Launching at Denver 2012

Yesterday, I had the privilege of introducing Ethnic Embrace USA to a group of "CityReachers" at the National City Impact Roundtable. Leaders from more than 50 cities from around the USA were in attendance, as a pre-meeting to Denver 2012 Leadership Consultation - the annual Mission America Coalition national convention that brings together denomination and ministry leaders who serve the Body of Christ across our great nation. The Mission America Coalition is the U.S. expression of the Lausanne Movement that was started by Billy Graham in 1974 that seeks to live out and complete the mission Jesus gave us to in reaching the nations with his Good News.

There isn't anything new about reaching the nations among us.Yesterday, I heard some wonderful stories of effective frontline ministry to the nations in our midst. One ministry here in Denver is working with Southeast Asian and African refugees with a unique model. Since many refugees come from agrarian societies, this ministry is helping these people find donated small plots of land for growing vegetables. A few local churches are donating the land for this use, turning lawns that serve little purpose or little used church playgrounds into an effective bridge to build meaningful relationships. But many more are needed and there are many cities with refugees.

One of the resources presented here was developed around the Jesus film. The Jesus Film has been one of, if not, the most effective tool for reaching the unreached globally. Christ for All Peoples is being effective in getting the Jesus Film out to international here in our cities. The power of the Jesus Film is that it speaks in the heart language of the person, having been translated into more than 1100 languages. Over 4 million Jesus Films have been distributed already, in the past few years, and many Muslims, Buddhsts and Hindus have come to Christ. But that is simpy scratching the surface of the more than 32 million diaspora peoples from Unreached places of our world, and the 2 million more that come here annually with little or no knowledge of Jesus.

These are only two of the exciting ministries presented here yesterday in what was a powerful day. The question I asked when I presented Ethnic Embrace USA was this - Do we understand our missional reality today? Of course, I was preaching to the chior because these Cityreaching servants do get it. They understand the times and know what to do. But how many don"t get it yet? Ethnic Embrace USA seeks to move many more people into that such meaningful engaging of the nations in our cities and communities. Starting with 40 days of Prayer for the diasporas we can together mobilize a movement for embracing the nations among us.

Will you help us do so? The Ethnic Embrace USA ebook is free to share widely. Let's mobilize!