The SBC of Virginia has started a partnership with the Dakota Baptist Convention. The whole point of this partnership is to help the Dakota's attract church planters to these two states.

Here are some of the statistics:
1 church for every 13,000 people
70 counties with no SBC church
Sioux Falls, SD - population 145,000 - 6 churches
Fargo, ND - population 175,000 - 3 churches
Largest church average attendance - 250

These are some staggering statistics. I'm sure that there are many people (especially those of us who live in the Bible belt) that find it hard to believe that there are states in our country that have a very limited witness. However, the truth is that the further west you go the less visible the witness for Christ.

Yesterday I shared with you about our missionary in Ukraine and how each of us need to allow God to lead us to be on mission with Him. But don't think you have to go overseas...sometimes you need to stay at home and reach those in the states. There was a time when America was known for sending missionaries but in today's time we are also receiving a great number of missionaries due to the lack of a Gospel witness.

Jesus told his disciples that they would be witnesses for Him in Jerusalem (hometown), Judea (state), Samaria (country), and to the uttermost parts of the earth (get the picture?).

People need Jesus. Will we take His message to them?