Gospel Video Presentations
The 1st Quarter
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, went westward with Barnabas from Antioch, which is modern day Syria, to the regions beyond. He made his way into modern day Turkey, Greece, and died in Rome, Italy. But the Gospel had now spread to Europe!
As we understand the movement of Christianity in a westward direction, several things stand out. We find that as missionaries went into foreign nations, they encountered different language groups. As the Word of God was preached throughout Europe in the 1300’s onward, the Bible began to be translated into the heart languages of the people: such as in German, French, Spanish, English, etc.
The result of the Bible in the hands of the common man is powerful! Revival would break out and as a result, missionary enterprise. But there is always sure to be opposition when the Gospel is preached. Persecution from the world is to be expected when God is changing lives. This is exactly what happened. During the time of the Reformation, Anabaptists along with other groups were persecuted. Puritans, Huguenots, and others fled to the New World seeking an opportunity to freely worship God. Again, persecution led to the furtherance of the Gospel!
The 2nd Quarter
When the pilgrims arrived in America, they met the Native Americans. One pastor in New England named John Eliot had come from England. He had a burden for the Algonquin Indians and began to learn their language. He created an alphabet and devoloped a dictionary. He went on to translate the Bible into their language and saw many saved and baptized. He started at least four churches. As a note of interest, this Native American Bible was the first Bible printed on American soil! (For the first one hundred years, English Bibles were printed and shipped from England.)
We know of the great missionaries sent from England and other European countries during the 1700’s and 1800’s, like William Carey and Eric Liddell. William Carey labored over seven years before seeing his first convert. But he was laying a proper foundation as a pioneer missionary. He was busy translating the Bible into the Indian languages. In time, thousands would be converted and baptized!
IIAs a result of the Christian prominence and influence in America, many great missionaries have been sent throughout the world. Men like Adoniram Judson, David Livingstone, and Jim Elliot have blazed trails to new frontiers of the harvest. Africa and South America have been greatly influenced, and many countries there are considered Christian now! But in more recent years, we know that the glorious light of the Gospel has been directed further westward in Eastern Asia. America is slowly being lost in the shadows. In 1950, we had approximately 100,000 foreign Christian missionaries. Today, the number is greatly reduced to about 29,000!
In colonial America, God moved through Bible preachers like Jonathan Edwards to spark the Great Awakenings. Thousands were converted! As a result of the Christian prominence and influence in America, many great missionaries were sent throughout the world. Men like Adoniram Judson, David Livingstone, and Jim Elliot have blazed trails to new frontiers of the harvest. Africa and South America have been greatly influenced, and many countries there are considered Christian now!
But in more recent years, we know that the glorious light of the Gospel has been shining westward in Eastern Asia. America is slowly being lost in the shadows. In 1950, America had approximately 100,000 foreign Christian missionaries. Today, the number is greatly reduced to about 29,000!
The 3rd Quarter
Our attention must be drawn to the movement of God in Latin America and Asia. Many missionaries from Central and South America are going into Muslim countries where it is difficult for white Americans to go. Amazing numbers of believers are being reported in the Philippines, China, and South Korea. In fact, there are more missionaries being sent out of each of these countries than America. They can’t keep up with the need for Bibles and teachers in some areas! Many of these countries are now focusing on the remaining fields for harvest. Yes, the Gospel is still on the move…and it is westward!
The 4th Quarter
Let us examine the gap that remains between far Eastern Asia back to Israel where the Gospel began. Much of this area is referred to by missiologists as the 10×40 window. This is the land between the tenth parallel and the fortieth parallel above the equator. Spanning from Northern Africa across the Middle East to Asia, we find the most needy areas to be reached. Some staggering statistics include:
- 2/3 of the World’s population
- 97% of unreached people groups
- The majority of the 3,000 Bible-less languages
- Countries with the most severe poverty and persecution
- Birthplace of the world’s major false religions including Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism
- Only 8% of our missionaries are sent here
- Less than 1% of our missions money is invested here
