As one contemplates reaching the world with the gospel, that thought can be overwhelming. It is like trying to chop down the Red Wood Forest with only a pocketknife!

Here is another perspective taken from “Understanding Christian Theology,” by Charles R. Swindoll and Roy Zuck, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN., 2003, p. 856. “To accomplish the task of Acts 1:8, God assigned the Holy Spirit to a new role as Paraclete for the church, the One who would be the Advocate on earth for Jesus Christ through the preaching of the gospel by the church. In other words, we don’t have to do the convincing and persuading. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. What we need to be sure about is that we make the gospel clear.”

In the “Mission Frontiers Bulletin” Rick Wood wrote, “God’s initiative since A.D. 100 displays determined and increasing activity to build His Church. Note: It took 18 centuries for evangelicals to go from 0% of the world’s population to 2.5% in 1900, only 70 years to go from 2.5% to 5% in 1970, and just the last 22 years to go from 5% to 10% of the world’s population. What this means is that now, for the first time in history, there is one evangelical for every 9 non-evangelicals worldwide.”

As there are still countless millions to reach with the gospel, may we be faithful stewards of the Great Commission.

Written by Pat Delaney, Field Administrator with Baptist World Mission