WORLD NEWS
“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.” 2 Timothy 1:9
EQUIPPED TO LIVE MISSIONALLY Last year, 1,200 Latino Jesus followers discovered how they could participate in God’s global purpose – no matter their location or vocation – through OM’s Xplore course.
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At the start of 2020, our vision was to mobilise 1,000 Christians with little or no mission involvement and guide them to discover their place in the Great Commission,” says Markus Leder, Director of OM in Argentina. Praise God, this vision is being realised! Feedback gathered by the team revealed that many Argentinian Jesus followers had little to no idea about Christian mission. To what extent is this to do with our Christian jargon; using words many Jesus followers simply don’t connect with? Leder expects this to be the case; “so first of all, we do not have ‘missions’ written all over the course! We describe the Xplore course as being about ‘God’s Word, God’s world, and God’s work’, which certainly has attracted more interest.”
In 2020 the Xplore course was conducted online twice – once attracting 550 participants, the second time attracting 650 participants – demonstrating a genuine thirst among Latino believers to engage with God’s vision for His world and discover how to share His love in any and every context. Hosted online in partnership with other OM teams and mission agencies, the course was available to believers from across Latin America and captured the attention and inspiration of youth workers and young people, as well as adults. “The course is dedicated to practical ways of being involved in God’s mission, rather than a lot of theory and theology,” Leder explains. “Throughout, we give examples of what OM is doing and of how people can get involved right now.” Participants are clearly inspired to put in to practice and pass on what they’ve discovered through the course. Nearly 100 individuals have since signed up to become mobilisers with OM in Argentina; encouraging others in their spheres of influences to live out the love of Jesus, no matter their location or vocation.
“THE COURSE IS DEDICATED TO PRACTICAL WAYS OF BEING INVOLVED IN GOD’S MISSION, RATHER THAN A LOT OF THEORY AND THEOLOGY” - MARKUS LEDER, OM DIRECTOR IN ARGENTINA
YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED IN MISSION THROUGH OM GAP YEAR This September, OM launched the first Gap Year Challenge hosted in the UK. A group of six young people formed a safe, social bubble and together deepened in faith as they engaged in local mission, whilst growing in knowledge and awareness of global needs through teaching and discipleship. Inspired and equipped, all six are now venturing out in a variety of contexts to share the love of God in communities where He is not known. Do you know a young person who loves Jesus and has a heart to make Him known? Tell them about the Gap Year Challenge starting in April 2021! Visit uk.om.org/gap-year-challenge to find out more.
Praise God that ordinary Jesus followers around the world are being empowered and inspired to share His love!
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