Director's Blog - March 2025
If you’ve ever watched the ocean, you know the tide is always moving—rising and falling in a steady, natural rhythm. Ministry often feels the same way.
There are seasons of growth and momentum—times when everything seems to be flourishing. And then there are seasons of challenge—when progress slows, energy dips, and the future feels less certain. This ebb and flow is not unusual; it’s part of the reality of global ministry. And it’s something we are experiencing right now in the OC Global Alliance.
Growth is easy to celebrate. It comes with stories, numbers, and visible impact. Since sending our first missionary to Formosa in 1950, we’ve seen God open doors across the world. Just last year, we had resident teams in 44 countries and extended ministry into 51 more. Those numbers are encouraging and worth celebrating.
But not every story is one of expansion.
Some of our fields are experiencing decline. In certain places, ministry has become more difficult due to visa restrictions, rising costs of living, or changes within local churches. In others, long-serving missionaries are reaching retirement, and we have not yet seen enough younger workers step in to take their place. Sometimes, we make intentional decisions to relocate teams to better position them for impact.
And sometimes, a field closes.
Last year, we said goodbye to our Singapore team. Since its launch in 1970, this team served as a key hub for ministry across Asia and played a significant role in shaping who we are today. While it is never easy to close a chapter like this, we celebrate what God has done. Many of the ministries that began there are still thriving today, carried forward by others and continuing to bear fruit.
At the same time, we are seeing signs of new life.
One field in Asia was down to just one worker two years ago. Today, a new family has joined, and several more potential workers are preparing to serve. Another team that has been struggling is now building new partnerships and exploring fresh opportunities for ministry. During a recent visit, I saw firsthand the renewed vision taking shape. A conference hosted by one of our local workers brought together more than 160 leaders from immigrant churches—and those connections are continuing through ongoing conversations and collaboration.
This is the rhythm of ministry: endings and beginnings, challenges and breakthroughs, loss and renewal.
Our recently completed 2025 Annual Ministry Report shows growth in nearly every measurable area. And yet, one need remains constant: we need more workers. As Jesus said in Matthew 9:36, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”
So we keep praying.
We pray for new workers to step forward.
We pray for open doors in places we never expected.
And we pray for faithfulness—through both the rising and the falling tides.
Because through it all, one thing remains unchanged: God is faithful.
And it is a privilege to be part of what He is doing around the world.