Stories from the Field: Seed, Sower, & Harvest

This post comes from a personal interview with an STN Outreach Team Member. 

Chris* and Mr. A struck up a conversation during a going-away party for Chris's team, who had spent their time in Asia working with students of all ages who wanted to learn English as a second language. This program, put into place by long-term missionaries, provided Mr. A with his first chance to hear the name of Jesus and plant the seed of salvation in his heart.

Mr. A lost his wife in a car accident several years ago, and his children are grown and some live in the U.S.. Like so many others in this particular Asian country, Mr. A's heart was wrapped up in Buddhism, hopelessness, and loneliness. Because the seed had been planted by the career missionaries, Chris nurtured it as he went to a deeper level in his communication with Mr. A that evening and for months over email after Chris returned home. Through their time of continued communication, Mr. A found that he clearly understood the purpose of Christ's death: the grace, mercy, hope, and freedom that he had never known came into view.  The Gospel showed Mr. A that he could not only have peace in this life but that he also has an eternal purpose.

 Through this time of personal discipleship, Mr. A finally surrendered to the hope and encouragement he had experienced. He surrendered to Christ. Mr. A is so full of joy, and he shares his new faith with his family. We share this harvest with those career missionaries, who planted the seed, and the local churches that will continue to disciple people like Mr. A. We share it with those who write literature and create films like the Jesus Film. We also share it with you, our partners and donors, who continually support efforts to bring the children of Christ back into His Kingdom. We thank you, and we know that we will all rejoice together in Heaven!

 ^"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.'" 1st Corinthians 1:30 & 31







*Name changed to maintain security and protection of our School to the Nations team member

Lifting the Fog: A New Field in Southeast Asia

A new adventure and a new day are beginning for School to the Nations as we live out our mission statement to “Penetrate the final frontiers for the glory of Jesus by mobilizing the next generation to the Nations.” Recently, we sent a group of twelve people to Asia for two purposes, one to work with University Students and two to explore a new mission field in L country. Three of our leadership staff, partnering with the IMB traveled into this country in order to find possible inroads for future efforts to penetrate the unengaged, unreached people in this region. They were told that they were the first Caucasians that these people had ever seen! We believe that these are God-ordained relationships with the people here and our team was captivated by the surreal environment they experienced:

“Nestled on the side of a mountain in the extreme upper highlands, is a long house, living in this house are precious people created in the image of God. Shut off completely to any knowledge of God and the access to even hearing of the mercy of their Creator found in Jesus. These people live in fear and seek to appease the spirits and because of some communist ideology, extreme mountainous terrain, animistic worldview, and Buddhism permeating every aspect of their lives a fog covers their eyes that must be lifted, much like the fog rises each morning from the valleys.”

Our team was successful in creating lasting relationships with key figures in this region and potential creative access inroads with the government. The future is hopeful, as this new field has opened up! During their visit they came in contact with two specific unengaged people groups that we will identify as "the mountain people." Both of these people groups are in desperate need of the Gospel, and School to the Nations along with a local church are fully engaged into a strategic long-term church planting movement among these precious people.

In the midst of the first contact they were able to clearly see the governing hand of God by giving them favor with key contacts and government approval to be in this region, something that cannot be handled carelessly. We must be as strategic and as creative as we have ever been to continue a healthy relationship with those in L country. So where do we go from here?

As with any unengaged, unreached people group the mountain people will not be reached unless the church marshals a strong prayer strategy. We, the body of Christ, the church must pray that the fog that blurs their spiritual eyes be lifted, and only by the power of the Cross. Missions among the unengaged and unreached are more about prayer than they are about strategy; prayer produces strategy, but prayer must supersede all efforts.

Will you join School to the Nations in praying Ephesians 1:18, as we begin a prayer movement for the mountain people in L country?

 “I pray that the eyes of you heart will be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his  glorious inheritance in his holy people and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV

**For more on what an “unengaged & unreached” people group is, read this article from the latest issue of Mission Frontier: “The Most Abomidable “Word”.”

Thanks to Remington's!

Faced with a difficult decision to move International Day inside this year due to potential rain, the leadership team decided to move forward and avoid missing the chance to welcome international students by moving the event indoors to Remington's in Springfield, Mo. 

We cannot express enough gratitude to Geoff Steele and his crew for opening up the building on such short notice and displaying the heart and soul of Remington's in fostering an environment that promotes relational evangelism. "We don't have scripture stenciled on the wall, or tracts in the lobby.  We believe Jesus clearly modeled a servant existence, and if our mission is to be like Him, we MUST serve," said Geoff Steele, Venue Manager at Remington's. 

Geoff and his wife, Joy Bilyeu-Steele, together with their son Cameron (Assistant Venue Manager) and a large pool of what they call 'Essential Personnel' (volunteers) worked hard to prepare the building so that our International Day team could come in and make the building their own for this event. Not only does doing this have a huge impact on the local community, but for this specific event, a huge impact on people around the world. 

"We consider it a privilege, impacting students from across the globe, particularly as they first come to Springfield, was a tremendous privilege.  We also recognize all organizations and ministries are not created equal - some operate at higher levels of integrity than others.  The School to the Nations staff is well known to Cameron and I - and we knew it would work if given the chance." -Geoff Steele   

What an amazing group of people, dedicated to using the resources given to them, to make such a large impact on such a diverse group of organizations that utilize Remington's. Just a week before International Day they had hosted hundreds of local leaders in the Global Leadership Summit, a web conference hosted by Willow Creek out of Chicago. In less than a month they will host a huge consignment sale, Just Between Friends,  at which hundreds of local families shop and sell twice a year.

All this to say, at the heart of Remington's, is a desire to "provide a place for community organizations to  reach a greater level of effectiveness, profitability, and excellence," or in our case a DRY place to host hundreds of international students, and welcome them into our community.

Thank you Geoff, Joy, Cameron, and the rest of the crew for your incredible hearts to partner with us in welcoming and loving students from around the world, and in doing so, carrying out God's commission to "go into all the world..." (Matt. 28:19) 

Remington's is a ministry out of Ridgecrest Baptist Church. The church acquired the property in 2004.

For more information visit their website: www.remingtons.tv

Real Encounter: Taking the Gospel on Wheels

One of our core values at School the Nations is Biblical Partnerships. We are acutely aware of the importance of not just functioning as a single ministry, but instead coming along side other ministries and organizations who are also following the call to take the name of Jesus into all parts of the world. 


We spent some time this week with a group from Real Encounter  who are preparing for a trip to North Africa. The guys from Real Encounter present such a clear picture of how we each have unique gifts that can be used to bring glory to God among the nations. This team will travel overseas and once there, travel on BMX bikes into remote areas of Northern Africa sharing the Gospel along the way, literally taking the Gospel on wheels. 


After completing our Missiological Training course, this team is equipped and excited about all that God has in store for them as they travel and we are so honored to partner with them along with the International Mission Board. 


Join us in prayer for Real Encounter and for this team as they prepare to leave in September. May God richly bless each individual and the families they represent. May they be used to see many come to Christ in North Africa, and may all the glory and praise be given to Jesus, the "Author and Perfecter of our faith..."(Hebrews 12:1).


For more about Real Encounter click here!

Biblical Partnerships: Raising up the Next Generation of Missions Leaders

School to the Nations is honored and excited when the opportunity comes to train young people on our Home Base Campus. We see the importance of raising up young men and women with a global perspective and a heart to serve ALL people.

Recently we were able to host students from two area churches and are excited to share that experience in hopes that we will continue to see churches encouraging their students to gain a global vision and a heart for missions across our world.

On July 11th, fifteen students from East Sunshine Church of Christ  in Springfield came out and volunteered on our grounds. They were a huge help in completing some maintenance work on our Kelunka Tribal Village and we are so thankful for their hearts and willingness to partner with STN in this way.

Following that, on July 12th, 184 students from Northpoint Church in Springfield took part in a variety of things including working on our Extreme Adventure Challenge Course and took part in a missions awareness event including the Prayer Trail where they were introduced to different unreached people groups and spent time in prayer for each group. We are thankful for churches like Northpoint who are building global missions awareness into the DNA of their student ministries.

Praise the Lord for each student and leader that came out and took part in advancing God's Kingdom into the unreached places of the world!

Convoy of Hope Interns: Biblical Partnerships

Last week School to the Nations had the privilege of hosting 25 interns from Convoy of Hope. These interns, all college students, are from all over the U.S. and are currently in Haiti now serving for Convoy of Hope on a short-term trip. While the team was here they went through our Kelunka Tribal Village Training, Missiology Training, Cross-Cultural Training, and our Extreme Adventure Challenge Course to build team dynamics and unity. 


Part of our calling as a missions organization is to build Biblical Partnerships with organizations and churches who are also following the call to global missions, organizations like Convoy of Hope. This team of interns experienced every aspect of mission training and we are excited to partner with them as they spend their summer serving.  


Join us in praying for these interns throughout the summer, especially as they are working in Haiti. May God use the knowledge and experience they gained here at School to the Nations to advance the Gospel to all the un-reached people across the globe. To God be the Glory! 

Stay Updated with the Interns all summer! 

 Twitter: http://twitter.com/COHInterns 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cohinterns