Jill and Derek Dillard, whose missionary work in Central America has been the focus of media attention, have appeared to hit back at suggestions that they have been trying to convert Roman Catholics.
The couple have a high profile because of Jill's family, the Duggars, whose reality TV show was pulled after revelations about the behaviour of her brother Josh. Aside from sexual misconduct when he was a teenager, he was found to have signed up for an account on the Ashley Madison adultery website.
The Dillards have been criticised for returning home for family events instead of staying on the mission field and – wrongly – for not being accredited Southern Baptist missionaries.
Derick Dillard pinned a post to the top of the family's blog in which he says: "God did not call us to convert Catholics."
He continues: "God did not call us to convert Catholics, but God has called us to follow His example. He has not called us to convert Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, atheists, Mormons, Lutherans, Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodists, agnostics, or Hindus. God has called us to Central America to preach the good news of the kingdom of God.
"My desire is to preach good news to the poor and to proclaim liberty to the captives. I have the greatest treasure in Christ, and I want others to know that hope as well."
