For God so Loves the World
Ron Thomas and Adrian Thornton

Our history with Global Missions - Ron
We’ve been a missions church from the very beginning. Even before we planted, I had this deep conviction about making disciples—that’s always been at the core of who I am.

Through our training and the people we were connected with, we were exposed to a much bigger world, seeing friends sent to places all across the globe. That shaped us.

So when we started the church, we didn’t just focus locally, but were already engaging globally as well. We were planting a church here while also supporting cross-cultural mission.

I’ve always asked, “Where is the edge of the kingdom?”—because that’s where we need to go. That means holding all three together: reaching our friends, serving our city, and making disciples among the nations.

And one of our key values has been faithfulness—we don’t give up on people. We’ve stuck with mission partners for decades, even when it’s been hard, and fruit has taken years to come.

Sometimes you see slow, difficult work, like in Thailand, and other times you see breakthrough after persistence, like in Japan—but in all of it, we stay committed to the mission Jesus gave us: go and make disciples.

God So Loves the World - Adrian
There are billions of people in the world, and the need for God’s spread to every corner is overwhelming. When I was in North Asia last year, looking at the endless rows of apartment buildings, I felt the Spirit remind me: “Do for one what you wish you could do for many.”

Mission is at the heart of who we are because mission simply means to be sent. It comes from the latin word missio, and throughout Scripture we see that God’s love is revealed through sending.

In John 3, God’s love for the world is expressed in His sending His Son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. And in John 4, we’re reminded again that this is what love looks like: God sent His Son so that we might live. God’s love is expressed through mission to others.

That’s why, as the church, we are sent. As the Father sent the Son, so Jesus sends us (John 20:21). This means we can’t have the love of God in us without that love extending outward.

As Acts 1:8 shows, God’s mission starts where we are but expands to the ends of the earth. It is personal (Jerusalem), local (Judea and Samaria), and global (the ends of the earth).

So here is a question for you: Where does your heart need to grow?

Let’s be people who allow the love of God to reach our neighbour, city, and the world.