Back to God Volunteers Make Ministry Happen

Every week, an average of 2,500 people walk through the doors of the Back to God Ministries center in Kinshasa, Congo, in response to messages they heard through the media.

It’s an astonishing response, requiring a huge commitment by ministry staff. “We cannot do discipleship without our volunteers,” notes Rev. Paul Mpindi, BTGMI’s French-language ministry leader.

A network of 225 trained volunteers—pastors and church leaders— in several places throughout Africa serve as mentors to new believers and seekers enrolled in Bible study correspondence courses.

On average, more than 5,000 students enroll in the Bible study course each month. The volunteers provide ongoing supervision as students work through the lessons.

Volunteers also deliver study materials to people who live too far away to come to the ministry centers. Others provide spiritual counseling for those who come with deep needs.

“We set up appointments, and several pastors come every week to provide individual counseling,” Rev. Mpindi explains.

“This also creates an important partnership between local churches and Back to God Ministries International,” he adds. “We connect with these church leaders through our training conferences.

“We serve them first by providing biblical teaching, and in return they volunteer to serve with our ministry. Most of these volunteers do not have money to give in support of our ministry, but they joyfully give of their time.

“We could not do this part of our ministry without our volunteers.”

More than 750 volunteers serve with Back to God Ministries International around the world. The ways these volunteers offer assistance are varied, but they’re essential for providing effective media outreach for each of BTGMI’s 10 language ministries.

• Volunteers assist the Chinese and Japanese ministries by providing the voices for audio broadcasts. Fifty volunteers assist the Chinese ministry with distributing discipleship materials.
• More than 200 partner churches throughout Brazil provide volunteer staff to follow up with people who request prayer or spiritual counseling in response to the DisquePaz (Dial Peace) ministry.
• At least 170 volunteers throughout the Middle East quietly disciple seekers who want to know more about the Christian faith.
• Since the 1980s, volunteers in West Michigan and Iowa have faithfully delivered Today devotionals to area churches and businesses, providing God’s Word for people in many communities.
• A volunteer team in Nigeria helps distribute 5,000 Today devotionals throughout villages there. And people in China and Cuba, on their own initiative, have been sharing BTGMI devotional booklets with people hungry for biblical instruction.

Rev. Bob Heerspink, director of Back to God Ministries International, says, “Because of the nature of media ministry, volunteer staff in many places throughout the world are crucial for carrying out discipleship ministries with those who contact us with questions about faith and Christian resources.”

If you are interested in volunteer opportunities with BTGMI, visit BackToGod.net/get-involved/for-you.