Oakland Baptist member Vonda Coleman visits with students at an Islamic school. CBF Global Missions photo

ATLANTA – Butch and Nell Green, overseas missionaries since 1986 – and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel since 1994 – are now entering into a new stage of their ministry.

After spending the majority of their lives working internationally ministering to Muslims in Senegal and Belgium, the Greens are back on U.S. soil beginning a strategic ministry to help teach American churches how to care for Muslim immigrants in their own communities. From their home base in Rock Hill, S.C., the Greens will develop relationships with churches both in South Carolina and North Carolina over the next three years, helping congregations learn to pray for Muslim immigrants, understand the Islamic faith and share the gospel with integrity and cultural sensitivity.

With an understanding of U.S. churches, Muslim populations and Muslim evangelical churches, the Greens are uniquely positioned to help lead this new venture that fulfills one of the Fellowship’s main tenants – that of encouraging churches to become missional in their approach to living out their calling in their community.

"In our globalized world, the ones most poised and capable of reaching Muslim populations are not necessarily career missionaries overseas, but churches in America," Nell said. "That’s because the nations have come here. It’s no longer about sending missionaries to remote villages – because that remote village has come to you."

While diverse and heavily populated cities such as New York City and Washington, D.C. are well known homes to multiple races and ethnicities, South Carolina may not seem an area ripe for immigrant populations.

"Our point is that these smaller cities and even tiny towns – because of the numbers of internationals – have the potential of impacting the world," said Nell. "Part of our work is to help people just realize that they’re there."

Oakland Baptist Church in Rock Hill, S.C., is partnering with the Greens to provide them with housing for their three-year project. The partnership began several years ago when the church hosted the Greens and a singing group from Belgium. Their relationship continued as the church sent three mission teams to Belgium, and the Greens began spending their off-field assignment in Rock Hill, preaching and leading Wednesday night fellowships and staying in Oakland Baptist’s mission house. The partnership has been a blessing to both the Greens and Oakland Baptist.

"You do not have to travel overseas to experience another culture," said Christy McMillin-Goodwin, Oakland Baptist’s associate minister of education and missions. "As churches, we must respond to those who are now part of our communities. So often, we pass by these newcomers and their neighborhoods not realizing that they are immigrants."

Building upon the first stage of their project – raising awareness of immigrant populations in the community – the Greens will help churches discern how God could be leading their congregations to respond. In time, the Greens hope to help churches develop fully formed, multidisciplinary ministries to meet the needs of internationals and share the gospel of Christ.

"Our goal for the next three years is to help churches hear, see, and pray for the nations here in America," said Nell.

To learn about partnership opportunities or to connect with the Greens, call (800) 352-8741. To financially support the Greens ministry, give to the CBF Offering for Global Missions. To give, go to www.thefellowship.info/involved/give.

CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.