Fill the Window
“I long to see every community of the 60/70 window filled with local disciple-makers.
Growing up, I remember when missionaries visited our church. While these people came from many different places and ministered in vastly different communities, there were a few things they all had in common. They all were happy to be with us, yet seemed somewhat awkward and uncomfortable in our church. They all were very generous with their time and whatever they had, even if they didn’t have much. They all had stories that captivated my imagination and pointed out the sovereignty of God- from harrowing plane rides to confrontations with people that were antagonistic to the Gospel, to the unique and disgusting things they’d learned to call food in their new home. Most importantly, they all loved Jesus. They loved Jesus with a depth I hadn’t experienced and saw few examples of in the church I was a part of. Now that I’ve experienced missionary life myself for some years, it’s interesting to look back on those first impressions I had of missionaries and their work.
When I first felt God’s call to missions in my life, I definitely had a romanticized vision of missionary life in my mind. I envisioned “boldly going where no man had gone before,” of being out on the front lines of ministry, in a small, remote, difficult to access community. Having to fly in a bush plane or travel by dugout canoe was an essential element to the picture I had in mind. Then my family and I moved to one of those remote communities. It was a harsh reality. Nothing I experienced fit my idealized vision. Yet God sustained us in that community for 11 years, and we came to love the people and the place deeply. God drew us closer to Himself than we ever would have been able to grow otherwise. I came to understand that the reason the missionaries I met in childhood loved Jesus so much is that they’d come to a place in their lives where He was all they had. And they found Him to be enough. We began to experience Him that way as well.
God also taught me a couple of other valuable lessons during that time that has come to shape our ministry moving forward.
First, God shattered my perception that missions was best done by independent lone rangers, those willing to go it alone, pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and “boldly go.” This was the pattern of missionary work for a generation. And it was wrong. God never intended us to go it alone. Needing one another is not a sign of lack of faith, it’s proof that God created us for a relationship, just as He has eternally existed in perfect relationship with Himself - Father, Spirit, and Son. This is why SEND is so committed to ministry teams. We find team members in our other regional SEND missionaries. But we also seek and find team in local Christian leaders, in disciples who are making disciples, and in the local church, if one exists. We need each other to see the church grow, expand, and be healthy. SEND gets that, and is committed to it as a core principle.
Second, God opened my eyes to the harvest field. What I mean is this - I had requirements of a mission field, that it be remote, isolated, small, and difficult to reach. But God calls us to reach people, not geographic locations. The reality we’re experiencing in the North is that the mission field is becoming regionalized.
People are moving out of the villages and into hub communities. As an example, in the 11 years we lived in the village, the population decreased from 250 to around 200. Meanwhile, hub communities are growing. If God is calling us to share and show His love to people (and He is), then we must have a strategic presence in the hub communities of the North. The hub communities are where the greatest concentration of people - those for whom Christ came and died - are. It’s where they conduct business. It’s where they shop. It’s where they receive medical services. And, increasingly, it’s where they live. We must be committed to being where the people are. Today, my wife and I live and serve in a regional hub community. We team together not just with other SEND missionaries, but also with the local church.
And we long for and work toward, the day when our little corner of the 60/70 window is filled with local disciple-makers.”
-A SEND North Team Member
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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