The Mission at Our Doorstep

As global migration continues to rise, the mission field is no longer solely overseas. God is bringing people from every nation, culture, and language into our communities, giving believers unique opportunities to share the hope the gospel brings close to home.

In his Monday seminar, Home for All Nations: A Divine Strategy, Scott Griswold, associate director of ASAP Ministries, shared a compelling reminder that the gospel must be more than something we know; it must be integrated into our daily lives. While the church continues to plant churches and witness around the world, millions remain unreached. In fact, 67 countries are still considered unreached by the gospel message. Yet in the United States, we are greatly blessed to have easy access to God’s Word and countless spiritual resources.

Griswold emphasized that the hope we have in Christ is not meant to be kept to ourselves. It is a hope for a better future, one that needs to be shared with those who have never heard it. God desires to save His children, and He will do all He can to reach them. The harvest, as Scripture reminds us, is truly ripe for harvest.

Just as Jesus instructed His disciples to witness not only in Jerusalem, but beyond their homeland, He also calls us to look outside of our comfort zones. The disciples were empowered through the gift of tongues to reach surrounding nations, and God still empowers His people today. Even when we feel inadequate, He equips us to share His message across cultures and languages.

Through God’s providence, immigrants, refugees, and international students are living in our communities, creating unprecedented opportunities to share the gospel with people who may eventually carry that message back to their home countries.

One practical resource mentioned was My Language My Life (mlml.org), which provides Seventh-day Adventist resources in more than 180 languages, along with access to the Bible and Jesus movie in 2,000 languages.

Griswold encouraged attendees to begin with simple acts of kindness: greeting neighbors who are new to the United States, welcoming them, and building genuine friendships. This need is especially urgent among international students, over 80% of whom return home without ever making a friend or stepping into a church.

The mission field may be closer than we realize. God has brought the nations to our very doors.

—Natalie Sissac