Can You See It?

By Clint Morgan

A Chinese proverb proclaims, “If you don’t see it before you see it, you will never see it.” Though it sounds like a real tongue twister, this statement contains a great truth about vision casting. Those charged with casting a vision must see things others do not see and believe those dreams can become a reality. Eventually, the vision becomes a mission, and the mission leads to the realities envisioned.

Most studies of mission history divide it into three main eras of mission work. Each reflects a philosophical shift influenced by such factors as navigational tools (i.e., the compass, radar, GPS); communication equipment (i.e., the printing press, telegraph, smartphones, etc.); transportation options (i.e. ships, trains, cars, planes); world events (i.e. colonization, world wars, etc.); natural disasters (i.e. earthquakes, diseases, etc.); demographics (i.e. different people groups in a nation, diaspora, etc.); and more.

The First Era: The Coastlands (1792-1910)

William Carey (August 17, 1761-June 9, 1834), a British Christian missionary, is known as the “father of modern missions.” His passion to reach the “heathen” established a new model in the understanding of extending the gospel to the nations. He could see what others did not see!

What did he see? He saw the shipping industry as the means of passage to transport the gospel to existing ports around the world. Even more importantly, he saw explorers’ ships as the means for expanding God’s Kingdom where the gospel had never been preached. He, along with hundreds of other missionaries, boarded these ships—often with their personal effects in a casket—and traveled to the regions beyond. These committed men and women began setting up mission stations along the coastlands of Africa, India, and other remote places. As a general rule, however, they did not penetrate the inland areas as a strategic objective.

The Second Era: The Interior (1865-1980)

About 45 years of transition and overlap occur between the first and second eras. The second era took root in the mind of the great missionary to India, Hudson Taylor. However, explorer-missionary David Livingstone came on the scene and expanded the strategic geographical approach to mission. Having a passion for exploration and a message for the nations, he could see what others did not see!

What did he see? Building on the method of the previous era to employ ships to reach the coastlands, Livingstone visualized the people in need of the gospel living in the interior of these countries. His vision pushed him to ask the soul-stirring question, “Can the love of Christ not carry the missionary where the slave-trade carries the trader?” He then declared, “I shall open up a path to the interior or perish.” This new era, taking the gospel past the coastlands to the interior, was a defining force in missions for over 100 years.

The Third Era: Every People Group (1934 - ?)

Again, the second and third eras overlap by about 46 years. The first two eras were guided by geographical strategies—the coastlands and interior areas of countries. In 1934, two men, Cameron Townsend and Donald McGavran, arrived on the mission scene and introduced missiological concepts that guided Christians to rethink missions. They could see what others did not see.

What did they see? These godly men saw beyond geographical boundaries and reframed the world in terms of people groups. People groups are made up of those with linguistic and custom similarities that allow the exchange and passing on of ideas and behaviors.

This line of thinking has a great impact on missions as we practice it today. According to the research agency Joshua Project, 16,543 people groups populate the world today. Out of these, 6,701 remain unreached with the gospel.

Obviously, great progress has been made in reaching the lost. But the task is still overwhelming and it is difficult to know precisely what needs to be done to reach those still without the gospel. Dedicated Christians must ask God to help them see what others do not see as it relates to reaching the lost, then pursue His plan with unrelenting dedication.

The Fourth Era?

As we look to the future, what factors do we believe will influence missionary efforts? While this question is too broad and profound to cover adequately in a few paragraphs, let’s consider a few major trends and potential inroads showing up on our missiological radar. As we take a quick glimpse at these, see if you can see what others do not see and allow God to work in you to cast a vision for the next generation(s) in their efforts to fulfill the Great Commission.

• Technology: According to D. Ray Davis, who serves on IMB’s mobilization team, “Given the enormous amount of technological advancement during the past two decades, some believe that we have subtly entered a fourth era in modern mission history.” This is exciting to think about. In 2015, an estimated 3.2 billion people, or almost half of the world's population, were expected to be online by the end of the year. As of April 2019, 56.1% of the world's population can access some type of social media through the Internet. This number increases to 81% in the developed world. Sociologists predict 90% of the human population, aged six years and older, will be online by 2030. Are there truly any boundaries that cannot be crossed with some form of technology? Can you see a day when every household in the world is being reached with the transforming power of the gospel through some form of online technology?
  

• Teaching English on the Global Campus: Understanding the power of education to advance philosophies and theologies, we must not overlook this ripe mission field. Especially when it is right under our noses. Presently, over five million international students fill college campuses around the world. What unbelievable possibilities exist on college campuses! On practically every campus, English teachers are in high demand. Can you see a day when every demand for an English teacher/professor in secular universities is met by a born again believer?
  

• A New Era of Missions Collaboration: The IM mission statement is “We exist to labor with the Body of Christ to fulfill the Great Commission.” This strong, Bible-based statement also invites abuse. Some people readily say we must work with all people who call themselves Christian. At IM, we are not prepared to go that far. Yet, we are relentlessly committed to working with the Body of Christ without compromising. We will ensure those with whom we partner are authentic believers, with sound doctrine and an unwavering commitment to living out the principles and commands of the Scriptures. This certainly includes fulfilling the Great Commission. Can you see a day when all evangelical mission agencies have the same unwavering commitment to fulfill the Great Commission and find ways to collaborate to accomplish this Christ-ordained task?
  

• Acceleration of Bible Translation: Of the 6,468 living languages, 4,024 are still without a complete Bible. This is hard for Western evangelical Christians to grasp. We often have five to ten copies of the Bible in our homes. Sometimes, we avail ourselves of several different translations. Thanks to the dedicated work of Bible translators, and amazing technological advances, remarkable progress is being made in producing Scripture in the heart languages of all people. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of translation projects completed annually rose from 21 to 120 respectively. It is projected, by 2025, over 215 projects will be completed each year. Can you see a day when the Bible is translated into every living language?
  

At IM we want to be on the frontlines, taking full advantage of these potentially life-transforming, world-changing trends. We will pray about these and discuss them. We will seek God’s will for us. We want to be instrumental in leading our Free Will Baptist people to also “see it before they see it so they can see it.”

About the Writer: Clint Morgan has been director of IM, Inc. since 2011. Learn more: IMInc.org.