From Randal Dick, superintendent of international ministers
From Randal Dick,
superintendent of international ministers
A wise person once said, "You cannot rightly begin with the question, `Lord, what do you want me to do?' if you have not first pondered the question, `Lord, what are you doing?' "
I thought it would be beneficial to consider what God is and has been doing in the area of the Great Commission, so we might better ascertain what he wants us, individually and as a fellowship, to do.
Billy Graham called for Christians and churches around the world to covenant to work together to fulfill the Great Commission of Matthew 28. The results were marked by a series of conventions in places such as Lausanne, Switzerland, and Manila, Philippines, where solemn covenants were made and partnerships formed. A dynamic organization arose from these meetings known as AD 2000.
This institution girdles the earth and has marshaled the hearts and efforts of millions of Christians. It has fostered scores of other para-churches whose names would be familiar.
Yet, from the day that AD 2000 was formed, it planned its own demise on Dec. 31, 2000. The objective of AD 2000 is to bring the gospel to as many unreached people as possible before the end of 2000. Below, you will see various graphs that depict progress made in spreading the gospel. I'd like to highlight a few issues.
The "peoples" or "families" of the earth have been tabulated. Because of the advance in technology and comparative ease of travel, the distinct subcultures of the world have been identified. A people group is defined as any distinct ethnic or linguistic group of 50,000 people or more. Now, thanks to the AD 2000 movement, networks of people are dedicated to placing the gospel within reach of every people group.
AD 2000 has also been instrumental in stimulating focused prayer for the lost people of the earth. It was clear, early in the process, that many people are unreachable unless some of the barriers of resistance are removed. No human can make another human heart receptive. God can and does.
Historically, the West brought Christianity to the people they conquered, along with their armies and trading companies. In the last decade, African and Asian Christians have taken their place in the mission force. They can make inroads where Westerners cannot. The potential synergy is enormous. Also, many challenges are caused by the bringing together of such highly divergent worldviews.
One of the ironies depicted in these charts is that the vast majority of Christian mission resources are deployed in areas where Christianity is already dominant.
At the same time, statistics indicate that Christianity in the West is rapidly being relegated to one of a large menu of life-style choices, along with New Age, homosexuality, agnosticism and witchcraft. Already more than 20,000 foreign missionaries are in the United States, working to reconvert the once converted America. The next decade will no doubt be one of the more noteworthy periods in the history of Christianity.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2000