When the Nations Come to Us

Brianna Langley • Oct 17, 2017

Syrian refugee Ibrahim* instantly tensed when he saw the American couple approaching from across the park. Would they be friendly? What would they think when they realized he couldn’t speak English?

“As-Salaam-Alaikum,” said the American man as soon as he was within earshot of Ibrahim.

Ibrahim’s fears immediately melted away. This American knew the traditional Arabic greeting: “Peace be unto you!”

Astonished and relieved, Ibrahim and his family made their first two American friends, TEAM missionaries Miles and Ava Douglas.*

Two Nations, One Ministry

When the Douglases moved to America after 30 years in the Middle East , it was amazing how little their life changed.

The couple met at a hospital in the Arabian Peninsula. Ava was serving there as a nurse. Miles went as a short-term missionary and ultimately felt God calling him to stay.

“I ended up staying there 30 years, working in many different roles in the hospital,” said Miles. “I worked in engineering, maintenance, administration — but the main focus of what we were doing there was reaching out to the Gulf Arab people.”

In 2014, the Douglases realized God was now calling them from the Middle East to the United States.

“But, when we began to first sense that, we never once sensed that we would be leaving our ministry to Muslim people ,” explained Miles. “Actually, when we first came back, we began thinking immediately about where we could plug in here in regards to Muslim ministry.”

The Douglases continue to serve Middle Eastern communities as missionaries — only now, in the U.S.

Reaching Muslims through English

Muslim ministry in America

Since returning to the States, Ava Douglas has started working for a local English tutoring ministry, which has opened doors for discussions about Jesus Christ. Photo by TEAM


The Douglases moved to a city where a local children’s hospital takes a large number of patients from the Gulf. Because of the hospital, many Gulf Arab families end up spending a year or two there.

Miles thought he would work at the hospital, too. Instead, God directed him to a job as an Arabic interpreter for the local school system.

“Of course God knew better, because now, we have so much more freedom through the schools,” said Ava. “I mean, if Miles had ended up at the children’s hospital, I don’t think we would have the freedom that we have now to visit families after hours, and I think giving them Bibles and things would be difficult.”

As for Ava, she now serves as a facilitator for a local English tutoring ministry.

Through Miles’s work with the schools, the Douglases quickly recognized that Arab families face pressure to learn English as soon as they arrive in the U.S. That’s where Ava’s work comes into play.

“We’re in touch with several different churches in the area that have put announcements in bulletins and things that we need tutors for Arab families,” Ava said. “Then these Christian, American ladies will call me and I will match them up with a family that they can go to and tutor.”

The tutoring program is flexible. Some volunteers prefer to help women with simple, conversational English, while others prefer to help children with their American schoolwork.

Most tutors have no background in English education or even Arabic. It truly is an opportunity for anyone with a heart for reaching Muslims.

“The testimonies that we hear are really amazing,” said Ava. “When you have a Muslim lady one-on-one, it becomes so much easier to talk with her about the Lord and about … what Jesus means to us.”

The Friendships Immigrants Crave

Muslim ministry in America

Much like anyone else, Muslim refugees crave friendships. By connecting with them, missionaries can offer love and understanding. Photo by TEAM


When Samira* came to the U.S. from the Arabian Peninsula as a university student, her brother was suddenly the only person she knew.

She desperately wanted American friends. But she didn’t know their language or their culture. She’d never felt such intense loneliness before.

By God’s grace, someone told her about the Douglases.

They told her they knew an American woman who was her age and studying at the same university. They said this woman had a love for Middle Eastern culture and was praying for a friend just like Samira!

The Douglases say stories like Samira’s are one of the most rewarding aspects of their ministry. Through their efforts, friendships are formed and fear of the unknown dissipates.

“They love to have American friendships. They really do,” said Ava. “It’s something they want, and something most of them don’t get.”

One of the most effective ways to bring a Muslim to Christ , the Douglases say, is to show them Christ’s love in action and not be afraid to reach out to them.

“I think with Americans, there is a discomfort and fear when it comes to Muslims, but that also goes the other way around,” said Ava. “There is a fear Muslims have of how Americans might receive them. … Both sides must lose their fears .”

Now, with the influx of Syrian and Iraqi refugees , Christians in America have more opportunities than ever to reach out to Muslims with the love of Christ.

Most Middle Eastern refugees have experienced great violence and trauma at the hands of Islam. Because of that, some are abandoning their faith in Allah after coming to the States.

“There’s just an openness to hear about something that does work, and to see it in action through the Church,” said Miles. “You can talk until you’re blue in the face, but if they don’t see it in action, it won’t mean anything to them.

The World in Your Neighborhood

Muslim ministry in America

With 360 unreached people groups in North America, mosques are becoming a more common sight in the U.S. Photo by TEAM


Between the refugee crisis and a general uptick in Middle Eastern immigrants, the landscape surrounding North American Christians looks much different now than it did 30 years ago.

The Douglases believe God is bringing Muslim immigrants and refugees to America in order to make Christ’s Gospel more accessible to them.

“There are people from over 360 unreached people groups here in North America now,” Ava said. “It’s incredible. Only God can do something like that.”

The need for overseas missionaries continues, but local churches now have a unique opportunity to reach unreached people groups within their own neighborhoods.

Scriptures such as Romans 13:10 and Hebrews 13:2 issue strong commands to welcome and love both strangers and neighbors. And this calling is not lost on the Douglases.

“As Christians, it should come from us anyway to be the first to reach out to them,” said Miles. “We really should be the first ones welcoming them here.”

*Names changed

By Suzanne Pearson 19 Mar, 2024
Previously on the TEAM blog, we sat down with Justin Burkholder (pictured above at left, with TEAM's Executive Director of Communications, Aaron Catlin). Justin will become TEAM’s next International Director on July 1, 2024. Justin shared about his background, family, and the journey that led him to TEAM. Check out that interview here . Today, we pick up the conversation as Justin shares how God called him to the role of International Director, and what he sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church. Q: How and when did you first consider applying for the position of International Director? How did the Lord reveal Himself to you as this opportunity presented itself? A: For some time, I have been evaluating how God wants me to use the gifts He has given me. Jenny and I have had a fruitful ministry in church planting in Guatemala and would happily continue doing so as God leads. However, as God blessed my efforts in TEAM leadership, there were friends and family who expressed that I should consider using my gifts in the International Director role. I don’t believe that everything necessarily rises and falls on leadership, but I do believe that it is a core component in the body of Christ. Using the gifts God has given me is a way that I want to bless the body of Christ in TEAM, making my contribution to the global purposes of God’s mission. Jenny and I spent a lot of time praying about this and decided that I should put my name in for consideration, trusting God’s guidance. We had a tremendous amount of peace throughout the entire process and were blessed by the prayer-filled process that the board undertook. Q: This is a key role in a large and complex organization, and I’m sure this was a big decision for you and your family. What were your fears or concerns? Why did you ultimately decide to accept the position? A: You say “were” like the fears have passed! I still am quite aware of my youth and inexperience - of the responsibility and weight of this role. Mostly, I’m afraid of leading an organization like TEAM in the flesh. Many of the fears that I have faced have been fears rooted in fleshly desires and concerns. I have no desire to succeed in the world’s eyes and fail in the Kingdom of Jesus. Why did I ultimately decide to accept the position? I’m convinced that the Good News about Jesus is true. The tomb is empty, Jesus is King, and the world needs to know, because Jesus is coming back. He will put things in order. He will establish righteousness, peace, and justice for all mankind, and He has commissioned His Church to proclaim and demonstrate His rule and reign. I want to use my gifts to do whatever I can to amplify the proclamation of this message and the multiplication of His Church around the world. Q: What are your goals and vision for the future of TEAM? A: This is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. I’m certainly not ready to present a fully-shaped vision and goals for TEAM’s future without the input of other people in different contexts in TEAM. But, I will share a few things that I think are important: First, we need to model God-Dependence . I am hopeful that as leaders in TEAM, we can continue to model God-Dependence. As Hudson Taylor said years ago “…God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” I am hopeful that we can increase our sense of faith in God, prayer, and seeking direction from the Spirit. Secondly, we must strengthen our relational fabric . Due to the changes that we have experienced by decentralizing our home office functions, and the challenges from the pandemic, we have experienced a loss of relationships. It is imperative that we intentionally prioritize the building of relationships with one another. I plan to visit our workers and staff, and I am expectant that other key leaders and staff will be doing the same. Third, we must pursue the greater presence of the global Church. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ doesn’t look like any single geopolitical, ethnic, or racial culture. If we want to truly see the Kingdom of Jesus come on earth as it is in heaven, then we as citizens of this Kingdom must learn from one another, submit to one another, and grow with one another. The missional potential of the global Church has been unleashed by God’s Spirit since Acts 1, and we have an opportunity to learn from many brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us to better model and proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus to those who have yet to believe. Lastly, we must increase our Gospel boldness . There are still many places of great spiritual blindness and spiritual brokenness around the world. The apostolic impulse of cross-cultural organizations should call us to the to the edges of where the Kingdom of Jesus is not penetrating. Whether spiritual blindness and brokenness exists because of lack of access, idolatry, injustice, or any other myriad of reasons, I prayerfully hope to see more and more TEAM workers continue to move into spaces of great Gospel need.
By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
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