Many events in the Old & New Testaments, including key moments in the lives of Moses, Elijah, the Apostle Paul and Christ himself, took place in the Middle East and North Africa. Yet, the message of the Qur'an now dominates this region, which once was very Christian.
Yes, persecution is a reality, but we've allowed ourselves to be silenced. The voice of Islam has been raised because Muslims are willing to pay the price to make their message heard. Meanwhile, we Christians have done less and less to make Jesus known.
There's more openness than ever. We must raise our voices.
Former followers of Islam tell us it's not that they didn't want to know Jesus - there was no one to tell them. When they hear of the resurrected Christ, of the joy and power He gives, they're overwhelmed. They wonder why we waited so long to tell them.
We think that the Middle East and North Africa are unreachable. We must change our mindset - it is reachable.
There are 1.6 billion people globally who have never even heard the name of Jesus. We need to move to the last frontiers and mobilize the church in America in these last days. We'll never finish the job with 5,000 missionaries - or 8,000. However, if 16 million U. S. Christians join in the Great Commission task, what a phenomenal difference it will make.
We must sacrifice our passion for the American dream to accommodate the sending of the Gospel financially. Certainly gifts to the mission field work must increase. But as Christians give, it's my sincere desire that the vast majority of the money be used to impact the vast majority of lostness in the world.
When you really catch His heart for the nations, you'll give like never before.
Johnny Hunt
FBC Woodstock, GA
traveljohnnyhunt.com
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