By Nicole Yeomans, Missionary to The Philippines

This post was originally published in the 2016 Spring issue of the GB Messenger. Don’t receive the Messenger? You can always catch the latest digital issue on the Messenger website, www.gbMessenger.org

Romans 10:14 tells us “But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?”

I can still remember the exact moment that someone posed the question to me for the first time, “but what about those that have never heard the Gospel, will they go to heaven?” I stood looking at them like a deer in headlights and my life was forever changed.  I spent  the next 4 years at Welch College, studying the Bible, missions and Christian Education. It is there that I met my husband, Kris, who was also studying missions. God had placed a call to missions in both of our hearts.

Romans 10:14-15 continues by saying, “And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent?”

We believe very deeply that God has called us to make His name known among the unreached peoples of this Earth, to share Jesus with those who have never heard, to be intentional in our relationships with the purpose of sharing Jesus and to make disciples as we go where God leads us.

What does that look like for our family in the very near future? Until now, our involvement with missions has been leading short-term mission trips to some of the most unreached parts of the world, including Niger, West Africa.

In 2016 we will move with our two daughters, Emily (10) and Eden (4), to the Philippines for a two-year assignment for additional experience in Muslim outreach. We have been approved to share an amazing opportunity in the Philippines by assisting General Baptist International Ministries, the General Baptist Bible College, the General Baptist Church of the Philippines and the Matigsalug  Bible Institute in developing programs of effective Muslim outreach within the Philippines and beyond its borders.

Now, like never before in history, Muslims are turning to Jesus as their Savior! We as Christians have an opportunity to share Christ with our Muslim neighbors as God brings them to our doorsteps. We are able to reach them in ways that were never possible in their home countries. Also, General Baptists have a unique opportunity in the Philippines to partner with our Filipino brothers and sisters in Christ and to train them to not only share Christ with their Muslim neighbors, but also share Christ as they are going as Overseas Filipino Workers.

Look at a map. Find the Philippines. Now look down just a little and maybe to the left and you will find Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim population in a single country. Filipino Christians have the opportunity to reach their Muslim neighbors in Indonesia, and in surrounding countries, all without the requirement of a travel visa.

In 2013, there were 2.3 million Overseas Filipino Workers. The most preferred country of destination for OFW’s in 2013 was Saudi Arabia! Saudi Arabia: birthplace of Arabic, sometimes called the “home of Islam”, where the cities of Mecca and Medina are found, where Muhammad lived and died and millions of Muslims visit for Hajj and march around the Ka’aba, and a country where you and I can only dream of going into – this is the place that houses around 1.5 million overseas Filipino workers! What an amazing opportunity we have to train the OFWs to be intentional about sharing Christ as they are going!

Our God is a God of strategy and He has put into place some amazing things for the advancement of the Gospel!

From there, we plan to move to Niger, West Africa, to work with unreached people groups, as God continues to lead. Niger, located in the 10/40 window, is one of the poorest countries in the world and home to 19 million people and 37 different people groups. 94.3% claim to be Muslims, while only 0.14% claim to be Evangelical Christians. 98.2% of the population is considered unreached with the gospel. It is here, and places like Niger within the 10/40 window, that we as General Baptist must begin to focus our energies for the advancement of the gospel. Then we can be found obedient in the task of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.

We cannot wait to tell you more about how General Baptists have a chance to make Him known, specifically within the Muslim world and among unreached people groups!

We are accepting invitations to speak in your church and may be contacted at Kris (901) 585-5202 or Nicole (615) 495-6505. You may also contact Mark Powell or Jim Pratt at the International Ministries office at (573) 785-7746.