No Closed Countries

Posted on July 29, 2020

More than 30 years ago, the missiologist Ralph Winter wrote a piece on the “myth of closed countries.” Winter, who passed away in 2009, was a well-traveled academic with a strong commitment to spreading the gospel worldwide. Winter suggested that the expression “closed country” was a very Western way of looking at the world—and it wasn’t accurate. The countries we typically think of as “closed” might be closed to Americans, but not to the whole world.

What we are seeing right before our very eyes today is that there are no closed countries. Because of Global Action’s commitment to equipping non-Western leaders in their cultural contexts, trained pastors are already present in hard places!

Just yesterday, our regional director of South Asia shared he has worked with over 50 graduates of our program to provide food and emergency care to more than 650 families in India this summer who have been devastated by COVID-19. And while these leaders are giving away food, they are also sharing the Good News that Jesus came to give hope that lasts forever.

There are places in the world we cannot go right now. In many ways, the world is “closed” to us. But it is not closed to the gospel! Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting our team in the midst of this pandemic. Because of you, we are are preaching the Good News to the poor and changing lives forever. If you still want to participate in our Love Mercy initiative, your gift will be used to equip local leaders with the resources they need to remain faithful in their work.

The borders may be closed—but the gospel continues to spread. Isn’t our God amazing?