By Wayne Stapleton
VP of Cross-Cultural Engagement and Emerging Leader Engagement
We are in a significant moment.
The body of Christ is a diverse body, composed of people with one Lord but different political perspectives, different cultural backgrounds, different economic positions, and more. Even so, we are unified because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, work we just meditated on and celebrated during Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday.
There is one Lord, one Gospel, one baptism, and one Savior, and his name is Jesus. The church affirms this, and yet we can often let our loyalties to Christ and his church be influenced by various social, cultural, political, and national loyalties – to our detriment.
The world needs a church unified in its love for Jesus.
The world needs a church that is interceding for our leaders and for their constituents.
The world needs a church that is tireless in its witness to the love Christ has commanded us to reflect, love that saved us and is saving us and will save us.
The NAB is a bi-national conference, unified first around our confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and commitment to the Word of God. But we are also unified around our heritage as the NAB and our Statement of Faith. Not only does the world need the church, we as the church also need each other. . . .
The second episode of the NAB Stories podcast is out now.
In this episode, host Drew Steinhart talks chats with Chris Gorman, a former NAB regional minister, long-time pastor, and current fire chaplain. Throughout their conversation, Chris shares how the plans he had for ministry are repeatedly thrown off course as God takes him down paths he never considered or wanted to consider, and how following where God has led him has resulted in some beautiful and life-giving ministry outside the walls of the church.
You can listen or download this episode directly from the NAB website, or you can subscribe through Apple Podcasts or Spotify at the links below.
Listen to the NAB Stories Podcast
Every three years, youth, young adults, and leaders from across the NAB come together in Orange County, California, for an experience unlike any other. The Gathering is a week of of powerful worship, impactful service projects, and tons of fun. The next Gathering is taking place July 2025.
If your groups has registered, or plans to register, the deadline for final payment is May 12, 2025, which can be made via the NAB online platform or by mail. (Please notify us if you have mailed payments by emailing us youth@nabconf.org.)
For a number of months, NAB missionaries Yuri Nakano and Nick & Iris Hung have been serving in Japan alongside TEAM Japan, allowing them to remain in Japan to continue reaching and teaching the people there after the necessary closure of the NAB’s legal entity in Japan.
For the Hungs, everything about this is new. Having only recently arrived in Japan in September, they are still in language learning to help them reach the Chinese diaspora in Japan. Meanwhile, they are eager to learn and absorb valuable experience from former and current missionaries. For Yuri, the mission is still the same, even if her teammates have changed a bit. “Partnering with TEAM Japan is a small part of a larger movement I believe God is stirring to open up more possibilities for his Kingdom to grow here in Japan,” she said.
The unity of the cross as found in God’s people and extended to all others is on display in Japan through the work of NAB missionaries. Would you please consider giving in support of efforts such as these? Your gift of $100, $500, or more to the Global Missions Fund allows for the NAB International Office to provide the support crucial to times of transition like we are seeing in the Japan field. As Yuri said, “I am hopeful and glad NAB mission work in Japan is not over!”
Give to the Spring Mission Offering (CND)
Give to the Spring Mission Offering (USD)
You can also give via text message by texting your gift amount followed by “SPRING” to (204) 400-2238 for Canadian giving or to (916) 249-0534 for US giving.
Canadians can also give via e-transfer using givecanada@nabconf.org with “Spring Missions” in the note field.
