I have had numerous people ask me over the past several months, “What exactly is the New England Gospel Initiative?” In the churches I have been in around the country, pastors have allowed me to share the burden, vision, and plan for this great project.
What I have said over and over is that the New England Gospel Initiative was birthed from the Word of God. It is quite simply a plan to get the Gospel to every creature—specifically in New England—as Jesus has commanded us. Jesus said in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” We see this command carried out by the early churches, and particularly by the Apostle Paul, as they embraced the Lord’s command.
I am motivated by what Paul said toward the end of his ministry in Romans 15:19b, “…so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” In my study, I have learned that Jerusalem to Illyricum is one thousand miles. Think about it—one thousand miles of personal ministry work in Paul’s day! Wow! The Apostle Paul took the command of Christ seriously. Oh, may we do that today!
Further confirmation and clarification came from men of God whom He has placed in my life, as well as from reading books about broad Gospel outreach in recent centuries. Doesn’t that remind us how true it is—we are influenced by the books we read and the people we spend time with!
Pastor Chris Baker, my dear friend who is now in heaven, made a statement at a Church Planters Conference in Massachusetts that arrested my attention. He said, “I have a dream…I believe we can get the Gospel to every person in New England.” I bellowed a good, hearty amen when he said that, and the Holy Spirit rehearsed that statement in my mind literally hundreds of times over the past couple of years. When he said it, I began to ask myself, “What are we going to do about it?”
About a year ago, I read a book about a missionary from the early 1900s in Japan named Charles Cowman. God placed a burden and a plan in his heart to get the Gospel to every home in all of Japan in five years. The burden was so heavy, and the work so intense, that it took his life just before the five years elapsed; but by the grace of God, the work was completed.
“It is quite simply a plan to get the Gospel to every creature—specifically in New England—as Jesus has commanded us.”
Through much prayer and counsel from pastors throughout New England, the Lord gave us a goal and a plan to get the Gospel to every home in all of New England in seven years. To be transparent, it is overwhelming just to think about it. There are six states in New England and over 15.5 million people, which comes to about 5.5 million homes. That is a lot of homes!
Does everyone agree with me that Jesus knew how many people would be in New England, the Northeast, America, and the world in 2026 when He gave the Great Commission about two thousand years ago?
Please allow me to take a couple of minutes to explain the three main spokes of our plan to get the Gospel to every home in New England, Lord willing, in the next seven years.
The Churches of New England
The heavy burden for Gospel ministry in New England is two-fold. First, there are individuals throughout New England who need to hear the Gospel. That is what God has called us to do, and everyone has a right to hear the Gospel. Second, there is a burden on my heart for churches to return to a commitment to weekly, organized Gospel outreach in their communities.
My prayer is that 150 or more churches will commit—or recommit—to a weekly, door-to-door Gospel outreach. Some churches in New England are already committed to weekly door-to-door outreach programs, but many are not. My prayer is that God will encourage many pastors to restart a plan of action to get the Gospel to every home in their community.
In April 2026, we will begin formulating a list of churches around New England that are committed to weekly, door-to-door Gospel outreach. May I ask each of you reading this article to pray with us for 150 churches to be committed to this endeavor?
College Men Summer Evangelism Program
One of the things I learned while being in several foreign countries is the tremendous opportunity and impact of college student summer evangelism programs. I thought to myself, “What do we already have in place in America where Bible college students participate in a summer evangelism internship—going soulwinning every day (except Sundays) with an aggressive plan to spread the Gospel?”
I could not find a single program in America that already does this. That does not mean one does not exist—I just have not learned of it. I did, however, have several friends tell me that there are false religions that have such programs. Isn’t that sad? False religions that do not have the truth are often more consumed with sowing seeds of lies, while we make excuses about why it cannot be done.
The plan is to promote to Bible colleges across America an eight-week summer evangelism internship in which we place two college men in a Baptist church in New England to sow the seed of the Gospel. These men would commit to 30 or more hours per week of systematic door-to-door evangelism. They would also serve in the church on Wednesday nights and Sundays, or the pastor could send them to assist or preach in other churches if desired.
We will only accept young men into the program upon strong recommendations from both their home church and Bible college. The program will run from approximately mid-May to mid-July. Northeast for Christ Ministries is committed to contributing financially toward the college men’s school bills as an investment in their future ministry. Each hosting church will be responsible for housing and feeding the men during the eight weeks.
We have rolled out this program within the past couple of months and already have college men who have expressed interest. God is working!
Please pray with us that the young men God desires to serve with us will be able to come, and please help us spread the word to college men who may consider participating, beginning this summer of 2026.
Northeast for Christ Ministries Monthly Commitment
Beginning this April, Northeast for Christ Ministries is committing one week per month to come alongside churches throughout New England to help them reach their communities with the Gospel of Christ. We are reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:9a, “For we are labourers together with God.”
I am praying for God to send more laborers to serve alongside Northeast for Christ Ministries. I am personally committed to participating as much as I am able, while also fulfilling other national and international ministry responsibilities. As stated earlier, I am motivated by the Apostle Paul’s example—his passion throughout his missionary journeys and his desire to preach the Gospel to all men, even in Rome.
One of the most compelling and convicting verses to me regarding Gospel ministry is Acts 20:26: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.” May the Lord stir our hearts so that we may have that same testimony at the end of our lives.
In closing, may I ask you to commit the New England Gospel Initiative to prayer with us? My hope and prayer is that your faith will be increased— so that whether God calls you to New England or not, we will continue to preach the Gospel in regions beyond you (2 Corinthians 10:13–18). And together, by the grace of God, we may one day say that, as far as New England is concerned, we are pure from the blood of all men.
Until then, let us commit to being labourers together with God.
A Call to Action
If God has stirred your heart through this vision, we ask you to respond in one or more of the following ways.
First, pray. Commit to praying regularly for the New England Gospel Initiative—that God would open doors, raise up laborers, and prepare hearts throughout New England to receive the Gospel.
Second, participate. If you are a pastor or church leader, prayerfully consider committing your church to a weekly, organized Gospel outreach in your community. If you are a believer with a burden for souls, get involved in Gospel ministry where you are and be willing to serve where God may lead.
Third, partner. Help us spread the word to pastors, churches, and college men who may be interested in joining this effort. If God enables you to support the work financially or through housing, meals, or other practical needs, your partnership will have an eternal impact.
Finally, be willing. Ask the Lord what He would have you do. Whether He calls you to go, to help send others, or to faithfully labor right where you are, may we all surrender ourselves afresh to His Great Commission.