Mission & Mercy Ministry Update - 2026, Issue 1
Table of Contents
Prayer Focus: The State of World Missions
Mission Highlight: Missions Sunday and UBC’s Newest Missionary
Mission Highlight & Opportunity: Engage: Reach the Miami Valley
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity: ESL Classes Launch at UBC
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity: Called to Care Ministry
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity: Sewing & Craft Ministry
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity: Fix It Team
Upcoming UBC Mission Trips: Current opportunities for 2026
Prayer Focus
Praying for the Nations: The State of World Missions
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2
Throughout his life, Jesus made his heart known to us. He called his followers to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). This call is a reflection of God’s deep love for every people group, every language, and every corner of the world. As we move into 2026, we are invited to pray—intentionally, persistently, and with informed hearts—for the state of world missions and the spread of the gospel among the nations. World missions, from the first century until today, has always moved forward on its knees.
In this new year, we are reminded that billions of people around the world still do not have meaningful access to the name of Jesus. Many live in communities with little or no Christian presence and may never hear the gospel unless God opens doors and sends workers. While missionaries serve faithfully across the globe, most are sent to places where the church already exists, leaving the least-reached regions—especially in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia—with very few gospel workers.
At the same time, we have great hope! The global church is growing, particularly in the Global South, and believers from many nations are now being sent as missionaries themselves. God is also using new tools—such as digital ministry and Bible translation—to reach people in places once thought inaccessible. Through it all, the Lord remains at work, drawing people to himself.
For 4,000 years, God has been faithfully at work since the time of the Abrahamic covenant promising that all nations would be blessed. Revelation 7:9 promises that an unnumbered multitude made up of people from every tribe, tongue, and people group will gather around the God’s throne in worship one day. So how close are we to this vision?
In 1792, William Carey determined that the gospel had spread through cross-cultural witnesses to 25% of the world’s population. Protestant missions flourished as mission agencies formed to help reach distant lands. By 1974, 40% of the world’s people lived within groups with their own gospel movements. As of 2024, just 50 years later, the gospel has taken root in people groups that make up 75% of the world’s population. (The Great Progress of the Gospel by Lewis & Butler, 2024)
According to Joshua Project, 40% of the world’s population live within unreached people groups. 60% of all the non-believers in the world are culturally distant from believers. They live in unreached people groups (less than 2% Evangelical and less than 5% Nominal Christian), which still need missionaries from other cultures. Frontier People Groups (FPG) are a subset of unreached people groups. FPGs have no indigenous movement to Christ (< 0.1% Christian.) FPGs total 25% of the world population.
Where is the greatest need today? 70% of the world’s FPGs (1.4 billion people) live in South Asia. 1 billion of these people are in India alone. 97% of those within these FPGs are either Muslim or Hindu. In India, there is only one international worker for every 250,000 people from FPGs. There are opportunities to start movements within the 37 largest FPGs, within urban ethnic communities in mega-cities, and through introducing the gospel to those with layered identities living outside their homeland.
May we draw near to the Lord in prayer, trusting that he delights to use his people to make Christ known among the nations.
Prayers
As a church, we are invited to join God’s mission through prayer:
Pray that the Lord would open doors and provide access to unreached people.
Pray for protection, wisdom, and perseverance for missionaries and local believers.
Pray for boldness and love in proclaiming the gospel.
Pray that God would call and send more workers into the mission field.
Pray for provision—financial, relational, and spiritual—for the work He is doing.
Mission Highlight
Missions Sunday and UBC's Newest Missionary
At UBC, we kicked off 2026 with Missions Sunday on January 4th! Francisco Jimenez Peña, Director of Missions & Mercy Ministries, preached that “Jesus invites us into the joy of missions.”
This joy:
Is rooted in God’s own passion for His glory.
Focuses on God’s plan for multiplication.
Flows through grace and humility.
We can live out this mission by praying, giving & going, according to our gifts. This could involve local opportunities, as well as national and international efforts to serve and share the gospel.
We also heard from Cole Wrigglesworth who shared how God called him to full-time missions with the Greater Europe Mission (GEM). He will leave this March to serve in Vlorë, Albania – a city of 90,000 people with an estimated 150 believers. Cole and his team will engage in cafe ministry, church planting, and youth outreach. Cole is praying to be fully funded by February but needs a few more partners. To learn more or support his ministry, go to: https://gemission.org/give/colburn-wrigglesworth/
Additionally, our three key international mission partners (Fabian Santillan, Argentina; Buddy Bahun, Namibia; and H &L, Asia) provided video updates. UBC members who participated in local, national, and international missions in 2025 also shared testimonies.
After the service, the congregation had the chance to visit with local and AIA missionaries in the lobby, and learn about ways to get involved personally in mission and mercy ministries.
Mission Highlight and Opportunity
Engage: Reach the Miami Valley
Today in the Miami Valley, there are roughly 1.4 million people. Of these, roughly 17% are considered Christ followers. That leaves 83% of our neighbors and co-workers separated from God. Many have not heard the true gospel and or had the opportunity to respond. Taking the gospel to our family, friends, and neighbors is rooted in love and responsibility, to those closest to us who may need hope. Our family, friends, and neighbors are not projects, but people God already loves, and our role is to faithfully point them toward hope.
Taking the gospel to those around us strengthens the community itself, fostering relationships built on grace, forgiveness, and purpose. Sharing the gospel with those closest to us is an expression of faith in action, trusting that God works through ordinary people and everyday relationships to bring about extraordinary change, and recognizing that loving our neighbors includes caring deeply about their spiritual well-being.
On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the Greater Dayton Association of Baptists (GDAB) had trainings at 3 locations in the Miami Valley. Here at UBC, 14 individuals came together to discuss steps in reaching the Miami Valley with the gospel. We discussed Jesus’ strategy of entering the field and sharing the gospel with those we have a relationship with. We are excited to see how the LORD is going to use His children, His ambassadors, to share His gospel message with our friends, family, and neighbors. If you would like to find out more about how to get ENGAGED, please reach out to Jim Corbin at jim.corbin@ubcbeavercreek.com.
Mercy Highlight and Opportunity
ESL Classes at UBC
Our English as a Second Language (ESL) program kicked off its first full day of instruction this month with an incredible turnout. We had 19 students fill our classrooms, 11 students in just the intro class, with even more students signed up for future classes!
The international reach of this ministry was on full display, with students joining us from Vietnam, Kenya, Peru, Mexico, and China. Currently operating with three levels of instruction, it is a blessing for University Baptist Church to serve as a bridge for our neighbors as they navigate life in a new language!
How you can help: Please keep our students and volunteer teachers in your prayers. If you are interested in providing hospitality or assisting with future classes, please contact francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com.
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity
Called to Care Ministry
Over this past year, UBC’s Called to Care ministry was able to create 3 new teams around foster and adoptive families and to fill in some gaps on older teams. Following a call for more help, our church family responded! We recently held a volunteer training where 25 new people were taught how to serve a foster or adoptive family. This allows us to serve two additional families with teams and is a huge answer to prayer.
As we look forward to 2026, we are seeking build the leadership team and strengthen existing teams serving families. We are always looking for new ways to serve the foster and adoptive community at UBC. If you are interested in being part of the Called to Care ministry, please contact Tiffany Slouffman at tippny213@gmail.com or let us know at mmstaff@ubcbeavercreek.com.
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity
Sewing & Craft Ministry
Looking back, God has blessed our times together and helped us get to know other crafters at UBC the past few years. New friendships have been made. Sewists, knitters, crocheters & card-makers have used their time, talents and donated supplies to create beautiful handmade items for various ministry opportunities. Handmade items have been sent to encourage missionary women in Mongolia, Kenya and Thailand at retreats as gifts. Builders for Christ churches have benefited from crafters making pencil cases and bookmarks for school children in Wisconsin; teddy bears were made for firemen in Maine to hand out to children in emergencies, and blankets of all sizes were made for 3 ministries in Maine for refugees, children & babies. Special cards were handmade for encouragement for Growth Groups to use to send to missionaries around the world and for seniors in our church family. Knitters & crocheters have made toys, baby blankets, snuggies and baby sweater/hat/bootie “sets” which Hope Rising appreciates greatly.
Looking to the future, however, we are saddened to announce that the Sewing & Craft Ministry has cancelled our next open house event planned for February 14th due to some health challenges of ministry leaders. Tentative plans are to delay any further open house events until Fall 2026. However, if you would like to continue to help make baby items for Hope Rising Xenia (for their ongoing need for baby blankets of all types to hand out to women who come in for an ultrasound) or might want to help with future event planning, please contact Kathy Gallagher @ 937-356-9253. Your baby blanket or quilt just might help save an unborn baby!
Mercy Highlight & Opportunity
Fix It Team
Our FIX IT Team is a devoted group of volunteers who persist in their service even during the cold weather. Utilizing their expertise, they serve in Jesus’ name to serve our faith family and neighbors within our community. When contacted by our deacons under the care team, these volunteers respond by assisting with a variety of repair needs. Their efforts include fixing broken items in our buildings, as well as helping UBC members at their homes with tasks such as plumbing, painting, backyard projects, kitchen faucets, leaks, windows, fences, and more. There is also need for volunteers willing to assist with snow removal from driveways of those in need of assistance.
If you know a neighbor, relative, or friend who is not a UBC member and may not know Jesus, but could benefit from assistance in these areas, please reach out to us. Our team’s mission is to make Jesus known by using their skills for His glory and purposes. We are also introducing a new opportunity to connect with our community by offering help with car repairs or providing recommendations to trustworthy mechanics.
If you are aware of someone in need or if you would like to join our group of volunteers to serve in any of these areas, please contact tpauling2009@gmail.com or francisco.jimenezpena@ubc.beavercreek.com.
Monthly Mission Quote:
"God’s purpose is a singular purpose with three distinct directions: toward God, for people and against evil. A. Toward God. God desires that worship will come to Him from every nation. Therefore, world evangelization is ultimately for God. B. For People. God intends to bring redemptive blessing to every people. He will redeem a people from every people. C. Against Evil. God will overcome evil powers in order to liberate people and, ultimately, to bring all things under His everlasting and complete governance. This kingdom reign is the substance of the blessing He brings to the nations."
- Ralph Winter, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement
Upcoming Mission Trips
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15
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How beautiful are your feet?
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"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..." Romans 10:15 ~ How beautiful are your feet? ~
Planning for 2026 Trips Underway
UBC has several short term mission trip opportunities for 2026! There are local, national, and global trips offered. You can learn more about some 2025 UBC trips through “Stories from the Field,” a subseries of our UBC Talking Points podcast. Episodes are available now for the recent trips to Southeast Asia, Namibia, Uganda, and STUMIN trip to Utah. You can find them here.
If you are planning to participate on a mission trip with another organization (e.g. Cedarville’s GO trips), please contact us to let us know more!
If there is a nation or a people group that God has placed on your heart, share it with us. We would love the opportunity to hear and to help you find a trip in the coming year. Reach out to Francisco Jimenez Peña (francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com).
March 12-22, 2026
Paraguay
Medical trip with ABWE, sharing God’s Love with the Gospel and medical care.More information may be found here.
Contact: Jeff RobinsonJune 11-25, 2026
Uganda
Come help serve South Sudanese refugees as we share the gospel and start discipleship groups. More information may be found here.
Contact: Jim CorbinJuly 31-August 9, 2026
Argentina
Work with Pastor Fabian Santillan, one of UBC's mission partners, and the church plant in La Banda. More information may be found here.
Contact: Jim Corbin
Contact to learn more:
Francisco Jimenez Peña
francisco.jimenezpena@ubcbeavercreek.com
To read past Mission Updates or to get more information about UBC on Mission, visit
https://www.ubcbeavercreek.com/mission-and-mercy-ministries.