What is Back to Jerusalem? And how to explain it?

Emergency aid in Syria, business in Vietnam, missionary training in South Asia, aquaponics in the desert, welding lessons, a guy with a cap podcasting his opinions on a thousand and one subjects, books about revival, persecution in Sudan, training for Sunday school teachers, hackers for Jesus, Bibles for North Korea, Brother Yun on tour, China and the end times, New Testaments for Ukrainian soldiers… Just a few of the things you might have come across when you follow our Back to Jerusalem website or newsletter.

Maybe you have wondered by yourself, “what IS this Back to Jerusalem thing?” and “what does Jerusalem have to do with any of this?”

You are not the only one wondering, but there is a thread connecting all of this. Well, perhaps all of this except the New Testaments for the Ukraine. But, which mission organisation would pass up a chance to get a bunch of Bibles to such a vital front line? After all, we happen to have a Polish office, and the Lord opened the doors.

Back to the thread connecting all this, it goes back pretty far. Beginning in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, the gospel moved around the world until it reached around and took deep roots in China. As the church of China grew, so did a vision: taking the gospel further into the least reached nations of the 10/40 window, back in the direction of Jerusalem which gave birth to the Church.

As an organisation we exist to support and raise awareness of this Back to Jerusalem vision of the Chinese church. We help Chinese missionaries with funding, logistics and visa platforms, so they can do the work God has called them to. We report on the progress of mission work in the 10/40 window, raising awareness in the West about this frontline of mission, revivals that are happening, as well as the persecution of believers and resistance to the gospel. We urge people to pray, to partner, to come alongside and to be encouraged by what God is doing.

Mission work in the 10/40 window is often hands on. It involves emergency aid, development work, business, IT and education. That is why our organisation is so diverse – the diversity of the circumstances in the 10/40 window demand it. That is why you always have something to offer in this endeavour.

And that is why we would love you to tell your friends and church members about Back to Jerusalem! So, where to start? We have developed a tool for you to tell others about Back to Jerusalem which you can use, for example, in your small group, mission prayer meeting or youth group.

On our website, under ‘RESOURCES’, you can find our home group materials. In that section is our BTJ missions workshop. It includes a power point presentation and an accompanying booklet with explanations of all the slides. There is a version for adults and for youth. Armed with this, you will be more than capable to tell others about this wonderfully weird organisation and the vision that gave birth to it, so you can get others excited too!

Why not give it a try, and we would love your feedback!