By Roland Vaughan
For the first time in the history of the church, it appears we now have the realistic potential for finishing the Great Commission.
For 100 years the focus of World Missions has been fulfilling the Great Commission—doing everything in our power to obey the last command of Christ to His church to take the gospel to all people. The time has come to alter that focus. For the first time in the history of the church, it appears we now have the realistic potential for finishing the Great Commission.
Beginning about 50 years ago the missiological community discovered church growth principles that explained why some churches flourish while others languish, and in many of our fields we’ve made those principles operative. Some 30 years ago saw the beginning of an emphasis upon locating and describing unreached ethnic groups, a movement to which the Church of God is soundly committed. We know where we are not, and we can strategize to go there.
Many once-closed countries are now accessible, and those still closed are often open to electronic communication. At the same time travel has become easier and quicker. We can fly today from Atlanta to Europe and the next day arrive in Timbuktu. And the people who are answering the Lord’s call speak all kinds of languages and have all colors of skin. Our own mission fields have become a powerful missions force. Missionaries from the Church of God throughout Latin America, for example, now serve on all the inhabited continents.
Further, the church is well prepared to accept the Last Days challenge to finish the Great Commission. Our financial structure allows the home force to be paid from regular contributions from our local churches, permitting us to dedicate all freewill gifts 100 percent to the field.
We are well postured to do what previous generations never could—begin the sprint to the finish in obeying the Great Commission. Beyond all these temporal situations, we have the power of the Holy Spirit.
The first-century church did not have lists of unreached people groups, computers, airplanes and all the accouterments we enjoy today, but they had the resources of the Holy Spirit to empower them. We understand well that there’s no substitute for His presence and power.
Thank you for standing shoulder to shoulder with us as we move toward finishing the work God has given us.
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Roland Vaughan is director of Church of God World Missions
(Article provided by Church of God World Missions)