The assailants warned the villagers against recording videos of the abuse, and no one dared take out their phones, he said.
See read another story from Pakistan, this one about a Christian man who won the legal battle to reclaim his religious identity after it was fraudulently changed by his employer (Christian Post).
Source: Mission Network News, March 10, 2025
In the Northwestern corner of Namibia lies the village of Opuwo. Its name means “end of the road” in Dhimba, the language spoken by residents of Opuwo. But for the Himba people who first heard the gospel there, Opuwo was not the end of the road. It was the beginning.
Bible Society of Namibia, Wycliffe, and Samaritan’s Purse formed a collaboration to begin translating the Bible into the Himba people’s heart language. Working with a well-known storyteller, the effort eventually produced 35 Bible stories and gospel songs which were downloaded onto MegaVoice audio units. Michael Cardy with MegaVoice says he’ll never forget the first time the pastor played Scripture for the local children.
“As he turned it on, and they heard the gospel story in their heart language…the children were just absolutely dumbfounded. They were so excited they got up and started dancing,” he says.
The children placed a ring of stones around a tree and began regularly meeting there to hear Scripture. As the Bible stories started to impact children’s lives, parents started asking questions. Next, they joined the gathering.
“Around that circle, eventually five villages would gather,” Cardy says.
Read the full story and listen to some of gospel songs in Dhimba. Because the songs and Scripture are shared on solar-powered audio recorders, they can go wherever the nomadic people go.
The most recent edition of Evangelical Missions Quarterly is focused on missions and the arts. Read Creating Sacred Songs in Waorani (a language of Ecuador).
See also a story a South Asian artist who accepted a commission to paint a story scroll using the tribal art forms of his people—a process God used to draw the man to himself (International Mission Board).
Source: Every Home for Christ, March 12, 2025
In 2022, Every Home excitedly shared an enormous vision with our partners and friends—the Biblical Print Shop of the Americas.
Uniquely positioned for access to ports for shipping, the Biblical Print Shop of the Americas was designed to meet the continent’s need for outreach and discipleship materials. As Alessandro Soares, our Every Home Brazil ministry director, says, “We have a clear and transformative purpose: to place God’s Word in the hands and hearts of people. This is more than a project; it is a divine mission, a calling to transform lives through the power of the Scriptures.”
Alessandro writes: “This mission does not happen alone. Every contributor, donor, and volunteer who participates in this project is essential. Be part of the story God is writing through the printing and distribution of his Word. Together, we can bring hope where there is despair, faith where there is doubt, and love where there is loneliness. Through the printed message, God continues to transform lives—one page at a time.”
See also, from the UK, Bible Sales Surge by 87% as Generation Z Rediscovers Faith (Christian Today) and, from the USA, For God So Loved This Anxious Generation: Signs of Revival on Campus (The Gospel Coalition).
Source: Asia Harvest, March 2025
Eva (not her real name) was just 11 years old when a great darkness visited the slum she calls home. It happened on a sunny day, just like any other. The streets were buzzing with life as schoolchildren were on holiday and were making the most of their young lives in the impoverished neighborhood.
“Follow me for some free candy!” one child shouted to groups of playing children.
Read what happened next. Discretion advised; it’s heartbreaking, but with a message of hope at the end.
Thanks for reading and sharing these stories!
Source: Christian Post, February 23, 2025
Nearly 2,000 Ohio State University students made decisions to commit to following Jesus Christ during a massive campus revival event [in February] the organizers said. The event, held at The Schott sports arena, drew a crowd of over 6,500 students despite the chilling temperatures, which dipped into the teens. In an extraordinary display of commitment, students were baptized in the backs of U-Haul trucks parked at the site, CBN News reported.
On social media, UniteUS founder Tonya Prewett expressed awe at the spiritual movement unfolding on college campuses. Prewett added, “God is moving in this generation, and we know that He’s just getting started!”
The UniteUS movement’s outreach efforts began in September 2023. Since then, more than 70,000 students across various campuses have participated in the ministry’s events, experiencing the transformative power of the gospel, according to the ministry.
Source: Global Christian Relief, February 27, 2025
The growth of Christianity is notably strong in countries with higher population growth rates and in regions where the faith is newer and often embraced by the youth. The Global South—particularly sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia—has seen some of the most substantial increases in Christian populations. Factors like migration, high birth rates, and the influence of revivalist movements are all contributing to the rapid growth.
Read the story. It includes links to reports about each country from various sources. Evidently the data is from Gordon Conwell’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity, though a quick search didn’t show an exact source for this particular list.
Do any of the countries surprise you?
Source: Mission Network News, February 25, 2025
Many Christian groups operate child sponsorship programs. Monthly gifts from sponsors in the West provide education, food, and discipleship for children in needy countries. Set Free’s program goes further in East Africa, teaching kids about their identity in Christ and empowering them to reach others.
Set Free’s Zippora Benting says, “Some of these children are 11 years old, and they’re talking about being able to disciple their friends and even their parents.”
One student says fear used to hold her mother captive. Her mom was deathly afraid of her stepmom, a practicing witch. Then, the little girl shared Bible verses from her weekly lessons, and it helped her mom replace fear with faith.
“When they learn that they are set free in their identity in Christ, they are unstoppable, even at eight years old,” [says Benting].
Discipleship continues at Set Free’s Christian high school, where more than 150 students recently asked to be baptized.
Read the full story or learn about Set Free.
You might also be interested in another article about children. This one is focused on missionary kids but surely has broader application. Read The Incredible Power of Positive Childhood Experiences (A Life Overseas).