While there are still many to evangelize in the Western world, the people here generally have access to the gospel, whether it be through neighbors or local churches or TV and radio programs.
Many of those who are not Christians are those who have already rejected the gospel.
In contrast, there are many people outside the Western world who have far less access, if any access at all, to the gospel. There are places where there is one Christian believer for every million, and no local churches. There are many who don't have a complete Bible in their own language.
Since the Great Commission was given to the apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, and given that the need for a gospel witness is SO much higher in other countries, shouldn't we expect that a great majority of our seminary graduates will be sent out overseas as missionaries as opposed to serving in churches in the Western world? Or at least a very respectable minority such as 25-33% of graduates serving somewhere here "Christians" are far outnumbered by "non-Christians?" At least 20%..it is not too much to expect that 20% of seminary graduates serve overseas among the least-reached.
I notice degrees in counseling popping up. Music ministries abound. Yet, less than 5% of all seminary graduates end up among the least-reached of the world (and a recent survey on church budgets calculated that less than one half of 1 cent for every hundred dollars spent by american churches go towards pioneer/frontier missions among the least-reached). We here sermons on stewardship, but isn't it bad stewardship on the part of the worldwide body of Christ to horde 80-90% of its resources in one small place and what can we do?
Why? And what can we do to change this?
Many of those who are not Christians are those who have already rejected the gospel.
In contrast, there are many people outside the Western world who have far less access, if any access at all, to the gospel. There are places where there is one Christian believer for every million, and no local churches. There are many who don't have a complete Bible in their own language.
Since the Great Commission was given to the apostles to go and make disciples of all nations, and given that the need for a gospel witness is SO much higher in other countries, shouldn't we expect that a great majority of our seminary graduates will be sent out overseas as missionaries as opposed to serving in churches in the Western world? Or at least a very respectable minority such as 25-33% of graduates serving somewhere here "Christians" are far outnumbered by "non-Christians?" At least 20%..it is not too much to expect that 20% of seminary graduates serve overseas among the least-reached.
I notice degrees in counseling popping up. Music ministries abound. Yet, less than 5% of all seminary graduates end up among the least-reached of the world (and a recent survey on church budgets calculated that less than one half of 1 cent for every hundred dollars spent by american churches go towards pioneer/frontier missions among the least-reached). We here sermons on stewardship, but isn't it bad stewardship on the part of the worldwide body of Christ to horde 80-90% of its resources in one small place and what can we do?
Why? And what can we do to change this?