JUDEA & SAMARIA
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But remember that's not all. Jesus' point is that it's simply not enough to look to those immediately around us. The second part of the pattern of witnessing to the world is the wider area we live in, perhaps somewhere in our own nation or continent. This was the Judea and Samaria of the early church.
These kinds of opportunities usually take more planning, training and a lot of prayer. It could be a beach mission, organising games for children or maybe its working in a deprived council estate. God calls us to reach these places and it often means leaving our comfort zones. Life will be disrupted. The cosy routines are broken as we travel out to different cities and the nations around us to be His witnesses. There is always work to do and that is why Jesus told his disciples: The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. (Luke 10:2)
It's a strange thing: people get very emotional and excited about their own Christian work all around them but can be utterly blind to the wider world. Yet the task of missions involves enabling indigenous ministries to happen right across the world. The task is to see a church functioning and serving in its own community in Tibet or maybe Hanoi. This means that the people who ought to have the greatest burden for overseas missions are the very people who have the biggest heart for domestic ministries. The same love of Christ and sense of justice that burdens a person for housing and unemployment and hunger and health care in London, say, will also burden a person for these very same needs in people groups where no Christian impulse for transformation exists at all.
Lots of churches and missions focus on areas within their own countries. Below you will find links to organizations that provide opportunities for nationwide evangelism in the UK. Take some time to look through them and pray over the places mentioned. Could you go and serve in a team in one of these places? Perhaps you have time in your summer holidays to spend a few days out of the comfort zone of your home town. Maybe you're in a gap year and stuck for somewhere to go? Witnessing isn't always about front line evangelism. The bible teaches us to serve one another first and foremost and that may mean background tasks like cooking or cleaning - often we must be faithful in the little things before being used in the big things.
Explore the gifts that God has given you & make them completely available to Him. Are you concerned about paying for it? God's commission always comes with His provision.
SCRIPTURE UNION
Every year 4,000 people have the time of their lives as volunteers with Scripture Union. Volunteers can serve on residential holidays, missions, tailor-made work placements, and overseas! There's also opportunities to work at SU's national office or in your local community. All events have one thing in common - using the Bible to introduce children and young people to Jesus.
