Why the Nations are Important to Waypoint

Written by Lawrence Yoo

One problem Jina and I ran into when we started dating was that Jina had always dreamed of being a single missionary to the nations. However, I felt a call to the local church as well as the call to be blessing to the nations, and I also felt called to marry Jina. I often joke that Waypoint’s emphasis on missions came as a compromise to Jina. I promised her that if she gave up her dream of being a single missionary to marry me, we’d start a church that prioritizes missions and she could have a greater impact than if she were a single missionary. All kidding aside, we really do believe God has uniquely called Waypoint church to be a blessing to nations locally and internationally.

Here are some of the ways that plays out locally:

1. Refugee Ministry

By partnering with World Relief, we have been able to befriend and come along side people who have been displaced from their home country for various reasons. Through these relationships we have been able to show Christ’s love and share the gospel with people from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Eritrea, Congo, Myanmar, Syria, Turkey, Sudan, and other nations. In the near future, we anticipate even more opportunities.

2. International Students

God has brought over 15,000 international students, researchers, and professors to the Triangle. Waypoint partners directly with international student ministries (ISM) at Duke and UNC. This partnership allows us to be a part of loving and serving students from almost every country on Earth, plant seeds of the gospel to everyone we meet, and disciple international believers to prepare them to be life-long followers of Christ wherever they go.

3. Intentional Living Communities

By being a diverse body of believers together, living in a diverse area, we have the opportunity to reach the nations in our midst. We believe that God placed each believer in their communities, and he is using them to love and reach the community around them. We offer training and opportunities for believers to move into the neighborhoods where refugees and international students live. And through living in these communities, opportunities for service and outreach will happen naturally as you love and engage your neighbors.

Internationally, God has called us to narrow our focus to a few specific places:

1. Gambia

Over the past few years God has allowed us to have relationships and partnerships ministering to the Jahnke people. We look forward to when travel restrictions lift and we can send teams over. We pray now for Keba and Alison, our fellow missionaries who are on the ground.

2. Global Cities in SE Asia

We are thankful to be partnering with International Mission Board in order to serve in a vastly expanding, influential global city in SE Asia. We’d love to send to businesspeople, students, empty nesters, and retirees to serve there. We are currently the process of setting up a Sushioki there and praying that God will use it for his purposes.

3. Future Short-term Trips and Long-term Partnerships

COVID has limited our ability to send people, but in addition to Gambia and SE Asia, we are hoping to have some short-term and long-term missions’ opportunities in the near future and are open to expanding our partnerships with ministries in London and other global cities.

We are thankful you are on Mission with us! Please come out to the missions conference this weekend to hear more.