What is the church like among the unreached?

Exactly the same as in Austin. The services are different, so are the meeting places, and there are certainly much fewer people, but for our brothers and sisters that live in places that are <1% Christian, the important things are the same: the Word of God is the same; the Holy Spirit is the same; the mission is the same; the love is the same; and the purpose is the same.

It is the same God, the same Savior, the same King that meets us and sends us out, whether in Southeast Asia or Northeast Austin: “There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” (1 Corinthians 12:6)

As overseas workers who grew up at Austin Chinese Church and now serve in Southeast Asia, this reality bridges our upbringing with our calling. Because the Lord made ACC a church on God’s mission, we were taught the way we should go and we have not turned from it by the grace of God. In our walk with the Lord, in all of our sinful disobedience and in all of God’s merciful love, he took what he began before we were even born, and made a way that our church in Austin might get to play a small part in the building up of God’s church in Asia.

Our team’s role is to serve local leaders by being partners for them who help them to seek the Lord’s vision for their churches. Together, we read the Word, we pray, and we ask the Spirit to show us and help us do what the Lord has prepared for us to do. Our heart is to help leaders embrace their calling to equip and empower their flock to make disciples that make disciples, and we rejoice when the whole church praises God both when they are rejected for Jesus’ name and when the Lord uses their witness to bring another one of his sons or daughters home.

In this work, the Lord has provided ample opportunities for us to work alongside local believers. One of our partners is a professor, who we call Dr. O. Dr. O recently led their aunt to faith who is now on fire to share her story; already, Dr. O’s aunt has led another woman to faith and they want to start a new fellowship together. Dr. O is already a bold, gifted evangelist who faithfully serves the church. We merely help Dr. O ask questions, ask God for wisdom, and listen to Scripture, so that those under their care will grow up into the things the Lord has called them to.

Our focus in empowering Dr. O and their young church has been on abiding in Jesus, sharing about him with joy, and trusting the Holy Spirit to work in our neighbors. This month, we’re practicing reading the Bible with people who want to know God. A different woman in Dr. O’s church told us, “After studying the Bible together, I realized that there are so many more people I can share Jesus with that I’d never considered before.” It seems such a simple thing, but what a miracle it is that people like us receive love so great, that we can do nothing but to give it to those around us. This is our aim in serving the local church, that every believer would see that they are loved as Jesus is loved and sent as Jesus is sent, and that Jesus would receive all glory and praise.