The Northwest region of the United States is one of the world’s great mission fields. With weekly church attendance of four percent, the Northwest approximates China in percentage of weekly worshipers.
Northwest corporations like Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Nike, Intel and Starbucks have changed the world. With over 100 university and college campuses, students from dozens of nations are educated in the Northwest. Reaching the Northwest with the good news of Jesus Christ has worldwide impact!
While a great mission field, God is at work in the Northwest. On June 15, four Northwest Baptists were commissioned as international missionaries by the International Mission Board (IMB). Four others started IMB missionary service this spring.
Even with the Covid-19 pandemic, 15 new churches have launched in the past 10 months. These churches worship in English, Swahili, Mandarin, Korean and Spanish. No other network of churches has penetrated Northwest peoples as much as NWBC churches have. The number of NWBC affiliated churches has grown by 50 percent in the past 25 years, to over 500 churches worshiping in 27 languages. And with some of the fastest growing towns in the nation in the Northwest, there is so much more to do.
Northwest Baptists are calling upon churches beyond the Northwest to partner with us in reaching our mission field, a field in which the largest “religious group” is the “Nones,” meaning they have no religious identity.
How can churches outside the Northwest advance the Great Commission in the Northwest? Consider these ways:
* Send pastors. Our greatest need is for God-called pastors and evangelists, especially bi-vocational pastors who are evangelistic, disciple-making, Bible-teaching pastors. Pastors with a missionary gifting are especially needed because the Northwest is not like the South.
* Send mission teams for long-term and short-term mission service. Every job opportunity in the other 47 states is available in our 3 states.
* Provide financial resources. Mission’s requires financial resources for evangelism, leadership development, and church starting through the NWBC. We need mission partners to continue growing Great Commission ministry in the Northwest.
* Advocate for NWBC Missions. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Join with us, and spread the news to your friends, that the Northwest is a great place to do missions and the NWBC is a great mission partner.
* Pray for Mission Northwest. Pray that God will do exceedingly more than all we can ask or imagine, according to His power, that He be glorified in our churches and in all of the work that we do.
How do I become a Northwest Baptist Mission Partner?
If you are an NWBC church, you’re already a partner. If you’re not an NWBC church, contact us and let’s begin a dialogue as to how your partnership with us might develop. I would personally enjoy visiting with you. You can call or email (radams@nwbaptist.org) and together we can discuss what role God might have you play in reaching the Northwest with the message of Jesus Christ.
It is a good day to serve the Lord in the Northwest!