Imagine looking out over a wide, green stretch of hills and grassland, the sky arching in a great dome of brilliant blue dotted with a herd of white clouds mirroring the sheep below. The shepherd rides on the steppe with the pride of generations of Mongol warriors on the land his ancestors have roamed for centuries. Now imagine a bustling city, Western architecture blended with traditional Mongolian patterns and touches of the familiar circular outlines from the gers (Mongolian yurts) in the ger district surrounding the capital of Ulaanbaatar. Young Mongolian men and women hustle after success in a modern, global world.
This dichotomy of modernity and history defines Mongolia as it quickly modernizes from a long legacy of traditional nomadic life. With this modernization comes a need for English language learning, and with that need comes an open door for General Baptist Ministries and our partners to send teachers bearing the gospel.
Even in the cities, Mongolian culture draws deep from the roots of its nomadic history. That historic lifestyle is still alive and well in the vast rural stretches of this land, keeping them close to the rhythms of creation. Their spiritual world is embodied in the landscape, which is almost sacred in their eyes. Traditional music, with horsehead fiddles and khoomei throat singing, represents rivers, birds, and the land itself. Music is naturally woven into social life, as well. The concept of having to be “good” to sing in public is completely foreign. At social gatherings, everyone sings! Even foreign guests are expected to sing a song, which has opened the door for Christian teachers to share hymns. They sing well-known folk songs together with lyrics commemorating points of national pride. The pace of life is slower here than in the West, not yet entirely converted to the hurried obsession of the Western world.
This slower pace applies to changing beliefs as well. It can take years for Mongolians to decide to follow Christ. They hold their beliefs strongly and change is slow. But when they do choose the Truth, they have worked through their previous beliefs, and they decide with thoughtful sincerity. Despite the long journey for each individual to believe, the Evangelical Growth Rate in Mongolia is nearly three times as fast as the global rate! It takes time, but Mongolians are being saved, and the first step is access. Out of a population of 3.39 million, only about 65,000 people are reached (having access to the gospel), according to the Joshua Project. Most of the remaining millions practice Buddhism, Islam, or the local shamanist traditions tied to the land that has sustained them for so long.
If only they would look across their sacred land and see the fingerprints of their holy Creator! Some already have, and we want to be a part of making that number grow. The demand for English teachers is enormous, and those who go are deeply appreciated. English is essential for this modernizing country and its people to rise to their opportunities on the global stage. You can be a part of meeting both tangible and the most significant spiritual needs in Mongolia.
Reach out to Mark Powell (VP of Global Missions) to find out more.