Twenty-five and Counting!
25 Jan 2023
It’s important to mark significant milestones, and fun to celebrate special events.
This year marks 25 years of Pioneers Australia, and we’re celebrating all that God has done!
That’s 25 years of God at work in and through Aussies making Christ Jesus known in places where there are few Christians and fewer churches. Twenty-five years of blood, sweat, tears and prayers. Of church partnerships and pastoral care and trial and error and learning and perseverance and rejoicing. Of planning and giving and sacrifice and caring.
A lot has happened over the years! Can you believe that when Pioneers Australia was birthed in 1998…
- John Howard was into his second year as Prime Minister
- Tony Blair became the first prime minister of the UK to address the Republic of Ireland’s Parliament
- Australia won 199 medals in the Commonwealth Games, 80 were gold
- Mongolia switched from a 46 hour to 40 hour work week
- Adelaide Crows won the AFL Premiership – woohoo! (hey, I’m from South Australia 😊)
- Europeans agreed on a single currency, the Euro
And Pioneers Australia was born.
We sent our first handful cross-cultural workers to share Jesus with unreached peoples: Dale & Emma headed to South Asia, Ben & Robyn made their home in East Asia, and Jo began service in Island SE Asia, and continues to this day.
Lots of people have come and gone over the years, and we celebrate the contribution of every participant. Every person has added value: senders, goers, prayers, supporters, pastors, families, seen and unseen, prominent and behind-the scenes. Today, some 240 Pioneers Australia members are living and working among unreached peoples around the world and another 40 are preparing to join them. Honestly, I wonder how many people know Jesus as a result? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of thousands?
And God is not done yet! We warmly invite YOU to be part of the next 25 years of mission endeavour to the nations. We’ll come alongside you and your church as you offer your unique self, your faith in Jesus and your love for people, to help you play a part in changing eternal destinies of precious peoples yet to hear the gospel.
In 1998, 25 years ago, I started Bible College, unsure of what the future held but convinced God was preparing me for some kind of ongoing global mission engagement. I am soooo glad I did.
Simon Longden | National Director
Is God calling you to join the mission field? Get in touch.