It has been over a decade that I’ve had this extraordinary privilege of serving as Global Ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). This calling has led us to some interesting and tough places. It began with a trip to Somalia. Protected by a warlord—five soldiers and a truck—they guarded me as I visited refugee camps, examining the safety and viability of Christian aid groups being able to get back into this lawless land. All the while they kept eye out for al-Shabaab, the terrorist group. “How many countries?” someone asked I suppose over 75. And in most every region of the world. They include meeting with the other two major Christian communities of Roman Catholics and the World Council of Churches along with the Global Christian Forum. Visiting disaster areas such as Japan, Nepal, and South Sudan. Sitting down with my WEA colleagues with Pope Francis for a two-hour leisurely lunch, allowing our conversation to carry us to so many places of common interest. Visits include pastors’ conferences, meeting with other Christian and religious leaders, encouraging younger leaders, helping national alliances in their ministry. Lily and I were in Egypt during the revolution, returning time and again to the Middle East. Ministering to Iraqi young people in Iraq. Then we completed a first-of-its-kind book: Evangelicals Around the World: A Global Handbook for the 21st Century, a composite of 50 writers explaining our history. As I visit, I write perspectives for Dispatches and articles for newspapers and magazines which resulted in An Insider’s Guide to Praying the World. If you wish to receive this, go to dispatchesfrombrian.com. My most recent is From Jerusalem to Timbuktu: A world tour of the spread of Christianity.

As you might find this journey to be of interest, or discover it is a source of encouragement, join me in my Dispatches and/or drop me a note.

Thanks for taking time to read this and for being part of a vision that brings the wholeness of Jesus into the lives of people world-wide.

Brian Stiller