Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

‘In our backyard’: God’s impact among the diaspora

  • December 9, 2022
  • International Mission Board
  • Arkansas, Featured, International Mission Board, Latest News, Missions
Ben Coulter, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Magnolia, Arkansas, prays over college students. The Coulters hosted a graduation party for international students at Southern Arkansas University. Fewer than 1% of Uzbeks in Uzbekistan claim Jesus as their Savior. Because of this statistic, Immanuel Baptist Church has committed to working with Uzbeks in Arkansas.
(IMB Photo)

‘In our backyard’: God’s impact among the diaspora

WEEK OF PRAYER —  December 4–11 kicks off the season of the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. This year’s offering has a national goal of $196 million. The offering supports the work of 3,550 International Mission Board missionaries around the world. One hundred percent of all funds given to LMCO goes straight to missionaries who are making disciples and multiplying churches among unreached people groups. 

Bibles lay open amid the food wrappers on the fast-food restaurant table. The two men sat quietly discussing a key concept in Christianity — Jesus rising from the dead.

“WHAT? NO WAY!” the college student from Uzbekistan exclaimed and grabbed one of the Bibles. “Did he fly or something?”

Ben Coulter, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Magnolia, Arkansas, stifled a chuckle and explained Jesus’ resurrection. The excitement on Alex Pokusaev’s face showed he understood. The next Sunday, the Southern Arkansas University international student chose to follow Jesus.

The decision was not made on a whim. Alex spent months asking Ben and anyone else at the church question after question. He explained that as an international student 7,000 miles away from home, he was curious about everything. It was all new.

“I didn’t grow up with any beliefs,” Alex said, noting that he was baptized in the Russian Orthodox church by his father while his mother was a nominal Muslim.

Most at Immanuel Baptist Church had never heard of Uzbekistan. As the college student shared about his homeland, members of the congregation began to love Uzbeks. Fewer than 1% in his home country claim Jesus as their Savior. Their hearts broke as Alex asked, “What happens to those who have never heard of Jesus?”

Spurred to action

That question spurred the church to action. They committed to working with Uzbeks in Arkansas. The Arkansas Baptist State Convention works in conjunction with the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board to reach diaspora people groups within the United States. Diaspora means the movement, migration, settlement or scattering of people away from their indigenous homeland. Immanuel Baptist Church strategically engaged diaspora groups by reaching out to internationals in their community.

But, they wanted more. They sent a team to New York where more than 100,000 Uzbeks live.

“God gave us a heart for Uzbekistan. Alex had been in the United States for multiple years. No one ever sat down and explained the gospel to him before coming here,” Ben said. “Our church realized God was bringing unreached people groups to us … not just Arkansas but the United States.”

Burden for the nations

As the Arkansans came out of the New York subway and surfaced on the streets of Brighton Beach for the first time, they didn’t hear much English. The smells from food stalls and restaurants were unfamiliar. It was international missions without leaving the U.S.

“What started out as reaching an Uzbek student in our backyard, turned into a burden for an entire nation,” Ben said. “How many Uzbeks don’t know Jesus rose from the dead? We need to do something about it.”

How to pray

Here are some ways to pray:

Thank God for Southern Baptists’ desire to reach the nations coming to the U.S.

Ask God how you can respond to the need to reach the diaspora in your community with the gospel.

Pray for Alex and his spiritual growth so that many more can know the truth of Jesus.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written and originally published by the International Mission Board.

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Ministers’ tax guide released by GuideStone
    Ministers’ tax guide released by GuideStone
    January 31, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Pastor kidnapped, slain in northeast Nigeria; 2 other Christians killed in Delta region
    Pastor kidnapped, slain in northeast Nigeria; 2 other Christians killed in Delta region
    January 31, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • ‘Scars from our past’ are opportunity for NC family to share freedom with others
    ‘Scars from our past’ are opportunity for NC family to share freedom with others
    January 31, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Ministers’ tax guide released by GuideStone

GuideStone Financial Resources has released its most popular annual publication, the 2023 Ministers’ Tax Guide for 2022 Returns, available now for GuideStone members at GuideStone.org/TaxGuide.

Pastor kidnapped, slain in northeast Nigeria; 2 other Christians killed in Delta region

A church pastor in northeast Nigeria was slain on Jan. 26, and anti-Christian violence continued to grow in the southern part of the country with

‘Scars from our past’ are opportunity for NC family to share freedom with others

Dayna and Zeb Cook’s story is one that they deem similar to most — one marked by beauty that only God could make from ashes.

NM missions team partners with IMB missionaries in Brazil

Assisting a small Brazilian church, a team of New Mexicans shared the gospel, trained church members in evangelism and helped the congregation host a recent

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel