(Photo credit Asian Access)
USA (MNN) — When you’re at a missions conference, you’re bound to run into someone you know. That’s what keeps happening at the Missio Nexus Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.
Many MNN friends are here: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, The Mission Society, Asian Access, Living Water International, World Mission, to name a few. And there’s a plethora of churches and Christian universities attending the conference as well.
Noel Becchetti, Vice President for Leader Development for Asian Access, is here with A2 President Joe Handley. Becchetti took a moment to discuss ministry challenges in two countries where Christianity is growing the fastest.
According to The Center for the Study of Global Christianity, both countries are located in Asia. These countries, which cannot be identified for security purposes, also happen to be places where A2-supported pastors are sharing the Good News of Christ and making disciples.
“They’re both oppressed situations,” explains Becchetti. “In other words, the governments in those countries to some degree actively work against religious freedom, even though they would technically say they’re all for it.”
Despite the persecution, and sometimes because of it, the Gospel is spreading like wildfire.
(Photo credit Asian Access)
“When people become believers here,” a pastor in one of the fastest-growing countries told Becchetti recently, “you have to be ‘for real’ because you know you’re going to get pressured.”
By coming alongside leaders who serve Christ on the front-lines, you can encourage and equip them to weather the deep challenges they face.
“We’ve had leaders in Asia just go, ‘Look, the biggest thing you guys can do is just come over here and love on us, ‘cuz that’s a new thing in our cultures'” shares Becchetti.
Support a leader through A2’s Persecuted Pastors Fund here.
Pray for persecuted Gospel workers as they carry God’s message of hope to the spiritually-hungry people of Asia.
