In the biblical narrative found in the book of Acts, chapter 16, we encounter a pivotal moment in the expansion of the early church often referred to as the “Macedonian call”. The apostle Paul, while resting during his travels, received a vision of a man from Macedonia standing before him, pleading with the simple yet profound words, “Come over to Macedonia and help us”. This divine directive was so clear and urgent that the apostolic team immediately sought passage, concluding that God had summoned them to preach the Gospel in that specific region. Today, we are witnessing a contemporary echo of this ancient cry, which we have come to identify as the “Pakistani Call”. This call represents an unusual and powerful summons to bring the Gospel of Life to a nation that is frequently in the headlines due to its critical role in international mediation and its complex geopolitical landscape.
The Genesis of a Modern Macedonian Cry
Pakistan is a nation of immense strategic importance, currently acting as a mediator in sensitive diplomatic resolutions between the United States, Iran, and other global powers. Despite its visibility in political spheres, the spiritual and humanitarian needs within its borders often remain hidden from the casual observer. The specific mission we are embarking upon did not begin with a grand strategic plan, but rather with a series of persistent inquiries through our ministry’s digital communication channels. On a daily basis, we receive numerous requests from around the world—from Kenya to Kazakhstan—pleading for financial support or general partnership. Often, these requests come from individuals who may not fully understand our specific identity as a pro-life missions organization, but are simply reaching out to any available Christian non-profit.
However, a recent communication from a young couple in Pakistan stood out as distinct and deeply sincere. They provided granular detail about their ongoing work with victims of human trafficking and expressed a heavy burden regarding the high abortion rates they were witnessing in their local communities. They confessed their lack of tools and requested assistance in using the sanctity of life as a platform for ministry. After an initial exchange of emails to ensure they understood our specific mission, a Zoom call was arranged to explore the possibility of partnership. It was during this digital meeting that the “Macedonian” nature of their request became undeniably clear.
When we discussed the possibility of a training trip later in the year, perhaps by October, the Pakistani pastor literally began to tear up on the screen. He expressed gratitude for the future visit but then posed a haunting question that pierced through the convenience of our full spring schedule: “What about all the babies that will die between now and October?”. This man was not seeking money or prestige; he was desperately asking for even the “crumbs from the table” of our training so that he could begin rescuing lives immediately. Confronted with such a visceral plea for help, our spring plans were radically altered in just forty-five minutes to accommodate an immediate mission to Pakistan.
Navigating the Landscape of the Mission
For many in the West, Pakistan exists as a vague entity on a map, yet its geography and history are essential to understanding the context of our work. It is a massive country that shares a contentious border with India, particularly in the Punjabi region and the disputed territory of Kashmir. Historically, Pakistan and India were part of the same British colonies before gaining independence, a transition that eventually saw East Pakistan become the independent nation of Bangladesh. Today, Pakistan is a nuclear power and its major cities, such as Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore, serve as hubs for millions of people.
The region we are targeting, specifically around Lahore, is home to the Punjabi people who share an ethnicity that spans both sides of the border. Our mission involves not only training local leaders but also integrating our new Director of Asian Initiatives, Stan Palowski, into the front lines of this work. While the northern rural areas of Pakistan have historically been associated with volatility—such as the regions where Osama bin Laden was discovered hiding—our focus is on the urban and suburban centers where pastoral networks are eager to implement the Gospel of Life. We recognize that while the United States accounts for a small percentage of global abortions, approximately 97% of this crisis constitutes a massive world missions challenge where the need for rescue is greatest.
The Pedagogical Core: The Four Questions
The primary objective of our mission is to empower a “whole army of good Samaritans” rather than just a handful of experts. To achieve this, we utilize a streamlined, ten-page training manual known as the “Four Questions”. This curriculum is designed to move a pastor from a point of inaction to a state of confident, winsome advocacy for life within their community. We ask these four simple yet profound questions to establish a biblical and practical framework for rescue.
First, we examine what the Bible explicitly says about human life, emphasizing the continuity of personhood inside the womb. Second, we address the biblical “formulaic language” regarding the shedding of innocent blood, which provides a moral vocabulary for understanding the gravity of abortion. Third, we explore how to bring the grace and healing of the Gospel to the intense guilt and shame that often follow an abortion, ensuring that individuals are both forgiven and set free to serve God confidently. Finally, we ask how a local community can practically stop the shedding of innocent blood and rescue those who are currently in danger. By training local leaders like our Pakistani partner to teach these questions themselves, we ensure that the ministry remains sustainable and culturally resonant.
The Pentecost Strategy and the “Big Bang” of Missions
The most significant aspect of this particular trip is what we call the “Big Bang” of world missions. This terminology is inspired by the events of Pentecost recorded in Acts chapter 2, where the Holy Spirit enabled people from every nation to hear the “mighty works of God” in their own native, or “heart,” languages. There is a unique spiritual power that is unleashed when a person does not have to go through a translator to hear the truth of God. In the Anglican tradition and many others, Pentecost is celebrated as a fifty-day feast following Easter, marking the explosion of the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
For this mission, we have prepared a profound “secret” to unveil to our Pakistani brothers and sisters: the professional translation of our core materials into Urdu. While English is common, Urdu is the heart language of millions in this region. We have not only translated the Four Questions manual into the Urdu script but have also worked with the Endowment for Human Development to produce an Urdu-narrated version of the film Your Life Before Birth. This video provides medically accurate and delightful imagery of fetal development, featuring a native Urdu speaker recorded in a professional studio.
When this video begins to play, and the pastors hear the scientific and spiritual wonders of the womb narrated in their own tongue, we expect a transformative impact. It is a moment where “light” is spoken into the darkness of ignorance surrounding prenatal life. We believe this will act as a catalyst, encouraging these leaders to take these resources back to their churches and expand the movement across Pakistan. By using medically accurate representations, such as our fetal model of a nine-week-old baby, we provide a tangible encounter with the humanity of the unborn that complements the heart-language training.
Conclusion: A Catalyst for a Life-Saving Movement
Our mission to Pakistan is more than just an administrative trip; it is a response to an “unusual powerful call” to a hard place. We are traveling with the conviction that the same Holy Spirit who directed Paul to Macedonia is at work today in the cities of Lahore and Islamabad. Our goal is to be a catalyst for a life-saving, life-changing movement that saves the innocent while bringing the Good News to the guilty. We recognize the risks, including the domestic and health challenges that often accompany such endeavors, yet the mission of the Kingdom continues unabated.
We invite the global body of Christ to join us in this “Big Bang” of expansion by praying for our safety and for the hearts of the Pakistani people. As we distribute these Urdu materials and demonstrate the humanity of the “woman with child,” we trust that God will raise up a local army capable of standing for life. Just as the universe began with a “let there be light,” we pray that this mission will be the start of a radiant expansion of grace and protection for the most vulnerable in Pakistan and beyond. The Lord has opened the door, the heart language has been prepared, and the call has been answered; now we move forward to witness the mighty works of God in the heart of Pakistan.
This article is adapted from the episode transcript.