November 16, 2007

RICHMOND, Va.--

Editors' Note: The Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board recently released its 2007 annual statistical report, which provides information on how God continues to move around the world. This story is part of a three-week series in November taking a closer look behind the numbers at the lives changed by the work of Southern Baptist missionaries and their overseas Baptist partners.

She stands in her kitchen with tears in her eyes. A close family friend has died and she struggles to understand why.

After a lifetime of turning to priests and saints for solace and answers, this Italian woman is still searching. She asks International Mission Board missionary Charlie Worthy, "Why does God let this happen?" For Worthy, it is a golden opportunity to share his faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.

"She was really broken," he said, "and she had some serious questions."

Worthy and his wife Shannon have encountered many similar situations since moving to Naples, Italy, in 2005. The couple, who have three young children, were the first IMB missionaries assigned to this metropolitan area of 3.5 million people -– less than 0.5 percent of whom are evangelicals.

This metropolitan area is one of 28 "urban centers" around the world where IMB missionaries like the Worthys began church-planting strategies last year, according to the International Mission Board's 2007 annual statistical report. Of those 28 urban areas, 19 of them are less than 2 percent evangelical.

"While we continue to emphasize the importance of taking the Gospel to every people group, we cannot ignore the fact that peoples all around the world are migrating to the cities," said Scott Holste, the IMB's associate vice president for research and strategic services.

"This year the urban population of the world surpassed that of its rural population for the first time in history."

While many urban centers are rather small, Holste noted that researchers estimate there may be more than 450 cities with populations exceeding 1 million.

"Our field personnel report that these large urban centers frequently are less reached [with the Gospel] than rural areas where many missionaries have tended to work in the past," he said.

With Naples' elaborate cathedrals, Italian delicacies, scenic ocean view and warm Mediterranean climate, most people may overlook that millions live there without a relationship with Jesus Christ.