{"id":1726,"date":"2017-12-22T17:37:08","date_gmt":"2017-12-23T00:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.asiamissions.net\/?p=1726"},"modified":"2018-09-08T23:59:31","modified_gmt":"2018-09-09T06:59:31","slug":"ministry-report-frontiers-philippines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ewcenter.org\/?p=1726","title":{"rendered":"MINISTRY REPORT: Frontiers Philippines"},"content":{"rendered":"

GOING WITH GOD TO THE FRONTIERS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

God\u2019s work for us today is towards the many, large people\u2019s groups who are still unengaged (a population where there is no viable, sustainable gospel witness in their midst) because very few are willing to go and proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Thirty five years ago, Frontiers became one of the first international organizations solely focused on sharing the love of Jesus to unengaged Muslims. Frontiers Philippines (started in 2002), currently has more than twenty five frontiers workers serving in Indonesia, Thailand, and Pakistan. We serve together with Filipino churches by mobilizing, training, sending, and equipping teams of ordinary men and women, with extraordinary passion for sharing God\u2019s love to Muslims. Starting 2016 we aim for \u201c555\u201d before 2018 ends. That is, mobilizing Filipino communities to send 5 couples, 5 singles to at least 5 unengaged people groups in our three focused countries, adding India and the Middle East.
\nThree commitments need to be prioritized: #1: followers of Jesus committing to persistent prayers for the \u201cunengaged,\u201d#2: followers of Jesus obeying Him to disciple people groups, and #3: Christ-communities coming alongside each other to send and sustain teams of disciplemakers.
\nIn over twelve years of our participation in God\u2019s frontiers, we could share stories of families who have become followers of the mighty-to-save God: in remote mud-houses in Central Asia, in pleasant villages of Southeast Asia, even in marginalized barangays in our own country. Stories of unheralded Christ-followers blossoming and blessing, these call for joyful thanksgiving!
\nBut alongside these, we ought to remain focused and resilient in heeding this command: \u201cTherefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1st Corinthians 15:58).\u201d
\nFollowing Jesus\u2019 example of doing God\u2019s work, He never stopped proclaiming God\u2019s Kingdom as Good News to the nearby towns and the nexts (Mark 1:38, Luke 4:34). Even when He was rejected in His own hometown, He never lost sight or wane the clear purpose and passion to bless people\u2019s lives for God\u2019s glory. What He calls us to do, He does with us by His Spirit. And so we are called to be His teams and communities of faith that could thrive amidst rapidly changing global scenarios. Steadily taking the Good News with our lives to those who are not members (yet). As what William Temple (theologian in 1940\u2019s) said: \u201cThe church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.\u201d Intentionally reaching out to draw people in, passionately sharing rather than hoarding this Good News with which we have been entrusted. This is the Church Jesus has started and keeps on building.
\nThe resurrected Jesus\u2019 last command before His ascension to heaven (Matthew 28:18-20): \u201cGo and make disciples of all nations\u2026\u201d was and remains to be our most important, most urgent Great Commission. As Jesus was leaving the disciples, He did not engage in a group hug, rather He commanded them to go out and God draws others in (Mark 1:17, Luke 5:10, Matthew 4:19). He promises to come back after all His followers through generational \u201cdisciplemaking\u201d are gathered, then we shall all be with Him forever (John 17:6-24, 1st Thessalonians 4:13-17, Revelation 5:9).
\nOne of God\u2019s prophets Malachi (3:16, 17a) ended his recorded discourse with these instructive and inspiring words: \u201cThose who had respect for the Lord talked with one another. And the Lord heard them. A list of people and what they did was written in a book in front of him. It included the names of those who respected the Lord and honored Him. \u2018The day is coming when I will judge,\u2019 says the Lord who rules over all. \u2018On that day they will be my special treasure.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

WHO IS FRONTIERS?<\/strong>
\nFrontiers is an international, nonprofit organization with a passion to glorify God among the Muslims by sharing the Good News, discipling and forming self-sustaining communities, that will lead to growth and reproduction. Our purpose is \u201cWith love and respect, inviting all Muslims to follow Jesus.\u201d
\nOur vision is to inspire transformational movements within unengaged Muslim communities by sending teams to catalyze change, because even the most uncharted frontiers need Jesus as Saviour and Lord.<\/p>\n

WHY MUSLIMS?<\/strong>
\nSimply put, because it\u2019s their turn now! There is one Muslim out of almost four persons in the world (23.4%, according to Joshua Project). Yet there are less than 1% of Christ-followers living among Muslims to testify of Him. There are fewer than four cross-cultural workers for every one million Muslims. Many Muslims have neither met a Christ-follower nor heard of the Good News in Jesus – His life, death and resurrection.
\nFrontiers\u2019 founder, Greg Livingstone saw it not just a quantitative challenge but also a heart\u2019s issue. Greg realized that there was no agency intentional enough on making Christ\u2019 disciples and communities among our world\u2019s major unreached, unengaged people groups. Now over 1.7 billion Muslims, with 3,001 unreached people groups need to hear, respond and follow Jesus for their blessing. So Greg and Frontiers see the need for exclusive focus till now.<\/p>\n

WHAT FRONTIERS DOES?<\/strong>
\nIn obedience to God\u2019s calling and in partnership with communities and individuals, Frontiers members are committed to live and serve among unengaged Muslim people groups. We engage in business, community development and other service capacities. Whatever needs to be done, whatever it takes to be Christ\u2019 witnesses. By leveraging our experience and the leaders we\u2019ve recruited, trained and sent, we are seeing dramatic transformations within Muslim communities. To date, Frontiers\u2019 teams have a presence among specific Muslim people groups. There is a significant reduction in the number of unreached and unengaged Muslim people groups in our time, but there is still much work to be done. Because God is moving and blessing, momentum is building! Yet it\u2019s too soon to celebrate, and too soon to quit.
\nWhy Share Jesus with all peoples, including Muslims? Here are some initial reasons:<\/p>\n