mission:world News

Jennifer Castleman was born in 1954 in Nashville, Arkansas. Her mother worked as a telephone operator and later as a doctor’s receptionist  after completing college, while her father managed a chicken farm alongside various other business ventures, including service stations. As an only child until the age of 12, Jennifer became a babysitter for her younger siblings after her mother had a son and another daughter.

Robert and Ruth Isaacs have dedicated their lives to serving Christ, planting churches, and spreading the Gospel, particularly among Spanish-speaking communities. With over 50 years in ministry and a remarkable 75 years of marriage, their story is one of faith, perseverance, and unwavering commitment to God's calling.

Welcome to a series of articles exploring the often-unseen realities of life on the mission field. Inherent difficulties and expectations of suffering are always intertwined with the call to global mission. We will draw insights from scripture and the experiences of those who have lived the reality of suffering on the mission field. 

Census.gov says, per the 2020 census, that 80% of Americans live in urban areas despite raising the minimum requirement of population to twice its previous number. They also found that urban areas are becoming more densely populated. And housing - if we zoom out to look at the world as of 2023 - approximately 4.6 billion people (57% of the world’s total population) live in urban areas. That is a lot of souls.