The United States is a nation with Christian roots. In the midst of war and slavery, American activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Protestant missionaries such as George Whitefield called for an end to various problems and disunity through the promotion of harmony through the Gospel's teachings. Even though they were persecuted for their efforts, they were the ones who planted churches and advanced the mission, which lasted well into the twentieth century.
The foreign missionary movement, which began in the late 1700s, would gain traction at the end of the Civil War and with the migration of Americans westward to California. Beginning in the late 16th century, American Protestants in the United States sought to introduce the Christian message to the unchurched, who at the time were Native Americans. It grew from there as the mission expanded into other countries. By the 19th century, America had around 5,000 missionaries preaching the Gospel in other nations.
As the number of missionaries, Christians, and other faith groups grew, it became clear that churches and organizations needed to educate missionaries. Dwight L. Moody, an evangelist, established the first missionary school for college students at the University of California in 1886. In his time, he would send out 13,000 young people to do mission work and spread the Gospel over the next four decades. His organization will be a huge support to the advancement of the foreign missionary movement. Similarly, George Whitefield and other Protestant preachers began to establish schools like Princeton to promote their viewpoints. By the year 1920 and by God's grace, the US would account for 40% of the 30,000 missionaries worldwide. Today, Christianity is still the most widely practiced religion in the United States.
Ranking 2nd as the country with the most colleges and universities, this quarter AM will be focusing on pioneering California (USA). With a total of about 3,000 colleges and universities, AM staff are excited to see what God will do in the state and in the country. Even though the founding of America is a painful past, they believe that God will bring healing and peace, just as he planned before the United States was formed. His hand has been leading Americans and Protestant missionaries to help him in his great work, and he remains. AM is ready to continue cultivating the seed and with a very young, diverse, and vibrant population, they are hopeful that the expansion of Gospel can grow rapidly to all US states.