A Global Faith

In this intergenerational service, missionaries Ted and Gracie share about their decades of ministry in Rio Frío, Costa Rica, where relationships with children, families, schools, and the wider community have grown into a local church and opportunities for community development and discipleship. Their story provides a glimpse of the global church and introduces a biblical theme stretching from Genesis to Revelation: God's work has always been intended for all peoples, not merely one culture, country, or local expression of Christianity.

Tracing this theme through Genesis 12, Matthew 28, and Revelation 21, the message follows God's promise to bless all peoples through Abraham, Jesus' commission to make disciples of all nations, and John's vision of the nations walking together in the light of Christ. Christianity can take different cultural forms without losing its shared center in Jesus; the way one congregation worships is a way, not the way. Whether in Phoenix, Costa Rica, or anywhere else in the world, Christians belong to one global family whose future is a beautifully diverse people gathered around Jesus, bringing the unique beauty and splendor of their cultures into God's renewed creation.