Ninety percent of the people living in the Arabian Peninsula do not personally know a follower of Jesus…and many possibly never will.

“A worker currently living in the AP shared with me that most people there will never meet a follower of Jesus or have a chance to hear the Good News unless someone steps into their country and into their lives,” Bill* said.

Wanting to be that “someone,” Bill and others from Southeast visited the Arabian Peninsula in April to gain firsthand experience and a better understanding of the culture.

“The Great Commission calls us to go and make disciples of all nations. So, we want to reach them,” Bill said. “We want to mobilize 250 people to move to the Arabian Peninsula.”

That includes people in various stages of life, from families to students to professionals.

“We want students from our church to attend school or take internships or study abroad there to live among other young people,” Bill said. “God can use your job and your education to place you among the unreached.”

Diane said she returned home feeling certain that God is calling her to be involved. “At first, I was cautious and I was scared to go and then as I got more information about the trip, I really couldn’t get it off my mind,” she said.

James and his wife also returned with a sense of calm. “We both now feel a deep peace and a gentle but clear invitation from God. There is a great need,” he said.

“As we evaluate the possibility of moving to (the Arabian Peninsula),” Lisa added, “we’re simply asking God to keep confirming that calling.”

Diane called her experience in the Arabian Peninsula “truly life-changing,” explaining it is a place “where you can really see the contrast of light and dark. The spiritual darkness at times is palpable. You can really feel it.”

Bill said it is the church’s responsibility to bring light to spiritually dark places, but that requires “people from our church stepping out in faith.” Here are a few ways we can do that:

• Pray. As we move forward in reaching the lost, we want prayer to be the foundation.
• Take a mission trip. Even if it’s not to the Arabian Peninsula, God can open your heart to the nations when you leave home.
• Be intentional to engage with international people right where you live.
• Move your career overseas to intentionally live and work in an unreached area.

“If you believe God is calling you to move with this initiative, then we want to talk to you and pray with you,” Bill said.

Those interested in learning more about the region or how to get involved are invited to an Arabian Peninsula Interest Night on July 1 at the Blankenbaker Campus. You can learn more and register here.

*All names have been changed to protect identities.

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We’re excited to be partnering with church planters to begin 40 new churches in the next five years…churches like Refuge Church in Ojai, California, who has been sharing the good news of Jesus since launching in 2023 with your help!

“Two years ago, we didn’t have a church, but because of you, because of your generosity, because of your prayers, two years later, God is doing something big,” Lead Pastor Kyle Costello said.

Almost 30 people have stepped into the waters of baptism and out into the life, freedom, and hope found only in Christ, a second service has been added to reach even more people, and stories of life-change are being written daily.

One of those stories belongs to Sean.

“Sean is a guy who’s entering kind of the later stages of life, and he has tried anything and everything to try to get to know God, but he’s never taken Christianity seriously,” Kyle said, adding Sean initially only came to Refuge Church because of his wife.

“Now, he is sold out for Jesus!” he said.

It’s because of stories like Sean’s that Kyle can’t help but think about Southeast every Sunday, praising God for its generosity in helping churches like Refuge share the love of Jesus.

“I just want to say thank you,” he said, “because if it wasn’t for you all, I do not believe we would have a church here today.…Thank you, Southeast Christian Church!”