Equally clear is His anger and condemnation toward those who deny justice to these vulnerable communities—or worse, oppress them. The Bible repeatedly grounds both Israel’s and the Church’s spiritual life in this theme of defending and caring for the vulnerable.

At World Horizons, we long to be a community that responds actively to this heartbeat of God, wherever we come from and wherever we serve. His cry for social justice resonates deeply within us. We aim not only to proclaim the Good News but also to roll up our sleeves and take part in acts of compassion that help make this world a fairer and more hope‑filled place for all.

The UNHCR estimates that 84 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide because of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations, and that half of the world’s refugees are children. It also reports that 85% of refugees are hosted in developing countries, and that we are witnessing the highest levels of displacement ever recorded. These staggering realities touch every one of us in some way and thankfully, there is something each of us can do in response to God’s call.

Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats reminds us that when we feed the hungry, offer water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, care for the sick, or visit those in prison, we are offering spiritual worship that deeply pleases Him. All of us can pray, and all of us can also become God’s practical answer to the strangers He brings across our paths, many of whom today are refugees.

Within World Horizons, some of our members are now engaging in more organised humanitarian efforts. Across the various cultures and countries where we work, we are seeking to provide culturally sensitive and locally sustainable responses to the many needs that refugees face. Those involved in this ministry speak of the deep joy and great privilege of getting to know these communities and discerning how best to serve them. Our teams help in pop‑up soup kitchens, language schools, creative arts programs, therapeutic settings, and livelihood projects—simple acts that can bring profound dignity and hope.

The challenges are enormous, and our contributions may sometimes feel like a single drop in a vast ocean. Yet, as Mother Teresa reminded us, an ocean is made up of many drops. Throughout history, the Church has often been at the forefront of social change, justice, and compassion. As part of that global Church, the World Horizons community remains committed to promoting and embodying this deeply spiritual and deeply practical calling: to welcome and embrace the refugee in our midst.

In the mid‑2000s, a young couple approached World Horizons, asking if they could join the team and travel through Central Asia. Their desire was to discover where God was leading them to settle and begin a business. After a year of exploring, they sensed clearly where they should put down roots. Another year later, they launched a small business. Fifteen years on, that once‑small venture has grown into a multi‑location fast‑food company employing more than 100 people and contributing meaningfully to Christian witness in their city.

World Horizons has been involved in business initiatives for more than thirty years. Over that time, through coaching, investment, and a range of practical support, numerous businesses have been established in different parts of the world, demonstrating again and again that business can open doors into regions otherwise closed to traditional mission. Language schools, coffee houses, adventure and tourism companies, and local craft trades have all found their place on this growing list.

In 2006, we established a dedicated Business as Mission division. Since then, the team has helped many entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable enterprises that employ local people, invest in community development, generate indigenous wealth, strengthen the local church, and introduce Kingdom values into the workplace.

If you’ve always dreamed of starting a business…
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to take initiative…
If you long to travel and invest in another part of the world…

…then we would love to hear from you. We invite you to join us and become part of a global movement of entrepreneurs using their business skills to help build the Kingdom of God among the nations.

• What are you saying, Lord? How do you want me to pray?
• What would you like to see happening with my life, with those around me, in the nations?
• How would you like me to speak, work, disciple, lead?
• How can I be part of your plan to bring transformation to the nations?
• We want our members to be enabled to ask these questions and then respond in obedience.

The above are just some of the things which have sprung up and flourished from our World Horizons Creative Arts community in the past few years. From many seedlings prayed over and watered, even with tears, creativity is alive and thriving bringing joy and beauty, hope and freedom to many lives within and beyond this community. 

Since our early years, creative expression has been integral to who we are as World Horizons. It helps shape us and how we share the love and invitation of Jesus among diverse peoples and cultures. Today we recognise a global move of the Spirit through the Arts and want to join in with what God is doing! As we continue together on this exciting learning adventure, we welcome people of all cultural backgrounds, encouraging everyone to recognise their own creative identity and contribute to this colorful tapestry.

When the 2020-21 lock-downs limited global travel and meeting face-to-face, we experienced amazing organic growth through online Spirit-led connections. From just a small core group of creatives, relationships developed right across our international community and out over the edges. A new arts community was ‘WOVEN’ together.

‘WOVEN’ has become a welcoming and inclusive ‘safe space’. A supportive environment where friendship is deepened, and creative ideas, prayers, dreams and projects are shared. Where gifting is called out, confidence built and opportunities for collaboration found.

One prophetic picture we received is of a brilliantly sparkling diamond, a multi-faceted gem reflecting light from many angles. It spoke of a diverse yet gathered creative community with each facet expressing God’s beauty and glory in a different way. The diamond’s sharpened edges and polish spoke of our accountability to Christ and each other and how His Spirit hones each individual and gifting to portray Him more beautifully.

The Arts impact our senses and souls. They carry the grace and power to challenge our worldview, to express beauty, bring comfort, soothe pain, be a voice for justice and a light to the oppressed. The Arts gather strangers, inspire hope, aid reconciliation and healing.

Artists are a prophetic voice for the Body of Christ and for its mission in the world.

Have you wondered how God could use your creativity to bless other peoples and cultures? Your artistic talent could be a tiny but significant catalyst to help transform a life, a community, even a nation for good!

Whether you are a cook or a candle-maker, a gardener, graphic designer, glassblower, florist, photographer, baker, filmmaker, batik artist, ballroom dancer, trumpeter or poet, you and your gifting are special and valued and have a place in God’s heart and Kingdom plan!

World Horizons values every creative individual and their God-given gifting, however niche.

Connect with us if you would like to find out more about the Creative Arts in World Horizons.

The city of Antakya in modern Türkiye was once know as Antioch. It was in that city that the followers of Jesus were first described as Christians. From that first Christian community Paul and Barnabas, the earliest cross-cultural missionaries were sent out. (Acts 11:26 & 13:3).

Those who serve with us all have an experience of church. Many have been sent by their home community, with prayer, and sometimes financial support. Others have previously served in a local church or interacted with many different communities of Jesus’ followers. We firmly believe that local churches help make us better ambassadors of good news in the nations.

There are also churches that partner with us, and we cherish these relationships.We love helping local congregations discover what God is doing in cultures and communities far beyond their own. These churches send teams to work alongside our staff as they share the love of Jesus in practical and personal ways. They also host travelling teams who come to share stories, join in prayer, and strengthen the local community.

There are also churches that have come into being through the work of World Horizons team members. In places such as West Africa, the Middle East, Spain, France, and even near our original community in South Wales, UK, new communities of prayer and worship have been established. Following the example of those sent out from Antioch, it is our desire that a local expression of God’s people would be available to everyone, wherever they live.

If your community would like to partner with us please let us know.

We share our collective experience with every new worker so that, in time, they too can pass on their knowledge to the next generation. We equip them spiritually, mentally, and physically so that each person can grow into all that God has called them to be. As the world continues to change rapidly, we pair our initial training programs with a commitment to lifelong learning, continually growing in wisdom, skills, and understanding as we walk with God.

Our desire is to build intergenerational and multicultural teams throughout our movement, and this vision begins right at the training and preparation stage. We love bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures, and our training often takes place outside an individual’s country of origin.

We’ve found that it’s far easier to learn about other cultures while living within one than it is to grasp the same concepts in theory alone. As valuable as good teaching can be, in our experience it simply can’t match the depth of learning that comes through practical, lived experience. That’s why our approach to equipping workers often looks more like discipleship than traditional classroom‑based instruction.

Here are some testimonies from people who have completed our training:

“The program hinged around not just the places we went to but our teachers. These are people who have already practiced what they preach, they’ve got the t-shirt. Not only have they done it, but they are still doing it today!” – Ryan

“World Horizons’ training program is something that I dreamt about for a long time. It was a long-awaited answer to many prayers. During the training, I experienced some of the most challenging things I have ever done physically, mentally, and emotionally. However, I would not change a single thing. I grew more than I ever thought I could in just nine months. I wish more people had the opportunity to experience this training.” – Hannah

“World Horizons’ training develops you into a human Swiss army knife, so you have a tool ready for every single situation.’’ – Josh

Experiencing a Life of Faith and Adventure: A Member’s Perspective

Experiencing the Adventure of Yielding to the Spirit
At first, the idea of being led by the Spirit feels exciting, who wouldn’t want that? But very quickly the reality becomes challenging. No vehicle has two steering wheels. If the Spirit is in control of my life, then I am not. And that forces a real question: Do I truly want that?

It was surely goodbye to skiing when I joined World Horizons and moved to tropical Southeast Asia; but 30 years later I was in North Korea teaching local people how to ski.

Hours by boat in Laos took me to a village with no metal or plastic, only wood, that worshipped an American soldier.

Stabbed in Algeria when I failed to follow the Lord’s clear instruction, I nevertheless experienced His peace and the loving care of a local family.

Experiencing spiritual adventure