Key Issues for World

Evangelization
by Thomas Wang

I have the great privilege of touching

base with you on the topic
regarding “Key Issues for World Evangel-
their rules, and allow so-called “evangel-
izing pastors” or “witnessing laymen”
in order to make the quota. Nevertheless,
from place to place.
3. Today, at least in the devel-
oped world, no evangelist can raise a fam-
ization.” I want to mention that to that was a sobering reality. ily solely on his earnings. That’s a
deal adequately with this very broad sub- Afterwards, I began to ask myself: fact—unless he is someone like a Billy
ject within this short time and space is Where are the evangelists? Why don’t Graham.
impossible. Therefore, I will only touch the churches today produce evangelists? 4. In an age where higher learning is
on the main issues which are close to Why aren’t seminaries producing idolized, it will be a miracle today for
my heart. Hopefully they will strike a evangelist? Why do so few Christians a young Christian to commit his or her
responsive chord in our hearts, so that aspire to be evangelists? They seem life for a vocation of evangelism. The
together we can do something about this to be a vanishing breed. Furthermore, how usual preferences are teaching, research-
awesome task. did we get into this situation? Gradu- ing, counseling, para-church minis-
I have observed some areas that have ally, I have discovered a few of the main tries,etc., granted, these are bona fide min-
become hindrances to effectuation of reasons:
istries. According to preferences
world evangelization. But I’ve also seen 1. Early missionaries to China and today, among the Chinese churches, pas-
some things that are facilitating world other parts of the Third World from tors come at the bottom, with mis-
evangelizing. Allow me to explain each. the very beginning ( and I say this with sionaries still one step lower, with evan-
reverence and respect), spread the gelists at the very bottom of the
Evangelism in the Church Gospel to the Chinese through Chinese. ladder.
First of all, I feel there is a lack They often hired three or four Chi-
5. However, perhaps the real
and prioritization on evangelism among nese people with minimal education and
cause of the lack of evangelism and evan-
the churches and generally among us biblical training, and then sent them
gelists lies behind the walls of the
as evangelical Christians today. For what- out as evangelists. This has created an
seminaries. Even after a casual glance into
ever reason, there’s a severe lacking unfortunate image of evangelists
the curricula of most seminaries
of evangelists and the work of evangel- among Chinese Christians. The term
today, we can see the overwhelming pov-
ism. Have you noticed that? I ask “evangelist” is often taken as mean-
erty in the teaching of evangelism,
myself: Where are the evangelists? ing a second-class Christian worker
much less the training of evangelists.
I received my first shock on this whose only biblical knowledge is a
Seminaries today are not producing
subject in the year 1982, when I was basic salvation story. Unfortunately, this
evangelists because evangelism does not
working with the KOVI movement in image has lingered on to a substantial
occupy a respectable position in their
Hong Kong. In that year, I was asked by degree today. Perhaps China, in a way,
represents many Third World coun- curricula. Observe most seminaries, and
the Billy Graham Evangelistic Asso-
tries in this respect. Besides this, from the you’ll know what I mean.
ciation to recommend thirty Chinese dele-
beginning, the early missionaries to This seems to be the natural result of
gates to the Itinerant Evangelists Con-
China did not really encourage or empha- seminaries that relentlessly engage in
gress in 1983 in Amsterdam. So I wrote to
size missions for Chinese churches as the pursuit of academic excellence (which
the 6,000 Chinese churches in the
their basic responsibility—as something is fine), while neglecting the very
diaspora (outside of China mainland), and
the churches needed to do. basic and original purpose for which the
to my amazement, I could not find
one single itinerant evangelist among the 2. Unlike pastors, very often evangel- institution was established in the first
6,000 churches in the diaspora—that ists had no home-base. They traveled place—the training of pastors and espe-
is, according to BGEA’s definition: One from place to place, and on the human cially soul-winners.
who moves from place to place side, they seldom enjoyed a sense of It is not uncommon today to meet
whose sole responsibility is evangelism. belonging. Evangelists were floaters, seminary graduates who have never
Finally I had to ask BGEA to bend going from one church to the next and personally led any one person to Christ.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS, VOL 11:4 OCT. /NOV. 1994
174 Key Issues for World Evangelization

Seminaries shape the students while stu- and a department of missions. Should this thing else but evangelism. That’s the
dents, who are the future pastors, prove difficult, at least comprehen- problem, that is also a great tragedy.
shape the church. Is it any wonder why sive courses of these subjects should be God has given the privilege and high
there are so few evangelists today? given for all. honor of preaching His Word—
6. Following in the footsteps of the —Evangelism and missions should preaching the Gospel to the Church and to
seminaries, church leaders today are be required courses for all students, the Church alone. You might say that
also contributing to this serious malady. and should be provided, with priority time the Church has a monopoly on the privi-
When I say evangelists, in a way I given to the actual practice of evan- lege of preaching the Gospel. The
include the missionaries also. Compare gelism. United Nations cannot preach the Gospel.
the number of workers, both clergy —Each year, each student should General Motors cannot establish
and laymen, in an average church. If you be required to personally lead several per- churches. IBM cannot send out missionar-
take those who engage in “inreach” sons to Christ and into a church. In a ies. This is the sole responsibility, the
ministries and those who engage in “out- seminary in Indonesia, under the leader- sole privilege, the monopoly of the
reach” ministries, it will not be diffi- ship of Dr. Peter Atrevianis (?) and Church. The problem today is that we
cult to see a serious imbalance. You will Christian Eritika (?), their students have have this monopoly that nobody else can
discover that the majority of the to establish a church before they can do, but yet, at the same time, we’re
workers in a typical congregation serve get a diploma. not doing it effectively and totally and
the people within the four walls of the —To graduate, students should wholeheartedly ourselves. That is the
church, while the outreach workers are basic problem. If we have a monopoly
be required to participate in at least two
usually negligible. and we’re not doing it wholeheart-
short-term mission trips as part of
So what do we suggest? How do we their field ministry requirement. edly, we become the biggest hindrance to
balance this serious imbalance? It God’s will and purpose in and for the
—In addition to academic
seems to me that we have to begin with world
requirements, each student in order to
the basic reeducation of the Church, There has to be a basic teaching
graduate, must provide satisfactory
what it is and is not: on the responsibility of the Church. No
proof that he or she is an able soul-
1. The Church does not exist for winner. matter how big the church buildings,
the purpose of seeking glory for itself, of or whether a church has a $100,000 organ,
—Seminaries should consider estab-
benefiting for itself, but to bring glory if we are not really evangelizing, if
lishing the following degrees: B.A. in
to God. Why are we here, doing what we we are not sending out missionaries all
evangelism, M.A. in evangelism, Ph.D. in
are doing? Are we seeking our own over the world, we are not doing
evangelism. There are so many
growing power and our own kingdoms? God’s will for Him, and as such are a hin-
degrees in other subjects; why not in
2. The Church does not exist for drance to His will and purpose!
evangelism as well? Evangelism and
the purpose of serving its own congrega- missions should occupy high priority in
tion alone. It exists to serve the peo- what we do in the seminaries and AD 2000 Movement
ple beyond the church walls as well. training institutions. Another key issue which is conducive
3. The Church does not exist Actually, we stand in need of a to world evangelization—this is
solely for the purpose of evangelizing the very basic paradigm shift. The Church has something we are happy about—is the
people in its own immediate area. It to have an in-depth teaching and AD 2000 Movement which God has
also exists for the purpose of evangelizing understanding of what the she really is all raised up in recent years.
the peoples of the world. The Church about. In Matthew 16, the Lord has In talking about the AD 2000 and
does not exist to be a recipient, a reser- given the key of the kingdom of heaven to Beyond Movement, I must give credit to
voir, of God’s blessing for herself. It the Church. What is that? The key of Dr. Ralph Winter, who in a real sense
is also to be an unselfish channel to effec- the kingdom of heaven is nothing else but is the forerunner of this thinking. I had the
tively convey God’s blessings that He the Gospel. The key brings the open privilege of being invited by him to
has bestowed on the Church to the world. door. When the Church preaches the Gos- participate in the Edinburgh conference in
The Church should have a balanced pel of Jesus Christ and people believe 1981. Even at that time, Dr. Winter
distribution of its resources on local and it, the heavenly doors open for them. was already advocating “A Church for
global ministries. That’s the key! Every People by the Year 2000.”
5. Some suggestions to seminaries:
But the problem is, are the churches What we are doing right now is actually a
—Each and every seminary using the key? Are we using it? Many continuation, of what God had put
should have a department of evangelism
churches, most churches, are doing every- into his mind years ago.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS
 Thomas Wang 175

The AD 2000 Movement is a move- By that, I mean all patterns, all peoples— torium to moratorium itself!
ment raised up by God in trying to from all peoples to all peoples. For The laity, and believers them-
renew the vision, to gather and link two centuries, God has used the Western selves, are the key of evangelism, mis-
churches together, and to launch out a missionary. They have done a marve- sions and world evangelization. It has
world-wide movement in different chan- lous job. The fact that I’m a Christian been said that to get the Christian out of
nels, from different tracks, in differ- spokesman is proof of that ministry. the pew is one of the most difficult
ent countries, through different individual Western missionaries came to China and parts in Church ministry. But the fact
church people. Through this con- brought the Gospel to my grandfa- remains that unless the people in the
joined global effort, we believe it is a pos- ther’s generation. When we became pew really go out and start witnessing,
sible task that can be accomplished Christians, we were called by God to church evangelization is not going to
by the year 2000. Now, many people have participate into the worldwide redemptive come to pass. Somehow, God’s people
talked to me and asked, “How can movement. have to move to the lost world.
that be possible?” I always give them an Never forget the early Western mis- Someone has made a humorous varia-
illustration. I say, “If President Clin- sionaries. Never be affected by the tion of the hymn, “Onward, Christian
ton today gave a speech in the White beat of different drums. Back in Bangkok Soldiers,” that says, “Like a mighty for-
House, the whole country could hear in ’76, we heard about the word mor- tress march the church of God; broth-
him and see him; and through the satel- atorium. Of course, as evangelicals, none ers, we are treading where we’ve always
lites, the whole world can hear him of us believed them, nor did we agree trod. We are all divided; many bodies
instantaneously. Now if that is possible, with them. But recently, there is another flee. Low in faith and less in hope, less in
then why is it not possible for the type of moratorium on the horizon—
charity.” The seriousness of this ren-
whole world to hear about the Word of another theory to come out that says that
dition is that it is true, at least to a degree.
Jesus Christ by the year 2000?” Hal- the Western missionaries cost too
While the first Reformation put
lelujah! This is possible! much money, that with the same amount
the Word into the hand of the laity, today
of money we can have ten times more
we are facing a second Reformation
national workers. Well, mathematically
Is it Possible? which must put the work into the hand of
speaking, that’s fine; but somehow,
I want to ask you this question: Is the lay believers. Could we, by the
God’s adding machine is very different
it possible? I’ll try it again: Is it possible? grace of God, pray for, promote and
from ours.
Once again, is it possible? I asked expect the following breakthroughs
I sometimes worry when I talk to my
that same question at the Second Lau- among the laity? Here are three sugges-
board about various projects. I’m
sanne Congress. If it is not possible, it tions.
really scared when a board member takes
is not that God has not given us the tools. 1. That we, by God’s grace, start a
out an adding machine and starts
Rather it is us. We’re the hindrance— “One-One” movement in the Church.
doing this type of calculation. I’m really
our lack of vision, lack of cooperation, By One-One, we mean that each layman
afraid of that! According to our math-
lack of commitment, lack of unity, will bring one person to Christ (and
ematics, four minus two is two. But
and a combination of all these. into a viable church) in one year. Just
according to God’s mathematics, it
I am so grateful to see the import isn’t. I haven’t seen one church in the that! Every Christian brings one per-
and the involvement and the support of world become poor because of mis- son to Christ in one year and into a
this global movement today. We are sion giving and mission sending. Just to church. That is not a very difficult
anticipating seeing a mighty tide and out- the the contrary! The more you give, demand. Most Christians can do this, if
pouring of the Holy Spirit among us, the richer you become, both monetarily they want to. If we were to do just
an unprecedented unity and commitment and spiritually. Therefore, in God’s that, every year the Church would double.
in a consultation in Seoul, Korea in mathematics, as far as missions are con- Lay people somehow have to be
May of next year. I have no doubt that if cerned, four minus two is six. I’ve moved, have to be mobilized, even if they
the movement keeps on going and told many people that, and many have cannot achieve 100% success. Even if
growing in the next 8 months, we will believed it and seen it work. we would settle for a 70% success rate,or
have the needed cooperation and glo- 60% success—the growth of the
I believe that both the Western mis-
bal trust to fulfill the Great Commission sionaries and the Third World mis- Church would still be phenomenal.
of our Lord by the year 2000. sionaries will go to the final frontiers 2. We also need a “One-in-Ten”
To reach the world for the Lord, to hand in hand, and shoulder to shoul- movement. First it was one-one, now it’s
intensify evangelism and missions, der. We need global missions from the one-ten. What I mean by the one-ten
we need all patterns of missionary thrust. global Church. So let’s give a mora- is more than giving one tenth of our
VOL 11:4 OCT./NOV. 1994
176 Key Issues for World Evangelization

income in tithing; it also means giving will agree with me. My experience in the filled with carbon monoxide. People
one tenth of our time and talent for past three years through Eastern around the world were shocked and
the Lord’s use. We see lack of workers Europe and the former Soviet Union bears asked, “Why should one in the height of
everywhere we go. One pastor this out. I have seen wherever com- his career and fame take his own life?
couldn't introduce us to another pastor for mercialism creeps in, the acceptance and Why?” Somebody found a note in his
two years. We need a youth pastors, responsibility of evangelism creeps truck that read, “I was haunted by the
we need and associate pastors, etc. There out. I’ve been to the former Soviet Union vivid memories of killings, of corpses, of
is a crying out for dedicated mission- 16 times in the past three and a half anger and pain, of starving and
aries. If only Christians in the churches years, and I can see the change. I’ve been wounded children, and of trigger-happy
would not only give one tenth of their in Eastern Europe six times; I can see men. The pain of life overrides the
money but also one tenth of their talents, the change remarkably clearly. joy to the point that real joy does not exist
their time—beginning with volunteer- John Pritchard and others have anymore.”
ism— things would change drastically, mentioned that the Church spends over In the August 1993 issue of DAWN’s
giving three hours a week, four hours 90% of its money on itself. We are Newsletter, there was a short article
a week, etc. Somehow the layman, the basically a commercialized and a selfish that said, “In a study of 100 of the more
Christian in the pew, has to be Church today. I hate to say that, but I prominent leaders mentioned in the
involved in the Lord’s work. can say it because I’m also included. I Bible, Dr. Bobby Clinton of Fuller Semi-
3. Then we need a “Fifty-in-One” mean that I’m not blameless in this. nary found a startling statistic that
movement of God. Many of you have We must try to regain our compas- less than 30% of them finished well. That
already heard about this. This ratio sion. We are a work-oriented Church means more than two thirds of them
differs according to the local economic today. We are also work-oriented in mis- were sidetracked, usually by such sins as
and social situation. This means every sions today, similarly to the efficient abuse of power, pride (ego), illicit
fifty Christians in a given church should church that the Lord rebuked in Revela- sexual relationships, or improper use of
be able to send out one full-time mis- tion 2:1-6. All the programs, all the finances. Two thirds of biblical lead-
sionary family. I don’t mean give fifty work—everyone is so extremely busy ers failed to leave behind the legacy of a
dollars here or a hundred dollars (including myself), but as far as the life well lived.”
there—no, it would mean the whole sup- tender mercy and compassion and love for The statistics for contemporary lead-
port for a Christian family to go out God, sometimes it has quietly slipped ers are even more tragic. Some esti-
in full time mission service. If a church away. mate that only one in five Christian lead-
has 500 people, that church should Recently I picked up the Septem- ers will reach their potential and will
send out ten full-time Christian mission- ber 12 Time magazine. It had a story be able to say, together with the Apostle
ary families or couples for world about a South African journalist who Paul, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”
evangelization. received a Pulitzer prize for his photojour- May these words—some suggestion and
If we, by God’s grace, will pur- nalism. He took a picture in Sudan of some reminders—follow us to the
sue in these three areas in the church, it a very dried up field, where so many had cross of our Lord so that we who are
will immensely facilitate evangelism died of starvation. The picture was of involved and committed to world
and missions all over the world. We have a little girl, too weak to walk anymore, evangelization may finish well. So may it
mentioned sending, and talked about dying, crouched on the ground. be for God’s great glory!
evangelism; and we can not get away Behind the little girl was a huge bug vul-
from support and money for missions. ture, waiting in the bush. He was
Again I want to mention Dr. Winter in invited to New York to receive the prize
this matter. For decades he has been for his photojournalism. He wined,
advocating living a war-time lifestyle. I dined, and was honored for these pictures
know he doesn’t always get respon- splashed on the newspapers and mag- Thomas Wang is the chairman of the
dents in this area, particularly from a gen- azines. Then he went home. Two months International Board of the AD 2000
eration that has been brainwashed by after he went home to South Africa, Movement and Beyond. He also is the
commercialism through daily television. somebody found him sitting in his little President of the Great Commission
We should realize that commer- red pickup with all the windows Center located in Pasadena, Califor-
cialism is one of the biggest enemies of rolled up, with a hose connecting the nia, USA.
world evangelization. Some of you exhaust to his cabin. His lungs were

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS