ou dont have to read much of On Mission to discover one of our most important core beliefs: God wants every Christian to be personally on mission with Him, delivering the gospel to the world. Does that mean that every Christian is a missionary? Well, not exactly. Some on mission Christians receive a special call from God to go from where they are to places and people that God has prepared for them. Philip went to Samaria and Gaza (Acts 8), So does that mean you have to cross an ocean or speak a different language to be a missionary? Again, not exactly. Take for example the eight modern-day missionaries profiled here. Their unique giftedness and preparation now help them get past the barriers that have kept people in their mission field from hearing the good news about Jesus. These missionaries are representative of the 5,025 who have been appointed by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to places of service in the United States, Canada and their territories. During a special Week of Prayer for North American missions March 5-12 thousands of churches and literally millions of Christians will pray for these eight and for theon mission cause of sharing the gospel throughout North America. We invite you, too, to be their partners in prayer.

Its not every church where a bright yellow Piper Super Cub airplane could pull up in the parking lot on Sunday morning, but at Alzaida Baptist Church in the southeast corner of Montana theyre getting used to it. That just means that their director of missions, Mike McKinney, is visiting. He lands on the highway in front of the church.

Welcome to eastern Montana, where wheat and cows are plentiful but peopleclustered in small communities like Alzaidaare a more scarce commodity. The 29 churches and missions McKinney assists in the Big Sky and Hi-Line Baptist Associations cover a 64,000-square-mile area larger than many states. The single-engine aircraft he pilots is the best way for Mike to cover it effectively.

Mike and his wife, Martha, serve as North American Mission Board missionaries.

Mike said it was during seminary in the mid-1970s that he first felt the call to missions in the Northwest, after hearing Alaska Baptist Convention executive Troy Prince speak of the needs.

Circumstances did not allow that call to be fulfilled immediately, but throughout years of ministry in Texas it was never forgotten. Mike knew piloting skills would be valuable, so in one of his pastorates a friend taught him to fly. In a move to a church-owned parsonage, he used the equity from a former home to buy his first airplane.

"Every time a church called me I always told them that someday Im going to the Northwest," Mike said.

Then in 1991 the opportunity came to serve as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Missoula in western Montana. Three years later he became director of missions for the two associations that make up most of the states eastern half.

"I needed 22 years of experience as a pastor to know how to work with pastors and to help them with the situations in their churches," he said.

The isolation can be stressful for pastors, so fellowship is important. Regular meetings are well attended, and Mike also makes an effort to visit pastors regularly. Martha likes to go with him to provide encouragement for wives who can have a difficult time adjusting to the culture.

"Evangelism here requires people seeing the genuineness of your faith. Youve got to come alongside and work beside them. You build a relationship, and as you do you win the right to share your faith," Mike says.

Mike often does just that. On the cattle ranches its not unusual for one or two men in a family to operate an entire ranch of 50,000 of acres. Then when it comes time for round-up or spring branding, all the ranchers pitch in to help each other. Mike often finds himself herding cattle alongside them.

Mike also has worked in Indian reservations. Native Americans can be reached only after carefully cultivating relationships. But the dynamics are completely different.

"They really have to get to know you, observe you, look at your life. And when an American Indian is converted to Christ, he has to give up all his worship of things," he said, noting that it often means being shunned by ones family. They are viewed as having abandoned their race for the white mans religion.