September 01, 1984 by

TEAM needs new missionaries to fill the gap left by retirements, to holster slim field forces, and to stretch into new frontiers.

TEAM began the 1980's with coals of entering three new countries and opening work among previously unreached peoples on at least half of the existing fields. To do this by 1890, we estimate a need for 1,300 workers; but this is a big decade for retirements. About 2418 workers will retire by 1990.

It's not lust a question of adding new workers; we also have to make up for those who will be 'laying down their mantles," Some fields have already been seriously affected, particularly the older ones. South Africa dropped from 127 missionaries In, 1976 to 62 in 1984. Zimbabwe lost 42 workers in the same period due partly to war and partly to retirements.

The civil strife in Chad has taken its toll on missionaries, hut actually retirements are a bigger factor there. Chad is asking for liii more esisslonarlet. particularly Bible translators, leadership trainers, evangelists, and medical workers.

Some of the fields are struggling and shorthanded while faced with awesome opportunities. Portugal has only ten workers and yet there is total freedom to preach the Gospel. The staff there is urgently asking for six workers in evangelism, church planting. and education. Brazil and Mexico are two countries added to TEAM's work in this decade. They have great opportunities, and both need p dozen worker, to take advantage of existing openings. Southeastern Europe has struggled for a long time with only three couples. Five more are needed for work among Muslims.

Evangelical attention has lately been focused on unreached peoples, primarily among Muslim, Hindu, and animistic groups. TEAM works among these people groups right now, but concern for them seems to have shifted attention away from places like Latin America.

With few exceptions, evangelicals still make up only five percent of the population of most Latin countries. TEAM is salting on new Urban chalienges in Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, and Brazil. A new training school in Trinidad to develop leadership is on the verge of opening.

In Africa, the Zimbabwe and South African fields are making plans for a new frontier work. South Africa missionaries will begin work in Bophuthatswana as soon as new workers are available.

We're specifically asking the Lord of the Harvest for 148 people to make format application during 19RU 85. We need to tend out an average of 108 people every year of the 'BUs if we are to realize the objectives we believe the Lord has set before us.

Everybody ought to know

(An editorial by Michael Pococis from Horizons Hag. for Nov. Dec. 1983)

Almost 2,000 years ago the Apostle Paul identified his lifetime ambition as preaching Christ where he had not beennamed (Romans 15:20). Following Paul's lead and the command of Christ to make disciples of all nations, missionaries have penetrated to almost every corner of the earth with the Gospel.

But while some people from almost every country have come to know Christ, there remain many "people groups" who have no believers among them. Some missiologists have estimated that these 'unreached" people groups number about 16,70."TEAM needs people to do the administrative work In several places in Venezuela. What we hope to do is relieve a person who is an evangelist, pastor, or Bible teacher of his duties as accountant, bookkeeper, etc. Too often, church planting missionaries get stuck doing the hooks because this is one of the things that must get done. We believe that freeing up s person like that to do what God has specifically gifted him for Is an efficient way of operating.

For over 90 years TEAM has been committed to taking the gospel to people in lands where Christ is not known. With the involvement of other missions, great strides have been made in world evangelism during the past century.

While TEAM is only one of many missions, the Lord Is using our workers among 109 people groups on 27 fields where we are present. This is cause for real thanksgiving, but we can never rest on the progress of the past.

Our workers are keenly aware that, according to the Word of God, history goes on mainly for salvation purposes. Christ has not returned as he promised because he is "not willing that any should perish." This divine concern for all the lost is what motivates us to go beyond our present commitments and seek out those who have never heard.

In 1980 TEAM set at its goal for this decade the entry of three new countries. We have already entered Italy with a significant effort, placing three couples since 1981. Of Italy's 32,000 towns and cities. 31,1111 have absolutely no evangelical presence. And by merger with other missions TEAM has adopted church development. 1990 work in Baja California, Mexico end in Brash.

At the same time that TEAM pledged to take the gospel to new areas, the established fields were asked to determine what unreached people groups live within their geographic area of ministry. The objective was to see at least 50% of our fields open a new work among an unreached people group during this decade.

Since then reports have been hastening. The nan Jaya field, now working among 13 tribes, has taroeted 13 more, Christian trihespeople are helping in this effort as they have already made valuable contacts among unreached tribes like the Moskona and Amberbaken. On the other side of the world TEAM's Austria field has targeted the large population of Yugoslavs in the Vienna area. Already two new couples are working among them.

Several central Asian people groups, denied the opportunity to hear the gospel in their country, have been the object of our prayers for some years. Due to large shifts in population because of political and civil strife, these heretofore unreached peoples recently have been brought into contact with TEAM missionaries.

Many of us are used to thinking that unreached people groups consist mostly of tribes In developing nations, but unreached people groups are frequently found in relatively advanced countries as well. Whenever a group of people is bound together by culture, language, religion, or even common employment, a people group exists. If this group have no active, witnessing church that is faithful so the Scripture, it is unreached. These are the kinds of groups TEAM hopes so enter in the days ahead.But setting goals and defining strategies are not enough. In every sense of the word, TEAM has been and always will be a team of those who administrate. those who go, those who give, and those who pray.

The challenge before all of us, however, Is to pray. Pray for the missionaries who are already fully engaged in finishing the job of evangelization and church planting among groups already entered.

Pray as the various TEAM fields consider whet new people groups should be entered with the gospel and what strategies God would have them utilize.

And pray for new personnel who are wilting to commit themselves to working among a particular people group, that they, too, like the first believers in Antloch, might he called Christians.