Paris: The Most Populous and Diverse City in Europe

There are more than 2 million inhabitants in the city of Paris. That’s 52,200 people per square mile! There are 12 million inhabitants across the whole metropolitan area, making it the most populous urban area in the entire European Union.

Paris is considered the most diverse city in Europe. It is estimated that 23% of the population migrated to the city after they were born. 20% of Parisians are first generation immigrants and 40% of children in Paris have one parent who is an immigrant.

According to Joshua Project, only 1.23% of French residents are Evangelical followers of Jesus. There are 113 people groups in France and 37 of them are unreached. They include: Arab-speaking Algerian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Moroccan, Tunisian, Bamabara, Imazighen, Kabyle, Moabite, Rif, Southern Shilha, Western Cham, Gujarati, Iu Mien, Japanese, Khmer, Lao, Persian, South Asians, Tay, and Thai.

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15)

270 Nations in London

In London, the capital of England and the United Kingdom, there are over 9 million people.

More than 270 nationalities speak more than 300 languages.

1 in 5 Londoners are Muslim.

Less than 5% of Londonders know Christ as Lord.

Pioneers workers here are engaged in ministry to Muslims and immigrants, as well as local nationals.

Men, women, boys, and girls from the ends of the earth have come to London. Will you come too?

The fields are diverse and plentiful. Come, labor in the harvest in London (Matthew 9: 37-38)

Engage the Nations in London

London is an impressive city, rich with history, culture, and opportunity. The diversity of people who live in this city make it a dynamic place to meet people from around the world. Many of the nearly 10 million Londoners were born outside of the United Kingdom but call this metropolis home. 

London offers a unique experience for work, life, and the future. A 2011 census reveals about 40% of people living in London identify as Asian, Black, Mixed or another ethnic group. What if the nations who are already here were impacted by the gospel?

If reached they could have a lasting impact reaching their family, friends, and even those in their native country. People from every religious background and worldview are present in London. Often, they have never heard the gospel and do not have any friends who are bible-believing Christians. 

The social needs in London are also great, with crime increasing and the income gap widening. There is an opportunity for Christians to contribute to this conversation in a powerful way. Believers in Jesus can demonstrate the way of Jesus, by seeking to put others before self with love.    

The challenges are present in London, but so are the opportunities to see God’s kingdom grow. When people hear the truth and believe they can begin to understand who God is—that He made them for a relationship with Himself. 

Consider the following opportunities to come alongside what God is doing in this city:

• Engage the community: Come and work to develop relationships with Muslims and their children through English classes, music lessons, and community events.  

• Help to Plant a Church: New churches are being established in London and more are needed to share the love of God. Come learn how to plant a new church by working with others who are already here. Join a church planting training and see what God is able to do. 

• Reach the Unreached: Practice the art of sharing the gospel with a goal of developing a relationship in mind. Ask powerful questions and encourage people with the truth that God loves them. This is challenging, yet God is able to open hearts. He is able to use our obedience in sharing to bring about the miraculous.

Would you be willing to bring your passion, gifts, and experience to reach the nations in London?

Plymouth: City of Pilgrims, City of Gospel Opportunity

Once upon a time, to meet Syrians, Iranians, or any other group of people for that matter, it required traveling to their respective countries. In our increasingly globalised world, this is no longer the case. Today, people from many corners of the world are now living on our very own doorsteps. This is an especially exciting opportunity for the advancement of the gospel, which can now more easily be shared amongst unreached people groups, those previously with limited to no access to it. The southwest of the U.K. is one of these areas. 

Four centuries ago, hundreds of Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower and set sail for the “New World”, arriving as immigrants to a foreign land. Today, immigrants from many corners of the world are arriving to the city the Pilgrims once departed from, Plymouth. Plymouth has become a receiving city for refugees and asylum seekers, a city of refuge for many displaced from their home countries. As a small city of about 260,000, these new people groups are becoming increasingly more visible amongst the Plymothian crowds. Though there are many practical resources and aid programs to help refugees, asylum seekers and their families, there is very little strategic focus from the local church community towards meeting their spiritual need of a Savior, Jesus the Messiah (Isa al’ Masih). Plymouth is arguably a couple of decades behind places like Manchester where a significant percentage of the population is from the Arab world, but imagine if the church in Plymouth and the southwest of the U.K. were equipped now to befriend their new foreign neighbors as more and more unreached people groups move into the area? 

The vision for Plymouth and the southwest of the U.K. is to bridge the gap between the church and these unreached communities. Many local churches have a heart for the nations (Mt. 28:19-20), but lack the vision and resources to know how to bring the gospel across cultural and linguistic barriers. Our goal is to make friendships amongst the many unreached nations in our area whilst simultaneously coming alongside local churches to equip them to do the same. One statistic suggests that more than 80% of all non-Christians (this including Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus) don’t even know a Christ-follower (Center of Study for Global Christianity). Imagine if local believers were intentionally pursuing cross-cultural friendships! By God’s grace and leading, this statistic could be made history. 

In partnership with an international language school and a network of local churches, ministry partners and team members in the southwest of the U.K. will have opportunities to both make cross-cultural friendships amongst the refugee and asylum seeker communities and offer training and resources to local churches with hearts for the nations on their doorstep. Some outreach opportunities include leading English conversation clubs to refugees and asylum seekers, extending hospitality, and facilitating Discovery Bible Studies with spiritually interested people in their heart languages. Ideally, each partner or team member will also be actively involved in one of a number of local churches. Through these local church connections, partners and team members can then cast vision for the unreached nations on our doorstep, whilst offering various training and resources to equip the church to begin to make cross-cultural ministry an organic part of how the church functions, therefore, bridging the gap between the church and the unreached nations amongst us. 

Is the Lord calling you to join Him in what He is doing here in the southwest of the U.K.? Are you ready to bridge the gap and help bring the gospel amongst people previously without access to it? Whether you want a short-term, long-term, gap year, or taster experience as you explore longer-term service, come to us! Get experience ministering in English, doing practical cross-cultural ministry outreach, pursue TESOL certification, supporting the local church, and join us in this exciting adventure the Lord has us on!

Croatia Roma Church Planting Team

We are looking for people who would like to form teams to minister to the Roma villages of the region. We are currently looking for people to join the workers in Sisak, Croatia. We have done seasonal ministries there for a number of years and this village is very open. We have nationals and others ready to also work there.

We have done a number of children's bible clubs, tween/teen bible clubs, family bible studies, and yearly camps and carnivals. We have also recently purchased land for a ministry center which will be a home, a church, and a training center.

You can learn more at our website http://romachristianfellowship.org/en/

Using Your Gifts in Northeastern Hungary

Our team is based in a small town in Northeastern Hungary.

It is estimated that there are less than 2% evangelical Christians in Northeastern Hungary. These are  poorer areas where many families work 50-60 hours a week and struggle to make ends meet. Dysfunctional families are prominent, with high divorce rates, live-in boyfriends as fathers, alcoholism, and  a  lack  of  loving attention and  hope  given  to  children.  Many  suffer  from rampant depression, family feuds that last generations and utter loneliness. Heartless religious   ritual, atheism, communism and the occult have firmly influenced the ideas and beliefs in this region.

In partnership with Hungarians, our team is seeking to serve in a church planting movement in the cities, small towns and villages scattered throughout Northeastern Hungary. God has been gracious through years of sowing to cause growth in the town our team resides. In addition, we are working in partnership with Hungarians in another town with a church plant in beginning stages. 

We seek to saturate Northeastern Hungary with the gospel and with equipped Hungarian saints who would faithfully carry out their unique callings in the local church, local community and beyond.

Our team uses various tools to build bridges with those we are seeking to reach: Ev. material distribution, puppet ministry, summer camps, sports outreach (soccer, volleyball, baseball), English as a second language, Mother's of Preschool Club, Local Community Events, Children’s Ministry, DBS principles finding people of peace. We also have need of help in discipling and mentoring first generation Hungarian and Roma believers.

Equipping and Encouraging the Bulgarian Church

Is God calling you to help equip and encourage the Bulgarian church? The work in Bulgaria is multi-faceted and diverse but with the unified goal of working alongside Bulgarian believers to reach the wider community with the gospel and love of Christ. Work includes theological education and development, church planting (in a regional city and a more remote village), community Bible studies and relationship building, and medical ministry. 

The team in Bulgaria would welcome new members to work in established projects or new ministries. There are diverse opportunities for different types of ministries including church planting, Bible teaching, school teaching and medical/social work - we seek people with a heart for Jesus and the people of Bulgaria, who are willing to work alongside the local believers with passion, patience and humility.

There is also a specific opportunity available for teachers at a small mission school in Sofia, either short or longer term. This is a ministry that not only directly serves the children through gospel centered teaching, but releases the parents for their service in ministry. It is highly valued by those it serves, including our team in Sofia. Teaching qualifications would be an asset but not required.