LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1981, Page 16

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16 MISSIONS

BFM MISSIONARIES IN SERVICE, 1950—1980

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The peak year was 1969, when there were 364 missionary
units throughout the world in various mission fields and
partner churches. The year 1971 brought a dramatic decline,
followed by a slow but steady decrease to 148 in 1980.

A study of the cause for the decrease of 216 missionary units
from 1970 to 1980 revealed many contributing factors. Among
them were the formation of partner churches from former
mission fields, the growth in number of national clergy, anda
continuing reduction in the amount of money allocated to the
mission budget. However, all the factors for this dramatic
decrease, no matter how rational, could not silence the burning
questions the graph seems to imply: “Was the job really done?”
Was the world in fact claimed for Christ?” “Had His Word
indeed been preached in all the world?” If so, then the trend
portrayed in the graph is acceptable, and the 1979 challenge is
unrealistic. However, the BFM does not consider the trend
acceptable. Nor does the board believe the 1979 Challenge
unrealistic.

What are the facts? On the basis of reliably accurate studies
available today, the following picture emerges crystal-clear.
The population of the world stands at roughly 4.4 billion and is
growing at the net rate of one million people every five days.
Using round figures there are 1.3 billion who claim to bea part
of the Christian church. Of that number it is estimated that
only 300 million are committed, dedicated to Christ as their
Lord and Savior. That leaves 3.1 billion, or three out of every
four persons living on this earth today, outside the body of
Christ either by choice or, worse yet, because they have not had
the opportunity to hear the precious message of God’s love for
them in Christ Jesus. There are 3.1 billion still separated from
Him, facing the Lord’s deserved wrath and displeasure and
eternal damnation.

Where are these 3.1 billion? One billion are easily reachable,
for among them live those who already share in Christ’s
blessings. They speak the same language, share the same
culture, live next door to, work with, play with those who are
already ‘‘new creations” in Christ. But there are two billion, or
16,750 groupings of peoples, among whom few or no Christians
live. Language, culture, religion, and geography present dif-
ficult barriers to cross. These are called, to use a missiological
term, the hidden peoples of the world, hidden because it will
take special dedication, commitment, and training to reach
them. Perhaps the greatest challenge is to reach those who are
hidden because they are “language-locked” away from their
neighbors. There are at least 5,103 languages spoken in our
world, but only 1,585 have all or a part of the Scriptures. That
leaves 3,518 people groupings, some large and some small, who
have no Scriptures to read, and, because those who do know
Christ cannot speak in their languages, it is not possible to tell
them about what God has already accomplished for them in
Christ.

Instead of the world being claimed for Christ, only the
surface has been scratched. The challenge in the ’80s is greater
than ever before. It will take all the dedication, concentration,
and resources of the entire Christian church to meet and keep
up with this challenge by the year 2,000—if Christ gives us that
much time.

In 1979, the last year when figures were compiled, the total
number of missionaries from Canada and the United States,
including all short-termers, was 53,494, of whom 35,861 were

career missionaries. This means that there is one career
missionary for every 55,771 people among the two billion
hidden peoples of our world. Believing, as we do, that our God
takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, and that through
the suffering, death, and resurrection of His Son He clearly
demonstrated His love for every person who has lived and ever
will live, those odds must be reduced.

Had the LCMS added only 21 missionaries per year from
the peak in 1969, we would already be at the 600 mark. But the
past is history and cannot be recovered. Are we making any
progress toward our adopted goal? The graph below shows
what has happened from 1977 through 1980.

MISSIONARY RECRUITMENT, 1977-81

|| Total Approved Needs List

|

| Total Missionaries Appointed

——

' i Stunt mandidat vesuested (incl. in Bar 1}

pr aet Number of Candidates Fecguested (inci. in 1}

5 7% : . . 7 : 5
Number of Candidates Peceived (incl. in Bar 2)

| Number Who Terminated Service

The graph could be discouraging, but the board does not
regard it so. It takes some time and effort to reverse a 10-year
trend. The gap between those appointed and those terminating
their missionary service is closing. An encouraging and pos-
itive sign is the steady rise in the number of approved requests
for missionaries (see Report for the January 1981 Missionary
Personnel Needs List) and the opening of four new fields since
the 1979 convention. As a result of his travels, the executive
secretary of the board reports that the request list could easily
be at the 80 or 90 mark for 1981. The Lord is setting before us
and our partner churches/mission fields many open doors. A
renewed interest in and dedication to the highest priority
Christ gave to His church on earth is taking hold among our
partners overseas and on us as well.

So that there is no misunderstanding, by “600 new mission-
ariés* the board means professional workers of all kinds,
inéluding replacements of terminating missionary staff. Men
and women from all walks of life will be needed as we seek to
move out into the two billion among whom the Gospel has yet
to be preached. Needed will be ambassadors for Christ who are
ordained clergymen, evangelists, teachers, linguists, literacy
experts, directors of Christian education, agriculturalists, doc-
tors, nurses, business managers, builders, and youth volun-
teers. Some will be short-term and others career missionaries.

The goal of 600 new missionaries by 1990 is, therefore, not
only realistic but could be minimal in the light of the most
encouraging sign of all. The Lord is pleased with this challenge
and is blessing it. The Holy Spirit is stirring the hearts of
young and old, men and women throughout our church body.
Lay people from all walks of life are volunteering their lives
and talents for serving Christ overseas. Our seminaries and
teachers colleges are reporting record enrollments with no sign