About Alaska

Alaska, also known as "The Final Frontier", is the largest of the 50 states. Its size makes up one-fifth of the total land area of the 'lower 48' and is two and one-half times larger than the state of Texas! Several folks from Texas have shared with me that "if the ice would melt, it would be about the size of Rhode Island"!

Alaska is a land of great diversity, including climate, scenery, landscapes, as well as people. Many states boast that if 'you don't like the weather wait a day', but in Alaska you have many different climates going on at the same time. There are a group of islands (150) called the Aleutians, which stretch to the west for over a thousand miles. This area of the state receives lots of wind and is known for earthquakes.

The Southeast panhandle of Alaska is a narrow piece of land that separates British Columbia, Canada and the Pacific Ocean. This part of the state is made up of many, many islands and mountains, where most of the towns and villages can only be reached by boat or plane. This holds true also for the capital city of Alaska which is Juneau. Because of this, church planting can be very time consuming, difficult and expensive.

The South-Central portion of the state has become the fastest growing area. This area is where the largest city in the state, Anchorage, is found. It boasts a population of about 270,000 people. It reminds me of any large city in the lower 48, and has many of the same shopping and eating places we are used to. A very popular place to go in Alaska is in the section also, Mt. McKinley or Mt. Denali as it is known by. It is the largest peak in North America at 20,320 ft.

Going North on what is called the Parks Highway will take you through many smaller villages and bring you up into the interior of Alaska. Here you will find Fairbanks, which is the second largest city in the state at about 31,000 people. It too is like Anchorage, with the shopping and eating places. I have found that leaving either city and traveling for about 5 or 10 miles will bring you to what seems to be another country!

Continuing North from here will bring you to the Arctic region of Alaska. This is where the city of Barrow is at and is the largest city in this area. Also, this is the part of the state where the oil production is at and the great 'pipeline' begins. Mostly you will find smaller towns and villages that are very remote from each other. The wild weather in the Arctic makes mission work exciting, challenging and difficult at the same time.

The population of Alaska is said to be some 650,000 souls, made up of nations from all over the world. Approximately 15% of Alaska's population is made up of people whose ancestors were its earliest inhabitants…the Tlingits, Haidas, Athabaskans, and Eskimos. Many of these folks still follow the native religious practices which have been passed down from generation to generation. Also, other religions are present and have made major impact in Alaska, such as the Russian Orthodox Church. However, an attitude of self sufficiency may be one of the greatest obstacles to overcome as we strive to plant churches in "The Last Frontier".

In view of the size of Alaska, the population is very sparse (around 1.1 person per sq. mi.). Regardless, there are souls who need to receive the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who are spread out all over the "Land of the Midnight Sun". We want to be used by Him so that the Gospel light can be spread throughout the state. Many towns and villages have no Gospel witness, let alone an Independent Baptist Church, to be a shining light in their village. We know we are called on to endure the extreme conditions that will certainly confront us, but despite the hardships, we can rejoice in the fact that God has called us and will reward faithfulness as we seek to serve Him in Alaska.