The Great Commission or the Great Omission?

"The Church is also late. The agents of Satan have gone even to the remotest places before a Christian missionary could step in there" - Stanley.

The above statement was sent to me in a devotion by a friend. As I began to meditate on the quote and the journey PEC Love Nepal team undertook, I am asking the question, "How much of the Great Commission has been fulfilled by me?"

The Lord gave us the Great Commission in Mat 28:19-20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Local evangelism and world missions are two sides of the same coin. Both are important and must be perused with equal urgency. 
While the social networks of the world systems move faster into the unknown regions, the Church of Jesus Christ unfortunately is strolling behind.  The Nepal team reports that there is so much that needs to be done in terms of evangelism. Social work is only one aspect. Ultimately the world needs to encounter Jesus. That's what I have seen as I travel to the many third world countries. 

If we believe that Jesus is the only way to God and that all signs point to His soon coming, I think thee needs to be a reawakening of the following:

1.   Passion - Passion for the lost. The Bible tells us that Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the altitudes. Paul said, "wow unto me if I preach not the gospel". That kind of passion needs to arise within every Christian. That passion would only come when we have a true encounter with Jesus. That's what happened to all the great evangelists and missionaries. 

2.   Vision -  With the passion there needs to be a vision of what exactly the Lord wants us to do. To Paul it was to reach the gentiles, to Peter and the Apostles it was at  Jerusalem where they needed to establish, the work. God gives a particular vision to individuals and churches who have the passion for the unreached. In addition to our direct contacts, to some it may be to reach a particular sector of the society or and to others a particular ethnic group or a particular country. .Without a vision, we will be beating around the bush. Doing many things, but missing the bulls-eye. Vision comes when we make contact with the One who gives the vision. It takes time, it takes waiting, it takes effort in His presence. 

3.   Strategy - With a sound God given vision and an effective strategy that is put into action, we will see results, the harvest will come in.The strategies need to be practical and critically analysed, involving as many people as possible.

God help me.      

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