Togo, located in West Africa just north of the equator, is the birthplace of Voodoo. This mystic religion is an integral facet of everyday life here. But with help from people across the world, a spiritual breakthrough is beginning to take root there. In the past 18 months, more than 1500 people in Togo have made decisions for Christ, several churches have been planted and many have multiplied into even more churches. And, the 6 Degree Initiative started its first Deaf ministry project, helping to bring the gospel to a population considered the least-reached of all least-reached peoples.

God is doing amazing things in one of the world’s most wicked places. This past Easter, a Converge global worker serving in Togo sent a text message to her ministry partners to tell them why she wouldn’t be on time for worship services. She was with one of the community’s most powerful witch doctors, who had recently turned to Jesus. “Hey guys,” her text said, “we are still destroying idols, so we will be late.”

The earth’s largest and most populous continent, Asia is home to nearly 60% of the world’s population. But despite its size and density, Asia contains most of the unreached peoples on earth. Persecution of Christians is found in some parts of the region, yet Christianity is growing at a remarkable rate.

Converge has had a presence in Asia for many decades. That presence continues to increase. We have seen a considerable surge of missionary appointees to Japan. And in the past few years, several young families have deployed to Northeast Thailand to start a new work near the Laotian border. Similarly, the team in the Spice Islands is growing. That team’s first project, in which one of our young missionary families and some national partners will move into a previously unchurched area, will begin in early 2023. There is incredible potential for the growth of the gospel across the continent.

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, displacing and financially ruining huge numbers of Ukrainian families. Many of these families include pastors and gospel workers, including some whom Converge has partnered with for decades. Immediately, Converge and several of its U.S. districts created the Ukraine Relief Fund to provide relief for gospel leaders, others who remained within the Ukrainian borders and people who had been displaced. Many of these ministry leaders have moved into refugee communities; others have bravely stayed.

To assist those in need, people from across the United States donated more than one million dollars, which has been distributed through trusted partners in Ukraine and surrounding countries. But this effort is more than just a ministry of compassion; it is producing eternal fruit. As a result of receiving the generosity and hospitality of believers across the region, a great number of people have found Jesus.

Brazil was among the hardest-hit nations by the global pandemic. The government-mandated lockdown policies were among the strictest in the world. But the Southern Cone Initiative used the power of video conferencing to build multiple cohorts of national pastors to catalyze a church-planting movement in southern Brazil. As the country emerges from the pandemic, 17 churches have been planted ― and some of those have already planted daughter churches. In addition, the Southern Cone Initiative has helped equip 137 leaders and coached 17 church planters across the region.

The pandemic disrupted existing paradigms but created new pathways for gospel advancement among least-reached communities. Southern Cone Initiative leader Jonathan Mathews and his teammates are successfully navigating those pathways as they pursue a bold vision: to change the region’s status as a least-reached area of the world. To do that, the team raises up gospel leaders who raise up more leaders. “We walk alongside leaders and help catalyze in them a kingdom vision for their community,” Jonathan said. And in the kingdom vision lies eternal impact.

Approximately 5.2 million First Peoples live in the United States, and about 2 million tribal people live in Canada. But many First Peoples in North America are still without a church and have no significant gospel witness in their communities. In many native tribes throughout the U.S., 4% or less of the people follow Jesus. The suicide rate among young Native Americans is 2.5 times higher than the national average, and First Peoples in North America also suffer from high rates of financial poverty, alcohol and drug addictions and broken families. Yet, within these people lies significant gospel potential.

Converge is launching the First Peoples Initiative to share God’s love with First Peoples from Northern Canada, through the United States and into Mexico. One Converge global worker has already begun Disciple Making Movement studies among the Kumiai peoples in Northern Mexico. We envision the day in our generation when all indigenous people groups in North America have an opportunity to meet, know and follow Jesus.