Following Family
Written by Amy Schuett.
Becoming Children of God
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12-13).”
Those who come know Jesus Christ as their Saviour become children of God. Leaving the old life behind, Christians gain a new inheritance into a new family. This is the message that SEND mission workers seek to share with the people of North Macedonia
by the power of the Spirit.
Listening But Not Accepting
Macedonia has two main populations of people: Macedonian Orthodox and Albanian Muslim. There are less than 1% of evangelical Christians in both groups. The culture has open doors and welcoming hearts, but many are still far from knowing Jesus as Saviour.
People are willing to listen to the presentation of the gospel, but few accept it. One mission worker in Macedonia for many years has witnessed this pattern firsthand.
“Having a good conversation and having them accept [the gospel] are two different things,” she says, “It’s not a taboo subject. They don’t find it offensive - but change impacts who you are.”
The battle for soul change is over heritage. Tradition, politics, and background are all strongholds that are hard to overcome.
Change is resisted.
“To be an Albanian in Macedonia is to be Muslim, and there
are
only a dozen or so Albanian Jesus followers
in the whole country. Those who become Christ-followers are considered '
Torbish'
”.
In the same way, only 0.2% of Macedonians are evangelical Christians. Following Jesus in this society means denouncing your identity. This has many serious repercussions.
“Some have family members that have stopped speaking to them or visiting, including parents not visiting their grown children, or brothers and sisters not visiting their siblings’ families ,” she says.
To follow Christ, a person must be willing to give up their earthly family in this country where families are a pillar of society and deeply involved in each other’s lives.
Family members often try to make it difficult for new believers to attend services, Bible studies, etc. Some are threatened, kicked out, or at the very least, made to feel unwelcome.
Joining the Family of God
This however doesn’t stop Christ-followers from sharing the gospel. The people of Macedonia need Jesus.
Many feel the weight of human needs: loneliness, strife, brokenness.
These heart longings transcend the lines of society. Christians have been able to help identify these longings and point thirsty souls to the Living Water of Jesus Christ. Those that do accept Christ, receive a new identity, a new inheritance, and are welcomed into the family of God. When a person accepts Jesus, the church becomes their new family, and it may be all they have.
Pray for Macedonia. Pray for the youth especially, that they will be open to change. Pray that the pull of ethnic heritage, traditions, and family, will no longer prevent people from accepting Christ.
Pray that people will understand their new identity and heritage in Jesus Christ. Finally, pray for perseverance for the mission workers in Macedonia - that
in spite of
these strongholds, they will continue to share the good news of Jesus, and that many will join the family of God.
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?
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