Archive: Does anyone care about 3,000,000,000 Lost Souls?

An exclusive interview with Dr. Robert Coleman, internationally recognized authority on evangelism

Q What was the Consultation on World Evangelism (COWE); who was invited, and what was the main theme?

A About 650 invited Christians in various positions of leadership, together with a couple hundred official observers and staff, came together in Pattaya, Thailand, in June, 1980 for ten days to consider ways to reach the remaining 3,000,000,000 people in the world who do not know Jesus Christ. Following up the Congress on World Evangelization held six years ago in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the theme was “Let the Earth Hear His Voice,” this smaller meeting addressed the more technical question, “How Shall They Hear?” By its purpose, then, the gathering was essentially a working conference designed to develop effective strategies of evangelism for the 80s.

Our great diversity of cultures and religions, of course, call for different kinds of approaches. To get at this, the Pattaya meeting actually comprised 17 mini-consultations, each focusing on some major “unreached peoples group.” Included were traditional religionists in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Buddhists, Hindus, cultists, Jews, Marxists, secularists, Muslims, Chinese, city dwellers, refugees, and nominal Christians among Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. The world assembly was the culmination of study groups meeting on the local level for over a year, gathering grassroots input from as many and diverse segments of society as possible.

Q What do you see as the thrust of this Consultation on World Evangelization with reference to United Methodists in America who are interested in world missions? Has our mission board been “missing the mark”?

A To me the Consultation’s reaffirmation of the primacy of world evangelization in our Lord’s missionary mandate focuses the real issue today before the church. It is not that evangelism and social action are unrelated, as the Thailand Statement points out, “but rather to acknowledge that of all the tragic needs of human beings none is greater than their alienation from the Creator and the terrible reality of eternal death for those who refuse to repent and believe. If, therefore, we do not commit ourselves with urgency to the task of evangelization, we are guilty of an inexcusable lack of compassion.”

Our Board of Global Missions, much as the World Council of Churches, has tended to minimize, or, at least, obscure this priority in their obsession with liberation. I believe that the forthright Declaration of COWE, representing as it does such a great body of believers, serves to keep the Biblical perspective before our officials, while also giving encouragement to the millions of Methodists who still hold evangelical convictions.

Q Were there any new currents or directions discernible? If so, what were they, and will they intensify opposition?

A In terms of strategy, I think there is an accelerated concern for reaching unevangelized groups of persons who have a natural affinity with one another. Worldwide there are nearly 20,000 such groups that have been identified where at present there is no realistic Gospel witness. As ways are found to penetrate these neglected peoples, and cross-cultural messengers are trained to communicate with them, Christian missions will become more effective and universal. I think that it is fair to say, too, that such evangelism will become more sensitive to the social needs of the oppressed people of the earth.

Along with this intensifying outreach ministry, we can expect to see increased opposition to the Gospel from the old religions, like Islam. Just as threatening will be proliferation of new demonic cults. Marxism and humanistic secularism also are likely to become more defiant and insidious in their attacks upon the Church of Christ.

Q To what extent are evangelical Christians from around the world willing and able to cooperate in evangelism? Can we unite on the priority of preaching the Word of God?

A The Lausanne movement, broadly conceived, is one answer to this question. For it encompasses on the world scale a vast spiritual fellowship of evangelicals from virtually every communion of the universal Church who recognize the imperative of the Great Commission. As such, it reflects probably the greatest ecumenical thrust of our generation.

That Bible-believing Christians can unite around evangelism is a witness to our sense of priorities in the Word of God. This does not minimize the need for basic doctrinal integrity, nor ignore differences on non-essentials, but it clearly demonstrates the power of the Gospel witness in bringing people together.

The American Festival of Evangelism in Kansas City, July 27-30, 1981 reflects this cooperative spirit. Already more than 140 denominations have endorsed the meeting, including the United Methodist Church. The four-day celebration will feature not only great inspirational rallies to begin and end each day, but will also include over 150 workshops and seminars in practical aspects of evangelism, discipleship, and equipping, plus first-hand presentations of 36 exciting, growing congregations. (See page 19 for exciting plans about Good News satellite meetings at Kansas City.)

Q Are there places in the world where the fires of evangelism are burning today? Is the UM Church doing anything in these areas?

A Oh yes, there are brush fires of evangelism burning all over the world, and in some places the flame has spread into a ventable conflagration. Look at Korea, where a few months ago 2.7 million people gathered in one service to hear the Gospel, with more than a million remaining to pray through the night. In that nation six and one-half new churches are being started every day, and it is very possible that the membership of the church as a whole will double in size in the next three years.

In the large Aymara tribe in Bolivia, there were only 20 churches six years ago: Today there are 1,000. In Chile some single congregations have grown to 40,000 to 50,000 members. The Jotabeche Church in Santiago now numbers 60,000, with most of the members involved in weekly prayer meetings, Bible study, and street evangelism. In the little nation of Costa Rica in the last eight years evangelicals have expanded from one percent to eight percent of the population.

This kind of growth is by no means limited to countries friendly to the Gospel. Behind the iron curtain in Romania, for example, both the Baptists and Assemblies of God have increased from 30,000 to 164,000 since 1945. Even in a place like China, those who are in a position to know estimate that in addition to the few city churches now being reopened, there are 20,000 house congregations scattered over the land, and the number is growing.

While in Thailand last summer I visited several of the refugee camps along the border of Cambodia. It is a depressing sight, seeing multiplied thousands of helpless people crowded into these bamboo enclaves of bare subsistence. Yet in one of the camps, amid incredible deprivation, I found a joyous fellowship of 20,000 believers, most of whom were converted to Christ in the last nine months. This is more Christians than there were in all of Cambodia before the war.

God is doing a new thing across the earth. While the examples I have cited may be exceptional, nonetheless they can be multiplied many-fold.

As to the extent of evangelism in United Methodism, I am afraid that on the whole we are not in the forefront of the action. Still there are spots where real growth is taking place. Brazil stands out in my mind, for I was there last spring to speak at their National Congress on Evangelism. All six bishops were present, as were delegates from most of their 500 churches. I felt the excitement among the people. A plan was projected to increase church membership by fifty percent in the next four years, and to double in size by the end of the decade. With their momentum, I see no reason why they cannot reach their goal. Would that the UM Church in America could venture forth with as much vision!

The spirit of Wesley—the passion to bring men to God—is more alive today than ever before. It can be seen in the purpose of a Billy Graham Crusade, in the discipline of a Campus Crusade action group, in the joy of a Catholic Renewal Fellowship, in the earnestness of a neighborhood home Bible study, in the aggressiveness of a Salvation Army street meeting, in the enthusiasm of a Holy Spirit Conference, in the vision of a growing Baptist Sunday school, or in a thousand other dynamic forms of outreach. Though it is unfortunate that the UM Church is not leading the advance, thank God that other people are in the harvest. And wherever you see men and women being constrained by the love of God to reach the lost and build them up in the Lord, there is the heartbeat of the Wesleyan revival, by whatever name it is called.

Q What UM involvement is there in the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization and at the Pattaya Consultation? Are you our only representative?

A I think that we are well represented in LCWE. In addition to my own membership, George Hunter (Assistant General Secretary of the Section on Evangelism, Worship, and Stewardship of the Board of Discipleship) has recently been elected, doubling UM participation. In addition, there are several new persons from other Methodist communions in South Africa, India, and Germany who have come on the Committee.

A Methodist presence is also evident on various auxiliary bodies. For example, Bishop Earl Hunt is a member of the Planning Committee for the American Festival of Evangelism, which is an outgrowth of the North American Lausanne Committee.

Q If people are interested in world evangelization, where can they write to get information from the Lausanne Committee?

A Everyone who would like to receive the LCWE Information Bulletin can get it for the asking by writing: LCWE, P.O. Box 1100, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Overseas persons might get faster service by writing the: International Office LCWE, P.O. Box 21225, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. (Note our Good News book ad on page 45 and send off for “The Lausanne Covenant,” an exposition and commentary by John R.W. Stott.)

I would hope, too, that Good News people would like to get in on the American Festival of Evangelism this summer. Information may be obtained by writing P.O. Box 1981, Kansas City, Missouri 64141. (See their ad on page 15.)

Q As a man who has given his life to the cause of evangelism, what are your opinions as to evangelism today, both in America and across the globe? Will evangelism become easier?

A In terms of corning to grips with the Great Commission, I believe that most of us have not taken to heart the urgency of our task. Of the 4,000,000,000 people now on the earth, three-fourths still have no professed relationship with Christ. By the end of this century, the projection is that there will be 7,000,000,000. What makes this figure so overwhelming is that unless the course of things is changed, in the year 2000, 5,200,000,000 people will not be Christians. That is, there will be more lost, aimless persons 20 years hence than there are human beings now living on the earth. Clearly the pace of evangelism must be vastly accelerated if the church is to fulfill her mission.

Yet I believe the tide is turning. The very feeling of despair and futility of our age is causing people to look beyond themselves for answers to the ultimate questions of life and death. Materialism and hedonism have not satisfied the soul. Into this vacuum the Gospel speaks with new hope and assurance. I am not saying that everyone will respond to the message with gladness, for there are many voices appealing to the restlessness of man, not the least of which is the beguiling nature of sin.

I look for the evangelical church to come under increasing attack, especially as disciples become more daring in their witness. Before it’s over we may see open persecution on a scale hitherto unknown. Yet the fire of adversity, even martyrdom, should not be feared. It will only serve to refine the gold of Christian character, and thereby make the church more beautiful in holiness.

A revived church, sensitive to the priorities of the Kingdom, could fulfill the Great Commission in this generation. And if we are approaching the last days of history, we can anticipate just that happening. What a day to be alive!

Q How would you advise people who care about evangelizing the world to get involved? Obviously, we can’t all go “to the ends of the earth.”

A I would say for us all to move with the Holy Spirit where we are. God is out to reach every creature, and all who believe on Him are called to have a part in the work. Whether one is considered clergy or laity makes no difference. In the Body of Christ, we are all ministering servants, and can make disciples whatever our gifts or vocation. Find those of like mind, and work together. You can help each other learn. When all is said, the only way to make disciples is by doing it.

Each of us has to answer the question for ourself. Are we willing to follow the Great Commission lifestyle of our Lord? Such disciples of Christ will invariably become disciplers, and as they in turn do the same, through the process of reproduction, ultimately the Gospel will be known unto the ends of the earth. Then the King will return in His glory.