EMQ

Every day, through many means and in all parts of the world, God’s people are being equipped for ministry. At least 55,000 theological education by extension (TEE) students are studying in 360 programs in 80 countries.

The church has expanded so rapidly in recent decades that the center of gravity of Christianity has shifted from Europe and America to the Third World.

Increasingly, people all over America are spelling missions with dollar signs. Missions means money. Missions means more dollars and less sense. Missions means anxious young candidates with price tags in their ears and all too few bargains.

Q: How extensive is the damage to missionary families because of the husband's attitude to his work? A: The word "damage" is rather forceful, but it is accurate. The husband who has unbalanced perceptions of his family and ministry responsibilities does damage his family extensively. The damage does not become evident immediately.

Two months after I graduated from a distinguished theological seminary in the United States in May, 1965, I returned to Taiwan, the Republic of China, with great expectations. I was elated because I had learned solid, conservative, biblical theology under scholarly professors.

Christianity is the oldest of the great literary and universal religions that have been in Africa for centuries. Presently, it is believed that the church in Africa is growing at a faster rate than in any other part of the world. Coupled with this comes increasing enrollment figures for the educated section of the population.

A number of attempts have been made in recent years to shape a Christian theology for the Asian experience. Efforts in this direction have tended toward the accommodation of the Christian faith to Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.

I see a significant trend in Christian activities toward relieving the suffering of the poor in the underdeveloped counties. My concern is not with the desire to relieve suffering, but how does this square with the Great Commission?

Here is the problem. A few of the members of the youth group or the college group return from a short-term or summer missions experience. They are on fire about world missions, and they think that God may be leading them into a career in missions.

I. Thou shalt not have any other objectives than the glory of God in building his church overseas.

To evangelize is the first step, discipling the next, but the work of the church as described in the New Testament is much greater and requires much more than these final steps.