(Curt & Bonnie Jones)

Curt and Bonnie Jones began their married life thinking that one day they might be missionaries. In the meantime, they served in the pastorate here in the U.S. Eventually the Lord led them into full-time missions work, and they allied with the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. Curt is ABWE’s regional administrator for East Asia.

Curt began his session by sharing from Ephesians 1:18–21—the hope of God’s calling, the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power. He sees four words that describe God’s power: power (dynamite), working (energy), strength (dominion, greatness), and might (inherent strength and ability).

He then talked about the disparity between where huge populations live and where Western missionaries typically minister. Two thirds of the world’s population live in the 10-40 window, and 90 percent of them are unreached by an effective gospel witness. But less than 10 percent of the U.S. missions force works in that “window,” where the religious majority are Muslim and the rest are, for the most part, Hindu or Buddhist.

Curt talked about the people groups they minister with and to and about the three kinds of churches in China, the growth of the Body of Christ in China, and various ministries open to Americans, who cannot enter the country as missionaries per se. He pointed out that Americans can bring resources, experience, oversight, training, and contemporary ideas to national believers, who have the advantages of knowing the language and culture, access, relationships, and vision.

Curt says, “God has used persecution to make the Chinese church what it is today. . . . Most Chinese believers recognize the value of persecution.” Curt quoted a Chinese believer who said, “We are not only ready to die for the gospel, we are expecting it.”

Other Posts from the 2012 Mission Conference:

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