Stories from the Field

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” -2 Corinthians 9:15

The true story of Christmas is not unfamiliar to many of us. It can be hard to remember that billions of people worldwide have never read the Bible or heard the Good News about the birth of Jesus--God's only son. He came to earth, died on the cross for our sins, overcame death and the grave, and gave us eternal hope. And this is no less the case where we work in Eastern Europe. Only 3.6% of people in Ukraine, 4.7% in Moldova, and less than 1% in Transnistria are evangelical believers (Joshua Project, 2023).

The message of the Bible points to a God who is living and active, and whose ongoing desire is to have a personal relationship with each of us. And God wants this story of His indescribable gift of salvation shared. Our ministry partners on the ground in Eastern Europe are actively doing just that! While meeting the needs of people with practical help is a worthy cause, our partners know there is no better gift to share than the Good News of Jesus.

But God is not just involving pastors and missionaries in telling His story. He also wants you to share it! We can see this example throughout the Bible.

On the first Christmas, angels appeared in the skies telling the shepherds about the coming of the Savior. They responded by going and seeing this baby and then letting others know what they learned (Luke 2:8-20). In the Gospel of Mark, we read about a demon-possessed man Jesus healed. The man then asked to travel with Jesus. Instead, Jesus responded, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19). This theme and call to action continues when Jesus said to his followers "go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

So why not join them? The holidays are a special time to tell God’s story. Just as the first disciples were called by Jesus to be “fishers of men,” we too can redeem the time this season through simple obedience to share the Good News with others (Matthew 4:19). All the holiday activities provide opportunities to invite family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and others to hear the real reasons for Christmas. Why? Because the gift of hope in Jesus and the salvation He offers is worth sharing.

Consider sharing the Good News of Jesus with people in Eastern Europe through a special gift this Christmas or by supporting our mission monthly.