ABWE - Association of Baptists for World Evangelism

Date Entered: 1971

Major Ministries: Evangelism, discipleship, church planting, leadership training

Australia is a huge island the size of the continental United States, located just below Indonesia not far from Asia’s millions. Little known before 1770, this land developed slowly during the early years of its existence as the home of the Aborigine and a penal colony for English convicts. After World War II, adventurous immigrants flowed eagerly into the world’s least densely settled continent.

Religious leaders from England followed the early British settlers, but denominational diversity prevailed and produced a secular education system that remains to this day. A prominent clergyman commented on Australia, “It has never experienced real religious revival.”

The population lives in three million square miles comprised of six states and two territories. The Aussies, as they call themselves, have often been considered either primitive tribes living in the northern wooded areas, or stockmen and farmers sparsely scattered over vast agricultural lands. Australians are, in fact, primarily city dwellers; more than 75% of the population live in thriving metropolitan areas.

It was the need in these growing cities that arrested the attention of ABWE in 1969. Experienced missionaries made an extensive survey, and the first missionary couple arrived in Sydney in August of 1971.

ABWE’s ministry is located in the greater Sydney region, home to more than four million residents, one-third of whom are recent immigrants. The city boasts large populations of Arabic and Chinese speaking peoples. The multi-cultural nature of Sydney makes it an ideal place to share the gospel.

Australia offers a challenge to the mature, trained Christian who will approach evangelism and church planting with divine wisdom.