In the July-August 2010 issue of Missions Frontiers magazine (I had never heard of it) Paul Eschleman (or him), founder of the JESUS Film Project and Vice President of Evangelism Strategies for Campus Crusade, lists what he sees as the top five “global evangelization priorities for the Church,” the focus of which is “disciple-making breakthrough in every people group of the world.”

• 5 – Church planting and presence
• 4 – Reaching oral learners – “Two-thirds of people worldwide are oral learners. That is, they prefer to learn through proverbs, music, poetry and especially stories.”
• 3 – Increasing evangelization, with a focus on Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus – “We need more intentional demonstration of love and prayer for the largest religious blocs throughout the world: Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. If you add the folk Chinese of China, the total population of the three groups is 3.5 billion people – over half of the world’s population.”
• 2 – Engaging the unengaged people groups – “At present, there remain about 3,500 people groups (of all population sizes) that are still unengaged; the total population of these groups is over 350 million.”
• 1 – Scripture translation – “Scripture translation is the #1 priority throughout the world because it’s impossible to do ministry without a Biblical foundation.”

Now I was initially drawn to this list because, well, Bible translation is listed as the top priority and I’m pursuing work with Wycliffe as a Bible translator. So, the list looked pretty good to me. Secondly, what’s interesting is that church planting is listed number five when everywhere you turn today the emphasis seems to be on church planting. Do a search on Twitter for Darrin Patrick.

Respond

Is church planting overrated? Should Bible translation really be the Church’s top priority?

PDF

Read the full PDF of Paul Eschelman, “The State of the Unfinished Task” in Missions Frontiers (July-August 2010), 10-11. Don’t miss the nifty diagram.

“So, I was talking to my friend who grew up Catholic and I told her that she could have a relationship with God.”
“She said ‘No way. Really?’”
“‘Yeh,’ I replied, ‘He’s like a person and stuff.’”

Missy, not only is he a person, but he’s three persons and stuff. What are we going to do about this lack of articulation, Al?

BoingBoing.net links to a story where a price comparison website ran an experiment on the streets of London and Manchester offering passers by a £5 note if they would only stop and ask for it. The results confirm that people are skeptical of freebies:

“Despite encountering over 1800 people, only 28 passers by bothered to take advantage of the offer…[and] all but 7 of the people who claimed the free cash were men.”

Though considerably different, what does this say of trying to “hand out” the Gospel?

“If you stop and ask me how to know Jesus, I’ll tell you.”
“You can go to heaven for free. Ask me how.”

Using these lines on the street would likely yield similar results if not attracting even less people. Why?

First, it’s interesting that many people could have actually used the five pounds for their day’s commute, but stopping and asking for money makes one lose face and appear needy. Stopping to have a chat about the Gospel may similarly appear as being needy or spiritually bankrupt, feelings most people will likely want to avoid though prerequisite for coming to Christ.

What’s the solution? Well, it doesn’t seem like the marketing folks have yet designed a strategy for passing out money for free, so it’s not surprising that passing out the Gospel would be equally as perplexing. But this has to depend largely on the audience. Go to a slum where people have obvious need that’s clear to everyone: you better believe there would be more takers for the free money than on the streets of major cities where the average passer by is more concerned with saving face (or time) than taking someone up on a good offer. Go then to a slum and share the good news of Jesus Christ to people who are more tuned in to their deficiencies: I would think more would respond than in the cities because of their pressing needs which would take precedence of reputation or time.

This doesn’t mean we don’t share the Gospel wherever we go, but this helps us to understand the people with whom we hope to share the Gospel.

What would I have done differently? I would have been a fool for Christ, sharing the gospel with those outside the library. It wouldn’t have had to have been open-air preaching style, but obeying the impression of the Holy Spirit. We can always worry about what others might think. Worrying about what people think is a good thing; but worrying more about public opinion than God’s opinion is dangerous and leads to disobedience. Even as I prepare to post this blog entry now, I worry about what those readers (if any!) will think of my talking openly about the Christian’s inner struggle of sin and wanting to obey God that’s exemplified in the story above. However, of what in this post need I be ashamed? Could not some speak of a one night stand or drunkenness as a regret, an event they wish they could go back and change? All the same, we both would wish to change an event that involved sin. Remorse over sin is a step in the right direction; of that I will not be ashamed.

I left the library and went back to my apartment. I was eaten up inside with my disobedience. I then resolved in my heart that I would return to the library and scope out the situation with the intent of sharing the good news of what God has done through Jesus Christ on our behalf for his glory. I walked back to the library. I was the only one around; but at least I had come around to being obedient. It’s better to be obedient the first time around. Thank the Lord for a second chance!

Anyways, check out what happened today that gives seminary practicality. Sitting in church today for a children’s nativity presentation the young girl with whom I was sitting (aged 9) turns to me and asks, “Drew, do you believe in God?” Not something I was immediately expecting considering the farcical spectacle going on at the front of the church.

“I do, Martha. Do you believe in God?”

“No.” Blank stare.

“Well, why don’t you believe in God?”

“He ain’t done nuffink for me.”

“Are you breathing right now?”

“Not very well. I’ve got a cold at the moment.”

Haha. This was going to be fun. From here, she and I had a lovely conversation about the reliability of Scripture, the historicity of Jesus, the eyewitness accounts of Jesus contained in the Gospels, intelligent design, the teleological and cosmological arguments for God, the transmission of the Bible, the law of non-contradiction and persecution (she had been laughed at by the boys at her school for going to church). Of course, in talking about these things, I didn’t use all this hifalutin language, but these are the very subjects about which we spoke. She was intelligent, asking pointed questions about the the veracity and reliability of Scripture. Nine years-old mind you! I ended by sharing the gospel with her. Martha was for whom the gospel was meant. It’s not meant to be locked up in a bricked building in Wake Forest.

I get frustrated at seminary often. Will I have a “proper” job when I graduate? Is it even worth it? Do I even care about having a “proper” job? (I just want to provide for my wife and future family.) Is the stuff I’m learning practical? Today it was worth it: being able to share the firm foundation that has been laid for our faith in his excellent word that speaks of Jesus coming to rescue us. As Dr. Lanier reminded us in Greek this past summer “Do it for Jesus!” I add, “and do it for Martha.” Study for the nine year old that wonders about God and asks questions that most adults push out of mind. Jesus loves this little child and desires to have a relationship with her. That I can play a part in that gives me tears.