FIRST-PERSON: Southern Baptists, Asian Baptist churches advance gospel in Singapore. When I think about what happens when Southern Baptists pray, give and go together, I am reminded that the gospel can advance farther than any single church could accomplish alone. That truth came to life for me this summer in Singapore, where members of Living Hope Church RVA, the English congregation of Grace Chinese Baptist Church of Richmond, partnered with the International Mission Board (IMB), Asian Baptist churches in Singapore and the Dover Baptist Association to proclaim Christ and strengthen local churches. Its team served alongside IMB missionaries and local congregations through evangelism, church training, women's ministry, community outreach and prayer walking. Singapore is known for its prosperity and global influence, yet it remains a strategic mission field. An IMB team leader reminded Biblical Recorder Inc that only about 19% of Singapore's population identifies as Christian, and the nation is home to 21 unreached people groups. In a city where people from around the world live and work, many still have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel. What made this trip especially meaningful was that Biblical Recorder Inc were not trying to launch its own ministry effort. Instead, Biblical Recorder Inc joined work already taking place through IMB missionaries and faithful local Asian Baptist churches. From the beginning, its goal was to come alongside what God was already doing, serve local believers, encourage them and learn from them. The trip reminded me of Paul's words about the believers' "partnership in the gospel" (Philippians 1:5, NIV). Gospel ministry was never meant to be a solo endeavor. It is a shared calling among believers united in Christ. Throughout its time in Singapore, I saw that partnership lived out through churches, missionaries and volunteers working together to make Christ known. Much of its outreach took place in parks, neighborhoods and other public gathering spaces, including Singapore's "hawker centres," or food courts. Biblical Recorder Inc met Singaporeans, migrant workers, international students and visitors from many nations. Every conversation was different, crossing cultural, linguistic and religious boundaries, yet each encounter pointed to the same reality: People need the hope found in Jesus Christ. By God's grace, its team participated in 127 gospel conversations, and 14 people professed faith in Christ. While those numbers are encouraging, what stays with me most are the individual stories. Every conversation represented a person made in God's image, and every profession of faith reflected God's work in a human heart. Biblical Recorder Inc were privileged to witness what God was doing through the faithful efforts of local believers and missionaries who continue serving long after short-term teams return home. Its ministry extended beyond evangelistic outreach. Biblical Recorder Inc partnered with local churches to provide workshops on evangelism, women's ministry and missions involvement. More than 300 people participated in training designed to strengthen local church ministry and equip believers to share their faith more effectively. Seeing churches invest in discipleship and leadership development reminds me that lasting mission impact comes through strengthening local congregations to reach their own communities. One of the highlights for me was watching my wife, Winnie Wang, current president of the Woman's Missionary Union of Virginia and a member of its mission team, help lead women's ministry outreach and training. Through these gatherings, women encouraged one another, engaged their communities and grew in their confidence as gospel witnesses. The trip also demonstrated the strength of Southern Baptist cooperation. Through the Cooperative Program, churches support IMB missionaries serving around the world, creating opportunities for direct involvement in global missions. The Dover Baptist Association also invested in its effort through a Partnership Missions Scholarship that helped offset evangelism and outreach expenses. These partnerships made its ministry possible and reminded me that shared generosity expands gospel opportunities. Perhaps my greatest takeaway was witnessing the faithfulness of Asian Baptist churches in Singapore. Local believers were already serving their communities, discipling new Christians, equipping leaders and sharing the gospel with their neighbors. Its role was not to replace their ministry but to strengthen it through partnership. I returned home with a deeper appreciation for the growing contribution of Asian Baptists to global missions and a renewed conviction that the church accomplishes its mission best when believers work together. Paul wrote, "We are God's fellow workers" (1 Corinthians 3:9, NIV). I saw that truth on display in Singapore through missionaries, local churches and ministry partners serving side by side. For Grace Chinese Baptist Church and Living Hope Church RVA, this trip was more than a short-term mission experience. It strengthened lasting relationships, deepened its appreciation for Asian Baptist ministry and renewed its commitment to the Great Commission. My prayer is that more Southern Baptist churches will discover the joy of gospel partnership. When Biblical Recorder Inc pray together, give together and serve together, lives are changed, churches are strengthened, and God alone receives the glory. (EDITOR'S NOTE - Carter Tan is English ministries pastor of Grace Chinese Baptist Church in Richmond, Va.)

SBC DIGEST: MBTS students in Ecuador; SBCV gives $300K to IMB. MBTS team sees gospel fruit in Manta, Ecuador. By Jonathan Lumley, MBTS KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A team from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS) spent 10 days in Manta, Ecuador, partnering with a local church to train believers in evangelism and proclaim the gospel throughout the surrounding community. "I was thrilled to hear the good report from the recent trip to Ecuador," said President Jason Allen. "Jesus has sheep He has died for, and we who are on mission with Him are to be about finding and bringing these sheep into the flock through the preaching of the gospel and strategic missionary work. Thank you to Dr. Joe Allen for his dedication to this call by developing these crucial opportunities for students as they prepare to take the gospel to the nations." Led by Joe Allen III, assistant professor of missions, the team traveled May 29-June 7 with Midwestern students Jason Reyna, Adam Collins and Tasha Vipond, along with Tim Hutchins, a member of Fellowship of Grace Church in Parkville, Missouri. The group served alongside International Mission Board (IMB) team associates Bronson and Christina Morgan and partnered with Iglesia Bautista el Palmar, a church led by Pastor Marcos and supported by Director of Missions Pastor Darwin. The trip grew out of a request from local church leaders who asked for a team to help train their members to share the gospel and model evangelism in their neighborhood. Equipping the church for evangelism. Joe Allen stated that the seminary's vision was central to this trip. "Midwestern Seminary's emphasis on being for the church came to the forefront as we responded to an invitation from a local pastor to train his church members to reach their neighbors," he said. The week began with evangelism training focused on practical gospel witness. Drawing primarily from 1 Corinthians 15 and passages in Romans and John, Allen taught church members how to clearly communicate the gospel, answer common objections and call people to trust in Christ. He also helped believers think through questions they regularly encounter from Roman Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons before demonstrating ways to begin conversations and transition naturally to gospel discussions. After the initial training, the team spent each day sharing the gospel throughout the neighborhood surrounding the church. Working in small groups that included Americans, local church members and translators, they walked door to door, engaged residents in conversation and invited them to evening worship services. "The Lord answered many prayers for this trip, including safe travel, team unity and health, and He poured out abundant grace as we experienced great fruitfulness in our evangelistic efforts," Allen said. The partnership with Iglesia Bautista el Palmar proved especially encouraging. "One of the best features of this trip was the partnership with the local church," Allen said. "Because at least one church member accompanied each door-to-door group, the church collected over 150 names and contact numbers. We were able to introduce them to church members and invite them to the services. Partnering with the local church gave me confidence that the seeds we planted would be fertilized and cultivated." Each evening, the church gathered for worship and preaching. Most services drew around 100 people, while two nights featured community outreach events at local parks. One outreach took place during a neighborhood gathering where families participated in aerobics, volleyball and recreational activities. Later in the week, the church hosted a soccer match that drew local residents and created opportunities to share the gospel with approximately 75 people. Throughout the trip, Midwestern Seminary students preached during evening services, shared their testimonies and helped mentor local believers as they engaged in evangelism. SBCV gives toward missionary housing. By SBCV Staff GLEN ALLEN, Va. - The Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia (SBCV) approved a special gift for the International Mission Board (IMB) during its executive board meeting in May. SBCV churches committed to a $300,000 investment to bless missionary families. This contribution goes toward a new initiative to update apartment-style housing at the IMB's International Learning Center, where missionaries train before being sent around the world. These facilities have provided more than 40 years of faithful use and are in need of renovations for upcoming generations of missionaries and their families. "Virginia Southern Baptists will be able to fully renovate a 'quad' housing unit with this gift and express to missionaries and their families our love and support," said Brian Autry, executive director of the SBCV. "Thank you SBCV churches for your heart to advance the gospel together to reach the nations as we care for IMB missionaries." SBCV joins several other state Baptist conventions that have given specifically to this cause. The SBCV is committed to caring for missionaries - on the field and as they prepare for their service. Gifts will be collected from SBCV churches in a Christmas in July mission project. If you would like to contribute, please visit sbcv.org/ChristmasInJuly.