Forward Today: Throughout the whole wide Earth

Dear friends in Christ: We welcome back Lindsay Barrett-Adler, Forward Movement’s Director of Development, as our guest author this week.

Last Sunday, we heard the story of Pentecost and celebrated the Holy Spirit’s descent into the world. Sitting with my preschooler in our church play space next to the lectern, I gave thanks for the job of helping with a puzzle rather than reading the long list of obscure nations found in Acts 2. Surely an editor along the way could have condensed the list, omitted some, or even removed it entirely? Did we need to hear that laundry list of nations?

It turns out, that long litany of seemingly random names wasn’t all that random. If you look closely, the writer is naming the furthest known nations to the east and the furthest known nations to the west—essentially including the entire known world in this message. Why is this important? Because Pentecost celebrates that the love of Christ and welcome of the Gospel is for all— no matter their nation, language, or other earthly distinction.

As one of my favorite hymns declares:
“In Christ there is no east or west,
In Him no south or north,
But one great fellowship of love
Throughout the whole wide Earth.”

Forward Movement’s mission and ministry is to inspire disciples and empower evangelists—throughout the whole wide Earth. In hopes of sharing prayer resources with an ever-widening circle, we have launched a new way to pray each day in Spanish. Oración Matutina del Día is a free resource made possible by donor support. You can read more about this exciting new resource here.

We have heard from friends around the world that our prayer app and podcasts have become invaluable parts of their daily prayer practices. And our data shows that the average user prays with the Forward Movement community 16 times per month!

We are so thankful for the leadership of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Long Island for their partnership and vision in bringing this free resource to life. We pray that the app, and all our free resources made possible by the generosity of our donor community, draw people closer to the living Christ and prepare them to spread the Gospel every day.

To support free offerings like Oración Matutina del Día, make a gift today.

Yours faithfully,

Lindsay Barrett-Adler
Director of Development

More from our ministry:

Read the Psalms with us this summer: The Good Book Club

Find God throughout scripture and creation: The Creation Care Bible Challenge

Explore more Spanish resources in our online store