Strangers Next Door

When I wrote Strangers Next Door (2012), I shared stories of churches that caught the vision of reaching unreached peoples who had migrated into their neighborhoods. These churches–with these new believers–then followed those social networks across the world to reach others. In today’s post, I want to draw your attention […]

Oaxaca to Bakersfield: Removing the Barrier Between Foreign and Domestic

December 8, 2013 in Church Planting / Hispanics / International Missions / Migration / North American Missions / Strategy tagged Bakersfield / Diaspora / Mexico / Oaxaca / Phil Neighbors / Strangers Next Door / Tijaltepec Mixteco / Valley Baptist Church by JD

The Institute of International Education released today the new numbers on international students studying in the United States. And once again, we have reached a new high of 820,000 students. China is the leading driver of this growth, mainly undergraduates. Her numbers are on the rise. Saudi Arabia had a […]

Record Number of International Students in US (again)

November 11, 2013 in International Missions / Migration / North American Missions / research / Students tagged Institute of International Education / International students / Pressure Points / Strangers Next Door by JD

I recently had the honor–at the invitation of the International Mission Board–of being a part of some conversations at the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the nations living in the United States. Here is a thirty minute video of the discussion. Joining me on the platform were Terry Sharp (@terrysharpimb) and […]

Discussion about the Nations Next Door

July 29, 2013 in Agencies / Church Planting / contextualization / International Missions / Interviews / Migration / missiology / North American Missions tagged International Mission Board / Nations Next Door / Southern Baptist Convention / Steve Allen / Strangers Next Door / Terry Sharp by JD

214 million people live outside of their countries of birth. This figure represents 3% of the world’s population. If it were a single country, it would represent the 5th largest nation in the world. The peoples of the world have been–and continue to be–on the move. This post in the […]

Pressure Point #5 International Migration

June 6, 2013 in International Missions / Migration / North American Missions / research tagged diasporas / international migration / Pressure Points / Strangers Next Door by JD

Imagine the possibility of future short term teams where the destination and unreached people group served over there is determined by the unreached people group your church serves over here. “Pastor, where in the world do you think the Lord is leading our church to go this year?” “Possibly Morocco. […]

Over Here, for Over There: A Future for Short Term ...

May 5, 2013 in Church Planting / Evangelism / International Missions / Migration / missiology / North American Missions / Strategy tagged short term missions / Strangers Next Door / Unreached People Groups by JD

I am excited and thankful to share that Strangers Next Door: Immigration, Migration, and Mission is now available! We live in the age of migration. 214 million people are presently living outside of their countries of birth. That is 3% of the world’s population. If this number represented a single […]