Singapore | Investing in the New Frontier of World Missions

For the past 300 years, western Christians, sent from well-resourced countries, were the predominant cross-cultural missionaries. However, churches from a broader range of countries are increasingly sending global workers too. For example, last year Mongolia was the highest per capita sender of missionaries. Similarly, South Korea has been sending out nearly as many total numbers of missionaries as the US, despite only being the size of Indiana and only having 15% of the US population. Countries that were once the targets of mission work are increasingly sending more missionaries.

Novo staff, Kim, has had a front-row seat in helping to coach and support global missionaries from several different countries, through both on-line and in-person meetings. She notes that these non-western missionaries often have distinct advantages over their American counterparts in building cross-cultural relationships. Their passports, unique perspectives, adaptability, language, and cultural backgrounds enable them to navigate diverse environments, bridge gaps in understanding, and build authentic connections differently than those of us in the West. Empowering these leaders to do ministry well and sustainably is something we’re so excited to be a part of as an organization.

Novo has been able to invest in these emerging missionaries across the globe in various ways, through ongoing mentorship, coaching, and trainings, like Kim provides, and has also helped to form international sending organizations (which we call CoNext Partners) through the work of other key staff members.