Alaska, meaning “Great Land,” is a land of mystery and beauty, one-fifth the size of the continental USA. Amid the wonder of the “Great Land,” there remains a great need to share Jesus Christ among the urban and rural populations and in the bush villages of Alaska.
Principal religions are Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholicism, and various Protestant groups.
1949
Baptist Mid-Missions entered Alaska with the ministry of Miss Violet Able. A missionary couple began the first church-planting ministry in Homer in 1950. Since those early days, churches have been established in 13 communities.
Currently, Baptist Mid-Missions has five mission works ranging from the large city of Juneau to smaller towns and village ministry.
The Alaska Field Council operates separately from the North America Field Council due to geographic and cultural distance.
Reaching the bush of Alaska presents the greatest challenge to missions in the next several years. Because they are not connected to the road system, bush villages are accessible only by airplane. Hundreds of these villages are without a gospel witness. A special call of God is required to this slow, often isolated, and difficult ministry. These villages may never support an indigenous church, yet the gospel must be proclaimed to them. In addition, several small communities in rural Alaska that are on the road system could support a church plant.
Southeast Alaska is also needy. Amphibious planes have been used in the past to reach the many logging camps and villages in this region. However, at this time no missionary pilot is available for this ministry.
Most of the population centers on the road system now have established works. However, Anchorage and Fairbanks have the potential to support another church plant.
Church planters are needed to reach out to people in Alaska's population centers and bush regions.