Uniting to Reach the Unreached

Daring Faith is our church’s three-year mission to accomplish five F.A.I.T.H. goals.

During the month of February, we continued to work with leaders to fulfill our “H” initiative in helping to reach the last 3,000 tribes on earth. Several of our staff and members headed to Rwanda for a pastors’ training conference to continue the final frontier project of our global PEACE Plan.

Our team joined church leaders from all over Africa who share our vision of planting churches and transforming lives. Represented at the conference were 17 African countries and 17 churches from the United States. Through the Purpose Driven Church strategy, we are able to build healthy, balanced churches to take the Good News to unreached people groups.

Spearheading the Rwandan conference were Saddleback Pastors David Chrzan and Mike Constantz. Over 100 leaders came together to learn how Rwanda is becoming a Purpose Driven nation. The conference offered insight on the process and values for International Partner Churches (IPC) to take the next step in their own countries.

“To become an IPC, churches must share in the vision,” says David, who is head of Global Purpose Driven efforts. “This nationwide movement is transforming lives in communities and planting churches where none exist.”

To date, nearly 2,000 of our own members have traveled to Rwanda in a massive effort to mobilize millions of Christians to combat the global giants. In the process, thousands of lives were transformed both locally and globally. This movement to make Rwanda the first Purpose Driven nation and a model of the PEACE Plan is far from over. We still need global leaders, constant prayer, and your sacrificial giving to accomplish this Daring Faith mission.

According to Mike, head of Global PEACE, the goal is to have 16 countries launched by 2017, with Rwanda being a model for other nations. “The largest number of unreached people groups are in Africa—more than India and China. Working with Rwanda and church leaders is a huge first step.”

 God’s hand has been in the F.A.I.T.H. goals every step of the way. The receptivity of both African and American churches has been better than anticipated. David adds, “When you hear pastors say, ‘Thank you for what you’ve shared. It has changed the way I preach, the way I lead, and the way our church worships,’ you really see God’s impact on so many levels.”

Clearly, God is strengthening our relationship with Rwanda in helping them become a Purpose Driven nation. This past week, our very own Pastor of Missions, Andrew Lossau, was the keynote speaker at the 14th Annual Rwanda Prayer Banquet in Washington, D.C. There he took center stage with Rwandan delegates and distinguished guests, including the Ambassador of Rwanda. Together they prayed that the country would be transformed by God.

Across the world, pastors, members, and leaders are catching the vision. “Someday, every people group will have heard the message of God’s love,” says Mike. “That is a fulfillment that the church has been waiting for over 2,000 years.”

Please keep this Daring Faith goal at the forefront of your prayers as our leaders commit to a long-term partnership with local churches.

To learn more, visit saddleback.com/daringfaith.