75 Years of Engaging the Unreached
SEND International was started as Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC) shortly after World War II by a group of young men and women. Many were soldiers who, burdened for the spiritual needs of Filipinos and Japanese, returned to Asia after the war as missionaries. The vision was to reach the lost in the Pacific Rim which was recently war-torn and broken.
FEGC focused on evangelism and discipleship, with an emphasis on leadership development so that one day the indigenous church could lead the local work.
New Opportunities and New Churches
The early years of FEGC were marked by church-planting growth and expansion, as well as helping to establish new schools for Missionary Kids in Asia. In the 1970’s, God introduced new opportunities to work collaboratively with others of like mind. FEGC joined with Central Alaskan Mission, expanding the work to include Alaska and Northern Canada.
In 1981, the organization took on its new name, SEND International, based on John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
The scope of ministry continued to grow over the next two decades as SEND expanded ministry into other Asian countries. This continued in Spain and Eastern Europe when countries behind the Iron Curtain began to open up to mission work. The gospel was proclaimed, and new churches were started!
A Beautiful Mosaic
As newly-planted churches matured, the believers’ desire to send out their own missionaries grew. What a joy to work with believers sent out from churches planted by SEND missionaries! Today our multi-national teams are rich in culture, gifts, and experience, reflecting the global Body of Christ.
This beautiful mosaic continues to grow and includes workers from Europe and Latin America. All of this has led to the opening of new ministries and redeployment of missionaries and resources to continue engaging unreached people groups.
Today God continues to faithfully lead SEND into new opportunities. Recent examples include Business as Mission (BAM), and outreach to Diaspora and refugee communities in North America and abroad. Wherever SEND missionaries are serving, our goal is the same: to be the presence of Jesus and bring the message of Jesus.
The gospel is being proclaimed, churches are being planted, and local leaders are being trained and equipped.
Pressing Forward
What’s ahead for SEND? Our International Director, Warren Janzen, is optimistic about God’s plan to advance His work through SEND! With faith in God’s direction and provision, Warren is leading the vision of deeper collaboration with other agencies, increased mobilization of non-North American workers, and courageous innovation in these changing times.
As we look back and reflect, we thank God for all He has done through SEND over 75 years. He has been faithful!
Now, in our generation, we press forward with eager expectation as He continues His work to reach the nations!
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
