The Task Not Yet Complete

As reported by the Global Research Department of the International Mission Board, approximately 3.8 billion people across the globe remain unreached – they do not know Christ. And almost 2.4 billion, or over 60%, of these people are in four distinct regions – South Asia, the Pacific Rim, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.

I must admit these figures seem daunting – the ends of the earth are still yet to be reached. The task of the Acts 1:8 imperative is not complete. As a Southern Baptist, December is a time when we celebrate the successes of our missionaries outside of North America. This month our church along with tens of thousands more will give to what we call the Lottie Moon offering. It is our way of cooperating together as like-minded believers to fund the task of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Lottie Moon is an example for all of us. For 37 years she dedicated her life to seeing the people of China won to Christ. She loved the people of East Asia so much that she gave away her food to others who were starving. She eventually died of starvation herself.

It was one of her letters home that prompted greater missions support and helped to create a fire for international missions in the United States. Below is an excerpt from this letter:

How many there are… who imagine that because Jesus paid it all, they need pay nothing, forgetting that the prime object of their salvation was that they should follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ in bringing back a lost world to God, and so aid in bringing the answer to the petition our Lord taught his disciples: Thy kingdom come.

May we never forget that the task of telling the world about Jesus is not yet complete. Billions need to hear the gospel message of Jesus Christ. But there are missionaries across the globe with the passion of Lottie Moon. As the Suffering Servant worked for us, they work for His good news message. Please take a moment and pray for these missionaries in their gospel work. Their calling is great – many will tell you they know firsthand that the cost of discipleship is high. And during this season of giving, remember that one of the best ways to show your support is to give to their cause.

Thank You, Lord

Psalm 100

1 Shout triumphantly to the LORD, all the earth.
  2 Serve the LORD with gladness;
  come before Him with joyful songs.
  3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God.
  He made us, and we are His —
  His people, the sheep of His pasture.
  4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
  and His courts with praise.
  Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
  5 For the LORD is good, and His love is eternal;
  His faithfulness endures through all generations.

Thank You, Lord, for a blessed life. Thank You for blessing me with the godliest woman I know as a wife. You somehow gave her a desire for me, even though I am a man undeserved of her love. Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with two great parents and two great brothers (my family and best friends). I am proud of my “Rainer” name because of them and who they are. Thank You, Lord, for blessing me with a wonderful church family – a unified body of believers willing to share Your Son, Jesus Christ, with a lost world. But most of all – Lord, thank You for sending Jesus. He came as a Suffering Servant on my behalf. He died for my sins, horrible sins. But now through Your Truth I am set free. I am pure. I am Your child, eternally secure. Thank You, Lord.

Beijing Bibles

Will the Chinese government allow athletes to bring Bibles to the 2008 Olympic Games? Reports are mixed, and certainty is clouded as to whether visitors into the country will be allowed to bring the Word of God. The latest reports state that each athlete can bring only one personal Bible.

At issue is something more than a political statement. At issue is the authority of the Bible. Clearly, the Chinese government does not hold to the inerrancy, infallibility, or inspiration of Scripture. But these characteristics of Scripture mean little without the total authority of Scripture.

The Bible is the highest authority for all people. Scripture is not subordinate to history, modern logical schemes, government, or philosophy. God imparted this divine authority to Scripture. Therefore, Scripture contains exactly what God wants everyone to know. All people should believe and trust in the words of the Bible because these words are divine in authority. Since Scripture has a divine author, its authority must be divine as well. Scripture is divinely inspired. Therefore, it possesses divine authority.

Remove the authority of Scripture, and evangelism looses footing. Evangelism is the communication of the gospel message from those who know Christ to those who do not know Christ. It is the telling of what a person must do in order to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Evangelism is not a method; it is a message. Behavior alone is not enough to convey this message. Lifestyle must be coupled with a verbal witness.

Evangelism and Scriptural authority are linked closely. One of the most critical commands in Scripture is that of making disciples. One of the most critical characteristics of Scripture is its authority. Since Scripture is the ultimate standard of truth, proclaiming this good news truth is one of the most important messages that can be relayed to someone who does not know Christ.

The Scriptures do not leave people in a state of bewilderment. The Bible provides the firm foundation on which a person stands. God’s word details for us what is right and wrong. As Christians, we do not follow cleverly contrived myths. The Bible gives a path forward. It represents a blueprint for the way in which we should live our lives.

Pray that the Chinese government will allow athletes the honor and privilege of bringing their Bibles to one of the most multicultural events in the world. The gospel can be shared without a Bible. But it is my prayer that many of these athletes will have the opportunity to give the ultimate standard of truth, God’s Word, to someone who has never heard about the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. Pray that Beijing will be inundated with Bibles. Pray that multitudes will surrender to the authority of Scripture and hand their lives over to Jesus Christ.

The Faith/Church Disconnect

A Leadership Journal survey reports that for nearly half of self-professing Christians, involvement in a local church is a minimal part of their lives. In short, the church has become non-essential to them. A large segment of Christians are claiming faith but not keeping the fellowship of believers. This trend is one that many pastors know anecdotally, and it is one that is truly concerning.

The church and Christ are inexplicably tied. The two cannot be separated; they are married to each other. Christ is the groom. The church is His bride. Being a Christian without a connection to the local church is like trying to have a marriage without interacting and communicating with your spouse. The church is a critical piece of a relationship with God. In fact, a relationship with God is seriously compromised apart from the local church. Christ and the church are bonded like the joining of a husband and wife in one flesh. Breaking this bond is serious.

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31-32

It is my prayer that the gap between faith and the church will shrink. It will take a revival of dedicated hearts coupled with churches willing to change to reach better the culture around them. But I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit can work to bring our churches and people back together. What steps is your church taking to close this gap? What heart changes in the people do you think will have to occur in order to tie faith back to the church?

The Church Website: Overrated, Overdone, or More to Come?

USA Today reports that 82% of churches with over 200 in attendance have a website. Yet only 29% of churches with 100 or less in attendance have an online presence.

There’s no doubt that many people are searching the web for churches. As a pastor, when I talk to those interested in our church, I get one predominant response: “Oh, give me your web address, and I’ll check you out.”

Given the limited resources and budgets of churches (particularly those with under 200 people), and the infinite amount of ways to connect with people, should the church put time and money into a website? Should the 71% of smaller churches that don’t have a website look to make a presence online or use their efforts elsewhere?

My take: a website is one of the easiest and most visual ways to connect with people. It’s well worth the investment. But it’s one tool of several that churches, big and small, should utilize. Just remember, the Internet was not around in the 1950s, so don’t make your website look like it was.

What do you think? Overrated, Overdone, or More to Come?