We rejoice to see new groups of believers planted in the 10/40 Window, in the city, among other religious groups, among the secular and post-Christian. But the time has come for another mission refocus. A time for aligning our hearts and minds, our people, our resources, our budgets to reach the unreached with hope.
The Seventh-day Adventist Mission flame was lit more than 150 years ago in a handful of rural towns and villages in Northeast America. Soon, that flame was spreading around the world. But it only happened because dedicated Seventh-day Adventists looked beyond their own needs to a world in need. Because of Seventh-day Adventists, who said, “I will go.”
“I will go beyond my home, beyond my country, beyond my language, beyond my own people to light the flame among those who have never heard.”
Many of those faithful missionaries gave their lives for the salvation of others. They never came home. The Seventh Day Adventist Church was founded on sacrifice. It grew through sacrifice. And it will only continue to grow. Through sacrifice. The selfless sacrifice of those who still believe that this gospel of the Kingdom must be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations.
More than 30 years ago, the General Conference Annual Council voted a document entitled Global Strategy of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. That document explored the mission challenge still facing the church. It opened with these words.
“The figures are stark, unrelenting. World depopulation 5.3 billion, Seventh-day Adventist world membership more than 6 million.”
The document outlined a strategy to refocus the church's mission. To refocus on unreached territories and unreached people groups. To refocus people and funds. To reach the unreached with hope and to plant new groups of believers on new mission frontiers.
That refocus was voted the following year at the General Conference Session in Indianapolis. The refocus was called Global Mission.
“I don't think we have ever sat down to discuss a subject of greater importance than global mission and global mission requires a strategy in order to carry the message of God's love, the saving grace of Christ, and the soon coming to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. A global mission and a global strategy which extends from continent to continent, country to country, city to city, group to group, and ultimately person to person.”
Today, as we look at our mission challenge, more than 30 years later, the figures are still stark, unrelenting. We rejoice to see new groups of believers planted in the 10/40 Window, in the city, among other religious groups, among the secular and post-Christian.
But the time has come for another mission refocus. A time for aligning our hearts and minds, our people, our resources, our budgets to reach the unreached with hope.
