Last month The Christian Chronicle listed nations in Africa, Europe, Asia and South America with few or no Churches of Christ — nations in desperate need of church-planting efforts.

This month we add the United States to the list of underevangelized nations — specifically New England and the Pacific Northwest. Church members have known about the needs in these two regions for decades. Look at the front page of this issue,º and you’ll see not only that the need remains great, but also that Churches of Christ are losing ground. Empty pulpits plague the Northeast. Small congregations struggle to attract experienced ministers to a part of the country where the cost of living is high and the salaries are humble.

The same problem exists in the Northwest. The closing of Cascade College next year will be a huge loss in a region where the church cannot afford such losses.

A few Christian universities and ministry training schools have attempted church-planting efforts in the Northeast and Northwest. These must continue — with renewed interest and vigor from areas where churches are strong.

Now, more than ever, we need self-sacrificing believers who are willing to move to unfamiliar territories, study the local culture and find new ways to reach potential seekers.

We must also be aware that we can’t carbon copy churches from the Deep South in these regions. Our efforts must emphasize indigenous leadership.

 We must not abandon these difficult places, home to millions of souls who need Jesus.