few to no followers of Jesus, and may or may not have Christian discipleship movements in its midst. Lastly, a Frontier People Group (FPG) is “a UPG with virtually no followers of Jesus and no known movements to Jesus, still needing pioneer cross-cultural  Before we consider where we might go next, let’s pause and rejoice over the


treasure we already have – Pakistan. PAKISTAN: pop. 257.5M; 99.1% in UPGs (765 of 773 PGs; 727 are FPGs); Christian 0.9%


God in his wonderful providence put us in Pakistan in 1906, in the person of


Dr. Minnie Alexander. We have a sister denomination full of precious and per- secuted brothers and sisters. We have a hospital that serves the local community and is itself our single most effective evangelistic outreach in the world. We have a mission society in Pakistan that is organizing the work of Erskine and SEED Ministry, as we train ARP pastors and leaders. All in all, our work there is the jewel of the ARP, the most outstanding work in the history of our denomination. Where might God be calling the ARP to set its face in the future? In the Syn- od poll, the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region was listed as the number 1 mission focus for our denomination. MENA AND THE HORN OF AFRICA: nearly half a billion people; roughly 90% live among peoples still unreached with the gospel; fewer than 1 in 20 is a Christian.


Opportunity 2: The Un Founded (Rwanda)


Another opportunity from the apostolic mandate of Rom 15:20 is places in the world where Christ is not named because once-existing foundations have been removed. For example, we have a unique opportunity in Rwanda because many churches have been closed. The reasons trace back to a 2018 law with two major components – pastoral - gan in 2024.


During the 2024 wave, the government inspected more than 14,000 “prayer houses” (i.e. places of worship) and reported more than 8,000 closed for non- compliance – about 70% of those assessed. The Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) later put the count at 9,171. The government did not seize properties; it closed facilities and explained the reasons on a case-by-case basis. Why were churches closed? The government reported that the initial inspec- tions were focused on building code violations, as well as safety, hygiene/sani- tation, and exploitation issues. Notice the last reason: “exploitation”. The gov-  the sheep.


What about pastoral education? In Rwanda, degrees must be issued from


accredited institutions – unaccredited programs, no matter how rigorous, do not constitute degrees in Rwanda. Additionally, all degrees must be nationally recognized to have functional value. None of us know what the future holds in Rwanda. But consider the provi- dence of God:


• We have a partner in Benjamin Musuhukye and Reach the Children of Rwanda International (RCRI) who together give us a uniquely open door.


• The ARP’s historic emphases of church planting and education are precisely what Rwanda needs.


• Erskine Seminary already has boots on the ground with the Global Diploma Program and is in partnership with the SEED Ministry of World Witness.


• World Witness is recruiting a residential team for Rwanda. September/October 2026


Conclusion Our Synod survey named three di-


rections – to go to the least reached, to plant churches, and to prepare pastors. In union with Christ, we have seen here how God might answer all three of these: setting our faces towards MENA and the Horn of Africa, building new foun- dations in Rwanda, and using Erskine and SEED to train national shepherds who lead tomorrow’s church. In our passage, Paul doesn’t start with bold proclamations. He starts by boasting in God … he won’t venture to speak about himself or his actions, but only “what Christ has accomplished through me.” This is the setting of his apostolic face, the ongoing work of the risen Servant, the man Jesus Christ, en- throned and exalted, and working his immutable purpose by his own Spirit. May we similarly set our faces and may the Servant sing his own Songs over these lands and may his Song be ours.


Statistics: Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Status of Global Christianity 2025; and Joshua Project


Rev. Samuel W. Cotten serves as the Rwanda Team Leader for the SEED Ministry of World Witness. SEED—Serving the Global Church by Educating, Equipping, and Disci- pling Leaders—exists to strengthen the church through theological edu- cation and church planting. Sam is ordained by Catawba Presbytery and previously served for twelve years as a pastor in the United States before being called to missionary service with World Witness.


Sam lives in Rock Hill with his wife, Martha Margaret, and their daughter, Gloria Noelle. Martha Margaret directs the Global Di- ploma program at Erskine Theo- logical Seminary. Ebenezer ARP is their home church. Their family includes three older children and four grandchildren.


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