This past month, our focus as a Live Dead community was Team.

Not individual achievement. Not carrying the mission alone. But living, serving, and making disciples together.

From the very beginning, Jesus modeled team. He called disciples to follow Him together. He sent them out two by two. After His resurrection, the early church became a community devoted to one another, and throughout Acts we see the gospel advancing through teams of believers who prayed together, suffered together, encouraged one another, and remained faithful to the mission together.

Church planting among the unreached has always been a team effort.

This past month, one of our Live Dead teams shared a story that captures this value:

“There is an unengaged unreached people group in the mountains north of us. The area where they live is remote and hard to physically access. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to live resident among them.

Teammate Sam* had a desire to start a language project to learn the dialect of this people group. He and his family would drive around and explore the area, praying for open doors to the people. Those open doors were hard to come by.

Three hours away in another city, teammate Richard* had been working with a man from that people group, and when he heard who Sam was trying to reach, he said, “Hey! I work with a guy who is from that group. I’ll introduce you.” Richard connected Sam.

I love how God brought individual families, previously unknown to each other, to a team, and He put the language of an unengaged people group on the heart of one team member and He put one of those people directly in the life of another. We work in teams for encouragement and accountability, to stay focused on the work before us. But God puts us in teams for His purpose—to see the unreached reached.”

*Names changed.

This month reminded us that the mission moves forward best when we refuse to carry it alone. The unreached are reached through communities of believers who choose to serve one another as faithfully as they serve those they are called to reach.

As a Live Dead community, we believe every member has a role to play. Some lead. Some encourage. Some pioneer. Some support behind the scenes. Together, each gift strengthens the body and advances the gospel where Jesus is not yet known.

Because no one person carries the mission.

We carry it together.

Looking Ahead

As we move into this new month, we turn our focus to the next core value: Partnership.

Because the mission isn’t accomplished by one team alone. God delights in bringing together churches, organizations, and believers around the world, united by one purpose—to see every people group have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus.