What is the U.S. Center for World Mission?
In this first issue of our new bulletin "Mission Frontiers", it seems reasonable to ask the question...
Who are we?
Most of our key people are professional missionaries. We have spent years overseas in crosscultural situations.
Without exception, we are committed to Christ to complete His Great Commission. No one without a passionate allegiance to that purpose would want to stay with us.
Now what are we up to?
Jesus told how the "single eye" fills the whole body with light. Our "look" is focused specifically on those peoples of earth who have no church of their own kind. Among them churches must be planted to call out a people for Christ's name.
But, we are not a missionary sending agency. So how will we achieve our purpose?
Though our eye is single, we look three ways:
1) looking out
We "look for earth's "least reached" peoples. Missionaries have now planted churches in almost every country of the world so we know it can be done! Huge numbers still have no church of their kind. No church for them exists among them. About 500 million non Christi.ans are within reach of existing efforts. Many more are not.
How many? Some 2.5 billion people! They form thousands of societies. We call them "hidden peoples".
Strategy and Research institutes are developing here at the Center. For more on Chinese, Muslim, Hindu and Tribal institutes, see page 3.
What problems will the Institutes tackle? a. To find who and where the hidden peoples are. b. To find ways to penetrate to those peoples and plant churches. c. To facilitate link ups between missionaries and reachable hidden peoples.
Can we do this for the whole world?
Probably not. We see ourselves as only one point in a network of similar Centers which will one day, envelope the world. We are only the U.S. Center for World Mission.
2) looking back
We help mission agencies "look" for people and funds for the task.
Around us here at the Center an impressive number of associated groups and organizations is growing. They are hands reaching into traditional evangelical sectors of the whole USA church.
To mobilize men and money from these sectors for new frontier mission thrusts is urgent work. To tie them into specific people needs will produce results.
How can an army of missionaries be recruited?
Thousands of them will be needed to plant churches in societies totaling 2.5 billion people. What manpower pool could produce such human resources? One might: the student world in the US and abroad. Our focus is on students at the pre vocational level. Some 3 million evangelical youth are in nonreligious colleges and universities. They desperately need to see the world as God sees it before their lives are pressed into a secular mold.
This is a vast, neglected area in missionary recruitment.
But there is an answer. A model Institute of International Studies program has proved itself for five years. Now it has its own campus.
The miracle of William Carey International University in Pasadena unfolds before our eyes' Anyone who can invest even a month should probe the thrilling possibility of being part of the Institute of International Studies. (Read "lIS NOW...", page 6.)
We also "look at Christians across our land Churches are a sleeping giant. Nothing can stop the progress of God's plan if people are aroused to participate. We currently offer a book, two posters and information pointed to the consciences of Christians.
3) looking up
We "look" at God's revealed plan to reach every people.
God begins these facts in the Bible's first book. Genesis reveals God's world plan! (12:3)
Centuries later, Isaiah states it lust as plainly. (49:6)
Who among us is wise? He who finds which direction God is moving and moves with Him. Any other effort is an exercise in futility.
Critics remind us, many hidden peoples are "walled off" from missionaries by political and religious barriers. True. Our difference perhaps is attitude.
God has declared His purpose to give His Good News to everyone everywhere. He plans to do it through people who believe Him.
We who are Christ's dare not live distanced from His Commission. What is life but to live for what He wants? Every "closed" area of earth should be ringed with Christian commandos ready to breach the barriers. There are many ways to do so right now.
No matter that walls are high and thick. Omnipotence presses Christian missionaries out to the world's battle fields. God will give them victory. As the poet said, "The waves may break in failure, but the tide is sure to win." We all need a double portion of C.T. Studd's spirit and prayer that men may,
"When the forts of folly fall
Find my body near the wall."
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