can every...
 

Our world is more interconnected than ever before. We could legitimately provide every last person on our planet with access to the gospel in our lifetimes. Here’s why I believe that.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE TO US TO CHANGE THE WORLD
We have better technology at our disposal than ever before. And we can leverage this to bring the gospel to the unreached.
Today, I can video chat with a church planter in the developing world from Washington state. Google Hangouts and Skype gave us all that ability. Potentially, I could on a video call answer a biblical question of a church planter in the field—in a remote village, because pretty soon, 3G and 4G is going to be everywhere. That’s at least the plan of big tech companies—with their efforts empowered by a space company who can now send reusable rockets to space to launch satellites. This is the age we live in, one where any person on the planet can potentially connect to any other person in seconds.
All the sudden, the issue of training and empowering church planters is far simpler than it has ever been. And the interconnection between those who sponsor church planters and the church planters themselves is greater than it has ever been.
Imagine the potential for global discipleship in this world. I first realized this when I was sitting next to a church planter in Bihar, India and he showed me the screen of his Motorola flip phone. On the screen was my bio on JesusEconomy.org. He said, this is you, right? I was first surprised by how good our website looked on his phone—leave it to me to notice that first. But my second thought is what changed my life: If this guy can look up my bio on his phone, right here while we’re talking, what if I put a study Bible in his hand? What if I gave him a full Bible dictionary and a Bible translation? What if I gave him Bible studies in his native language? And, of course, we can do this. We could even send him video courses on SD cards. We could put any piece of information in his hand.
This is our world. It is more interconnected than ever before. And it means completely rethinking missions.
HOW WE CAN BRING THE GOSPEL TO THE UNREACHED
If our churches thought long and hard about their budgets, we could—like the churches of Paul’s day—pool our resources to bring the gospel to the unreached corners of our world (see Romans 15:26–29). If we sponsored indigenous church planters, it’s surprisingly cost-effective to fund missions.
The church should be innovating in this space. And in the process, we should be thinking holistically about how we approach poverty and reaching the unreached—thinking about how we care for a person’s soul, mind, and body. We should be leveraging every opportunity possible to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
The fact that the gospel has not reached every people group on our planet is an injustice. And it’s an injustice we can correct.
Likewise, it’s an injustice that the people of our planet do not have clean water. And with technology we can do something about. It’s an injustice that everyone on the planet does not have access to economic opportunities. And in this world, in this time, we can do something about.
JUSTICE IS THE BIBLE’S CRY AND ONE WE SHOULD ANSWER
Justice is a central cry of the Bible. The works of the prophets are full of calls to create a more just world (Micah 6:8; Isaiah 1:16; Jeremiah 22:3; Amos 5:23–24). Isaiah put it this way: “Learn to do good! Seek justice! Rescue the oppressed! Defend the orphan! Plead for the widow!” (Isaiah 1:16 LEB).
Jesus himself told us that he will distinguish between those who truly know him and those who do not by what they do for the marginalized, outsider, prisoner, and impoverished (Matthew 25:37–40). And we know from James that true religion is loving the hurting and the poor—the widow and the orphan (James 1:26–27).
Indeed, it is unjust when a child has to go without clean water, healthcare, or education. It is unjust when a parent doesn’t have access to a fair paying job that can lift their family out of poverty. It is unjust that there are millions of people who have never heard the name of Jesus. Let’s do something about it.
Let’s innovate the bring about a future of missions where every last person has heard the name of Jesus and experienced his love.

Re: can every...
 

Sister Alvear, this is great writing. Can I send this to several people?
I will give you the credit as the author.

Re: can every...
 

I think the majority on here agree whole-heartedly. Question, how do your conservative constituents feel about use of video in any regard of the above. I note that in some conferences they still advertise "will be recorded for audio". Its almost like the word itself is evil. You make a wonderful case for how we can use video with multiple ways for much instruction.

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It was a good post up to the social justice warrior part.

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nd - I agree with what she posted.
It is unjust.
And I would say that a lot of our American values and expectations of government are rooted in Christian values.
However, my belief is that it is the gospel that is able to overcome and lift up those who have been treated unjustly.
Not government.
Whenever government tries to correct these issues it always leads to more injustice.

Re: can every...
 

Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. Is the idea of being poor in itself injustice?

Combatting poverty, bringing healthcare and providing education is NOT on par with the gospel and in my opinion should not be presented as such.

God is not here to make us rich.

A major mindset and attitude running through social media and culture is,"How dare you give thanks to God for you getting well
when it was the doctor that did it."

Education? The same education that teaches that there is no God, promotes and pushes homosexuality and transgenderism and pushes socialism?

Yes I believe in feeding widows and orphans but I feel that way and do so because of the love of Christ and His Spirit NOT because of some kind of social consciousness/justice program thats being pushed.

Its about spreading the Gospel, not bypassing Christ and trying to arrive at similar results shutting Him out.

I love the idea of using tech, I have plenty of ideas.

Im afraid that the same illusion that has came with social media will also come with a over reliance on technology with ministry.

Let me explain.

We are soooo "connected" with multiple avenues of access across multiple social media platforms, websites, apps yet we are never more alone and isolated than we are today.

I remember the day when a physical visit was longed for and appreciated...there seemed to be deeper more sincere connections...just my observation.

So now we can "minister" without real personal connection...tech in ministry is great but it will NEVER replace real personal connections.

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Basically what Jediwill said. The church is to preach the Gospel, not try to fix unemployment, healthcare, create clean water or whatever other social justice cause there may be. The Gospel is the cause, not social justice.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not unjust that some are without healthcare. It is not unjust that some are unemployed. It is not unjust that a "parent doesn't have access to a fair paying job."

Sorry, but I don't buy the liberal malarkey about how things have to be fair or it's some kind of travesty. Life isn't fair.

It's not the job of the church to become involved in social causes. I would argue that the focus on social causes is a small part of what has made the church lose focus and become ineffective and weak.

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Its awesome to do good things! Fresh water...clothes...food all that is great to provide to those in need and Im not saying NOT to do it.


Im just saying, what are we involved with that is so different than aid unbelievers offer?

Even Jezabel was loved by her people because she reached out to them and wept when they wept...for all her evil and faults she seemed to have a compassionate side.

What do we do as Holy Ghost filled believers that sets us apart?

Is it only our message? Or our dress?

"Hi, Im here to demonstrate the power of God....aaaand heres a doctor if God decides not to show up?"

So what will happen to all these countries that have amazing revival once we meet all their needs and get them educated...you think that they are going to show that same passion and fervency for God and be so desperate for His touch?

How did WE change once all our needs were met and our comforts increased to the point where it was easier to take a pill rather than to fast and pray and have faith for a healing?

Was it hard? Yes!

But werent we closer to God as a result of depending on Him for our every need?

You give Ethiopia all of the "advantages" and "advances" of a "modern" society and you can kiss those massive revivals goodbye until they tire of their new gods of progress that leave them fat and provided for but leave them spiritually empty and return to Jesus.

I think thats the restlessness we feel in America now...we have been sold a. bill of goods and told we will find happiness and fulfillment if we only sacrifice our convictions and beliefs on the altar of our corporate overlords and degeneate society.

Technology has not brought us closer to God.....

We worship at the altar of whoever provides the most and requires the least from us.

Its spiritual hypergamy.

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Interesting. It's one thing to say unemployment, etc is unjust but Sis A doesn't propose exactly how the apostolic church is supposed to effect economics, healthcare and so on. Seems a little far reaching.

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Ill tell you what the Biblical answer to the healthcare issue is...ita vwry simple.

"Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee.....IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST....."