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Our Vision
Most people think of Alaska as a Tourist Destination -- and it is
certainly one of the most beautiful places in the world. But it is also
spiritually DARK. It is primarily a non-religious culture. A few years
ago Pew Research Center ranked Alaska as the LEAST church-attending
state in America. Yes, we have churches, but most are weak with little
energy and resources to truly reach out into the Darkness. A resource
that we DO have are the many volunteer teams from the Lower 48 who
want to serve here in Alaska. We have developed a plan to use these
teams strategically and intentionally to help people find and follow
Jesus. We work cooperatively with local churches and church planters
to insure followup and discipleship.
Our goal remains to literally transform Alaska by winning new Believers, growing Disciples, and starting new gatherings of Believers. We will not be satisfied until we see a remarkable, multiplying “Jesus Movement” in our state. Please pray for this!!!
GraceWorks Poem
We wanted to see something different
... To teach someone new
So we boarded a plane...
And 5,000 miles we flew
We came to the last frontier ...
To show Love to the rest... .
Little did we know....
W'ed have to pass their test.
We had to take some harsh words
Just to see what we would do....
But all it took was an I love you...
And Jesus loves you too
We used whatever we had...
To perform our daily task
To Show the love of Jesus...
And see their smiles under their masks
We visited the poor...
To help them in their trials.
But the view that we seen...
Left us thinking for miles.
It was an experience that ended...
With us all 2nd guessing.
Is it right the way we live...
With so many blessings.
We've got everything we ask for...
Anything you could want.
While this child has nothing...
But a stomach tied in knots..
Would we really trade places with them..
As we sometimes say.
Or will we just tell them we care...
And Then send them away....
Now off to the park ...
We headed adventure bound.
We were never truly ready ....
For some of the stuff we found.
Some of us trembled at the sight...
Of a man with a gun stuck in his jeans...
Then we realize these kids sleep here at night...
With nowhere else to lean...
We washed their hands....
To try to get the dirt removed.
We knew it wouldn't last for long...
But for a moment they would be soothed
We spoke with the old and the young...
To teach them Bible lessons.
We thought we were the givers...
But it was us who received a blessing.
We couldn't speak their native language ...
We didn't know all their names.
But every time we showed up...
They loved us just the same.
Over this giant world...
There's people of every race, and creed.
And just like us...
They all have some kind of need.
Maybe a need for food...
Maybe a need for medicine.
They may just need to be loved...
Or to be showed some compassion.
Wherever you come from...
And Wherever you may Go.
Just sow the seeds of love...
And watch God make them Grow.
Tim smith 2016 Grace Works Alaska
Hi, I'm Scott Kirby. Welcome to our web site where you can find out more about volunteer mission opportunities, our ministry, and helpful mission trip resources. We want to help you or your church group to become more personally involved in missions through short-term volunteering. Welcome to base camp for mission adventure!
If you are interested in a mission trip, go to the "Trips" toolbar at the top of this page. You can check out our various 2018 mission project offerings.
Global Partnership Ministries was founded 26 years ago to help respond to the newly opened doors in Eastern Europe. Over that time, we have taken more than 3,000 people overseas on mission for Christ.
Twelve years ago we moved the mission to Alaska and took on the new name GRACEWORKS which is a more effective name for the local ministry we do in Alaska. We remain legally a 501(c)3 nonprofit as Global Partnership Ministries, but we DBA (do business as) GraceWorks in Alaska.
Since moving to Alaska, GraceWorks has hosted more than 7,000 visiting volunteer missionaries in Alaska. In addition to our Urban ministry, we have facilitated more than dozens of mission teams to Alaska Native American villages — many these only reachable by airplane (or dogsled!).
The big, national short-term mission organizations live thousands of miles away and send a few teams to Alaska each year. We live here, know the people and the needs, and host more volunteers than anyone else. Plus, we remain here year-round to work with local churches on followup. We typically host about 80 church groups in Alaska each year. The two most common comments we receive are (1) You are so well organized, and (2) the food was the best I've ever had on a mission trip.
GraceWorks believes that the Bible is God's Word, people are lost without Christ, and it is our responsibility to get the Message to people. The Great Commission is not just for the World to go to church. It is for the Church to go to the World! We have also found that we usually have to serve people and demonstrate love before they are ready to listen to what we have to say. They don't care what we know until they know that we care.
We would love to help you or your church to get involved in a volunteer mission project. Email me at gograceworks@aol.com or give me a call at 907-440-4974. Scott
What We Do