We have the opportunity of being with local congregations in metropolitan areas that are rapidly becoming population hubs in Southeast Asia. As these urban cities continue to grow by leaps and bounds, these mega-cities are becoming microcosms of much larger regions. Many people groups reside in each sprawling metropolis. One can minister to thousands of people from Northeast India without ever venturing beyond Delhi. We are laboring to encourage men who are laboring among the multitudes who surround them in both the urban centers and the city slums.
Pastors who labor in village areas face unique challenges. The local people often cling tenaciously to local culture and can be quick to resist anything they interpret to be a foreign influence. When persecution arises, village congregations may find themselves isolated from assistance that may be more readily available to their brethren in the larger cities. Furthermore, countless villages have yet to be visited by a Gospel messenger. A church established in one village quickly becomes a beacon to neighboring communities.
As the Lord opens doors, we desire to make an impact in both settings ... from the vast mega-cities to the most remote villages. This can only be accomplished by aggressively establishing local churches and continually edifying those local congregations.
