Recently I read that an estimated 3 billion – or 40% of the world’s population are still unreached with the Gospel. These are startling statistics. Yet Scripture assures us that God will be worshipped by a great multitude that no one can count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language. At the last day, those from all the nations will be gathered before him as He sits on his glorious throne. This is a wonderful prospect but must not make us complacent about, or neglectful of His last command – the great commission.
This powerful and familiar portion of Scripture in Matthew 28 reaffirms to us the primary responsibility of Christians in the world. Christian fellowship, stimulating worship, and Biblical knowledge are invaluable blessings and responsibilities, but none of these are our primary responsibility. While they are important and enriching, the church’s primary mission is summed up in verse 19 – to make disciples of all the nations.
If we were saved primarily for fellowship, worship, or knowledge, we would be better transported to heaven where we would experience all three in perfection! No! Our God-given priority here on earth is to reach the nations by making disciples.
Our partners in mission who are penetrating unreached people groups in Pamir and Tajikistan, where Gospel breakthroughs are imminent. Mongolia is a new mission field for SGA. Already, through several projects, the Gospel is being clearly presented, especially to the younger generation. Reaching the Balkan nation of Bosnia & Herzegovina is challenging.
However, through our sponsored missionary, communities are being penetrated by evangelistic outreach, hand in hand with the distribution of aid.
The church has a unique place in the world. In 1945, Archbishop William Temple said:
‘The church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of its non-members’.
If we forget, neglect, or ignore this, we lose our mandate. The church will focus inwardly and stagnate spiritually, if we do not take up His missionary vision for a lost world.
Ralph Winter, an American missiologist who became well known as an advocate for pioneer outreach among unreached people groups, aptly stated: ‘The task of identifying and penetrating the remaining unreached peoples — the great challenge of “discipling all the nations” — still lies before us.’
The problem is that we can become inward-looking – comfortable with church life, and enjoying fellowship with believers, rather than reaching the nations. We can become so focused on ourselves, and unconcerned for people around us.
Let us rise up and seek to declare
“His glory among the nations!”
