Creative Access

I learned a new term this weekend; "creative access countries". What I like about this term is that it concerns what used to be called, "closed countries". These are the countries that will not allow the traditional evangelist/church planter type of missionary to enter their country, so we called them "closed". In previous decades, we went about establishing works in the countries which allowed traditional missionaries and saw many great works done for the Kingdom. A huge number of the nations of the world now have a healthy indigenous church.

However, the Great Commission is to go into ALL the world, not just those places who welcomed us. What we saw as closed, God saw as His creation who needed his salvation. He worked through believers who would trust him to make ways where there seemed to be no ways, and now we are seeing how it will happen. God is using people with skills other than preaching and church planting skills to bring the Gospel to the rest of the world. Proclaiming is taking on a fresh dimension in reaching the "closed" countries. It is taking place while relief is given, gardens are planted, water is filtered, people are rescued from slavery and addiction, and while research is done. A new generation of missionaries who don't look or possess the skillset of previous missionaries are reaching the unreached in new and creative ways with previously unconventional ministry skills. "Creative access countries". I like it.