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For the sake of His glory among every tongue, tribe, and nation

Year Established
2009

Our Story

We believe that people from every corner of the world will one day worship God together in unity around His throne. We don't want to simply wait for that day to come—we want to hasten its arrival by bringing the gospel to people who have never heard the name of Jesus.

Since 2009, God has raised up more than 250 men and women from The Austin Stone to take the gospel to people groups around the world who have little or no access to it. Because of the efforts of these brothers and sisters and God's faithfulness, many have come to personally know Jesus and trust in Him. But we know that the work isn't finished yet.

We believe that everyone has a role to play in the fulfillment of the Great Commission—to make disciples of all nations. For some, that will mean moving to another country to share the gospel among people who have never heard it. For others, it'll mean sacrificially giving their time, money, or efforts to support the work God is doing around the world.

Through our work with the 100 UPG Cooperative—a partnership of churches, ministries, and leaders that aims to catalyze church planting movements in 100 unreached people groups—we work to provide opportunities for you to learn more about the nations, go on trips, send goers, and serve.

Long-Term Goers

140+

Long-Term Goers Currently Serving Overseas
Churches planted

6,900+

Churches Planted Cross-Culturally
Professions of Faith

60,000+

People Professed Faith in Jesus

What's Your Role?

Giving is a primary way to get involved in God's work among the nations. By giving just $1 per day through a recurring gift of $30 per month, you can invest in the ministry of The Austin Stone goers around the world.

Learn About the Nations

Discover God's heart for unreached people groups through a class or intensive.

Mission of God Class

Mission of God is a 10-week class that exists to inspire participants to take a clear next step in engaging with the Great Commission. Through education, application, and studying Scripture, students will explore God's heart for the nations.

Disciple-Making Intensive

Disciple-Making Intensives are for anyone who’s looking to learn practical tools to advance the gospel wherever God has placed them—whether that’s within Austin or throughout the nations! Designed to provide practical training and tools to help each person discern their role in fulfilling the Great Commission, this 10-week training focuses on praying, studying disciple-making, and planning out how you'll carry out what you’re learning.

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a group of people walking down a dirt road

Go to the Nations

Short-Term & Mid-Term Trips

Short-Term Trips

Mission trip
|
Up to 10 days

Short-term trips play a significant role in our spiritual formation and are strategic for long-term kingdom impact. On these trips, participants have the opportunity to share the gospel among some of the world’s most un-evangelized people groups and serve alongside long-term workers. On one of these trips, you can expect to engage with locals, learn about their culture, serve them, offer to pray with them, and seek to share the gospel with them.

Mid-Term Trips

Mission trip
|
6-10 Weeks

Mid-term trips allow participants to experience a deeper integration into the culture and provide opportunities to build lasting relationships with locals. These mid-term teams are strategically focused on prayer, demonstrating the gospel through service, and personal evangelism.

Long-Term Opportunities

Goer Missional Community

Program
|
9 months

Goer Missional Community groups are nine-month training cohorts for individuals hoping to move overseas. Focused on how to engage in cross-cultural ministry, Goer Missional Community groups are designed to equip participants with the knowledge, spiritual disciplines, and mentorship to share the gospel in another country. Through weekly readings, regular times of prayer and evangelism, retreats, and more, Goer Missional Community groups aim to support individuals before they launch.

Long-Term Goers

Vocation
|
Ongoing

Long-term goers are individuals who have moved to countries throughout the world to live among unreached people groups and share the gospel. The Austin Stone is committed to supporting these long-term goers pastorally, relationally, and financially. Because of this commitment, we require each long-term goer to follow an intentional process in order to be sent out holistically prepared.

Send to the Nations

Advocate

We desire to walk alongside long-term goers in a way that, to the best of our ability, ensures their flourishing overseas. To that end, we created Advocacy Teams to help support our goers. These groups serve as steadfast communities for long-term workers by providing emotional and tangible support, prayer, and more to encourage the goer in their care. As we continually launch more long-term goers, more Advocacy Team members are needed.

Care

Right now, there are individuals from our church family faithfully serving in countries all around the world. Every so often, these goers return back to the United States to visit supporting churches, catch up with friends and family, or attend various medical or legal appointments. Since most goers sold their belongings to move overseas, they have a need for tangible resources like cars, homes, and more when they return. You can help meet the needs of goers while they're stateside.

Give

Giving is a primary way to get involved in God's work among the nations. In Philippians 4:15-18, Paul credits the Philippian church for financially partnering with him by giving and says it's not the gifts he seeks, but the fruit that increases because of their generosity. Your generosity enables the fruit of our goers. Through financial gifts, you participate alongside our goers with mutual joy.

Pray

In the book of Acts and the letters of the apostles, we see that the church plays a critical role in the lives of long-term workers through interceding in prayer. By praying on behalf of a goer, you're playing an important part in the Great Commission.

Our Team

Brad Ashby

Long-Term Mobilization Manager
Manager Ministry Strategies Leadership Long-Term Mobilization Manager For the Nations

Cheryl Barrett

For the Nations Director
Director Ministry Strategies Leadership For the Nations Director For the Nations

Laura Bess

Stateside Goer Care Manager
Manager Ministry Strategies Leadership Stateside Goer Care Manager For the Nations

Jessica Castillo

Long-Term Mobilizer
Mobilizer Ministry Strategies Long-Term Mobilizer For the Nations

Rachel Christensen

Long-Term Mobilizer
St. John
Mobilizer Ministry Strategies Deacon Long-Term Mobilizer St. John For the Nations

Rachel Clarkson

Long-Term Mobilizer
Mobilizer Ministry Strategies Long-Term Mobilizer For the Nations

Ty Cooper

Advocacy Team Manager
Manager Ministry Strategies Leadership Advocacy Team Manager For the Nations

Elizabeth Erwin

Goer Care Associate
St. John
Associate Ministry Strategies Deacon Goer Care Associate St. John For the Nations

Geoffrey Erwin

Goer Care Associate
St. John
Associate Ministry Strategies Deacon Goer Care Associate St. John For the Nations

Allie Goldreyer

For the Nations Resident
West
Ministry Strategies First Year Resident For the Nations Resident West For the Nations

Abby Hoey

Long-Term Mobilization Manager
Manager Ministry Strategies Leadership Long-Term Mobilization Manager For the Nations

Richard Hoey

Long-Term Mobilizer
Mobilizer Ministry Strategies Long-Term Mobilizer For the Nations

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I stay up to date with the For the Nations ministry?

The best way to stay informed about classes, events, goer stories, and more is to subscribe to our newsletter email. We'll send out monthly updates on our activities and highlight ways you can get involved.

What do trainings for trips look like?

There will be centrally-led trainings on prayer, support raising, and evangelism as well as team-specific trainings led by the trip leader. These trainings walk through several topics including God's heart for the nations, how our church has responded to the Great Commission, and trip logistics.

Who leads For the Nations' trips?

Trip teams are led by partners at The Austin Stone who have displayed leadership skills and have been vetted, approved, and trained by For the Nations staff.

Who can go on trips?

For the majority of our trips, you must be at least 18 years old. However, we do host trips throughout the year for our Students Ministry. Additionally, while you don't have to be a partner or regular attender at The Austin Stone, we may give preference to partners during the application process.

Can I give directly to the For the Nations fund?

Yes! You can make a direct donation to the For the Nations Fund here. Your recurring gift enables more laborers to be sent out to the harvest and helps to provide care for the health, holiness, and happiness of goers among the unreached. Join us in engaging the nations through generosity, either with a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support to our goers.

How does the ongoing pandemic impact short-term trips?

In planning this year’s short-term trips, For the Nations leadership has carefully assessed the on-going pandemic and travel restrictions. They will continue to monitor the current situation regarding COVID-19 and will make any necessary changes to ensure the safety of our short-term trip team members and ministry partners.

Get Involved in God’s Work Among the Nations

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