Hello, friend. It’s easy to look at the world and make assumptions about where the gospel is flourishing.

We see a country where churches are scarce and following Jesus is difficult, and wonder how the gospel could ever take root there. We see another where Christianity has shaped the culture for centuries and assume the work is already done.

But God’s kingdom has never fit neatly inside our expectations.

He is at work in places we may be tempted to overlook, drawing people to himself from backgrounds, cultures, and nations very different from our own. And he reminds us that familiarity with Christianity is never a substitute for knowing Christ personally.

The good news is that Jesus is gathering people from far and wide. And one day, we’ll see just how much bigger his kingdom is than the borders we drew around it.

In today’s edition:

🇹🇲 How the gospel endures in Turkmenistan

🚪 Why heaven’s guest list may surprise you

🇪🇹 How to pray for healthy local churches in Ethiopia

From Every Direction 🇹🇲

Turkmenistan is one of the most restrictive countries in the world for religious freedom. More than 90 percent of its population is Muslim, and the government tightly controls religious life. Religious communities face restrictions on gathering, registration, religious education, and the distribution of religious literature.

Following Jesus in Turkmenistan can be difficult, but believers continue to share the gospel faithfully.

The gospel has ancient roots in this part of Central Asia, and today small communities of believers continue to follow Christ despite significant restrictions. Their presence can be easy to overlook in a country where the visible church is so small.

Millions of people in Turkmenistan still have little access to the gospel. Yet even under these restrictions, gospel witness continues. The church may be small and largely hidden from the rest of us, but the gospel has not disappeared.

How to Pray

🙏🏼 Pray for believers in Turkmenistan to remain faithful to Christ amid government restrictions and social pressure.

🙏🏼 Pray for greater access to Scripture and the gospel, especially among people who have had little opportunity to hear about Jesus.

🙏🏼 Pray for local believers to have wisdom and courage as they make Jesus known to their families, friends, and communities.

Heaven Will Surprise You ☁️

A man once asked Jesus a question that sounds generous until you find out who was asking.

"Lord, will only a few be saved?" (Luke 13:23)

You may hear concern in that. Worry for everybody who might end up outside. But this man wasn't worried. He was fishing. The rabbinic teaching of his day said all Israel had a share in the world to come. He had the bloodline, the law, the temple, the history. He wasn't asking if he was in. He wanted Jesus to confirm that most other people were out.

Jesus gives a different answer.

"Strive to enter through the narrow door, because many will try to enter and will not be able."

The Greek behind "strive" is agonizomai. We get "agonize" from it. 

Now, by that Jesus doesn’t mean earn your salvation. Rather, he's saying the question of your salvation should keep you up at night. Your soul is not something to put on the backburner while you deal with the comings and goings of daily life. And specifically, just because you’re a part of Israel doesn’t mean you get a free ticket to his eternal kingdom.

In fact, it’s not just Israel who has a share in the world to come. Look at what Jesus says only a few verses later,

"People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will recline at table in the kingdom of God."

Well, that's the whole compass, isn’t it? The ones this man had already written off are the ones being seated, served, welcomed like family. Meanwhile some who spent their whole lives near the truth end up outside the door, knocking, saying "we ate and drank in your presence, you taught in our streets," and hearing back, "I do not know where you come from."

Jesus’s expectations for who will be in his kingdom are a bit backwards. In his own words: "There are last who will be first, and first who will be last."

Read Revelation 7 and you'll see that table finished. Every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne. John didn't invent that scene. Jesus was already sketching it on a dusty road toward Jerusalem, years before the cross, to a crowd who found it offensive.

So what makes the door narrow?

Well, it’s not because of who you are (I’m saved because I’m a Jew! Or because I was born in the right place! Or because I’ve gone to church my whole life!). 

What makes the door narrow is who he is. "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved." One Savior, one entrance. That's narrow enough to kill your pride, because nobody gets in on a family name, a baptism certificate, a good record, or solid theology. It's also the widest invitation ever offered, because if the door has nothing to do with your résumé, then nothing in your past can disqualify you either.

Exclusive and open at the same time. One way in, and anyone may come.

And if that door is real, it should be changing us now.

It changes how we pray. Praying for the nations stops being a slot in a meeting and starts being homesickness for people we haven't met yet.

It changes how we give. Some of the people at that table will only hear about Jesus because somebody sent the news to a place they'd never visit and funded a work they'd never see finished.

It changes how we welcome others. If the kingdom is full of people we never would have put on the list, then the person who doesn't fit our church, our culture, our language, our politics is not a problem to manage. They may be a preview.

And it changes what we tolerate in ourselves. Nearness is not the same as belonging. Jesus never says the door is hard to open. He says the danger is standing beside it your whole life without ever walking through.

So ask yourself the question this passage is actually asking. Not "how many will be saved," but "what am I trusting to get me in?"

—Steven Morales

An Ancient Church Under Pressure 🇪🇹

Christianity has deep roots in Ethiopia. Accounts of the gospel reaching the region stretch back to the first century, and Christianity became established there in the fourth century. Today, more than half of Ethiopia’s population identifies as Christian, making the faith an enduring part of the country’s history and culture.  

But Ethiopia continues to face significant physical and spiritual needs.

Violence and civil unrest have affected communities across the country, displacing families and affecting Christians in several regions. In some areas, believers also face religious persecution and pressure. Protestant believers who convert from Muslim or Orthodox backgrounds can experience pressure and isolation from their families and communities.  

Yet churches are continuing to make Jesus known. Radical’s partners are working alongside local believers to plant healthy churches and equip leaders who can serve churches in cities across the country. In a nation with a long Christian history, the need remains for Scripture to be clearly preached and for more Ethiopians to know the peace and salvation found in Christ.  

How to Pray

🙏🏼 Pray for peace and protection for Ethiopians affected by violence, persecution, and displacement.

🙏🏼 Pray for strong, healthy churches where Scripture is preached clearly and believers are equipped to make Jesus known.

🙏🏼 Pray for Radical’s partners and local church leaders as they plant churches, develop future leaders, and share the gospel throughout Ethiopia.

📍 Attention Worthy

🫢 Our laughter shapes us more than we might think. What we find funny can reveal something about how we see and love the people around us.

🌏 The global church has much to teach us about following Jesus. Staying connected to believers across cultures can deepen and strengthen our own faith.

🗣️ Sharing the gospel is good for our souls, too. As we tell others about Christ, we’re reminded again of just how satisfying he is.