The Unfinished Task

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

THE UNFINISHED TASK

By

Jerry Falwell

I. THE GREAT COMMISSION IS A GREAT TASK

• 12,000 ethnic people groups (we call them minorities in the world

• 350 world class cities

• Mexico City has 22 million people

• 5 billion plus

• "Go ye therefore and teach (make disciples) of all nations (people groups), baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19,20).

• How close are we to finishing the task?

II. THE TASK IS NOT FINISHED

A hundred years ago A. T. Pierson (son-in-law to George Mueller) faced the year 1900 and said of the Great Commission, "We despaired of hope." He thought the job was too big and couldn’t be done. How do we respond as we look at the year 2,000 and the Great Commission? Is the task too difficult . . . too compelling . . . too demanding . . . and can it be fulfilled?

A hundred years ago Dwight L. Moody said concerning world evangelization in response to Pierson, "It can be done, it ought to be done, it must be done." I believe in these three words . . . CAN

. . . OUGHT . . . MUST.

While many in the church despaired, Coca-Cola has a vision. "A Coke in the hand of every person on earth by the year 2000." If Coca-Cola can have such a massive goal, where is the visionary people in the church. Can we do less for love than Coca-Cola does for money.

The world-mission organization called A.D. 2000 and Beyond Movement has the goal, "A church for every people and the gospel for every person by the year 2,000."

We have 4 years to reach the entire earth.

What do you intend to do in the next four years? Do you intend to buy a house, get a new car, or be at same place you are now to watch the next century come in?

• What can the body of Christ do?

• What can Thomas Road Baptist Church and the Old Time Gospel Hour do?

• What can you do?

III. THE JESUS FILM

One great light in a world of darkness is the Jesus Film. Dr. Bill Bright led the Campus Crusade for Christ to produce a film by Warner Brothers of Hollywood on the life of Jesus Christ using their technology, but not their stars. This film used only the words of the Bible, i.e. the Gospel of Luke, and was filmed on site in the Holy Land. It cost 4 million dollars. Notice the following results:

a. 701,210,374 people have viewed the film in 220 countries of the world.

b. 41, 442,787 people have made a decision for Christ after seeing the film.

c. The film is translated into 324 languages. At the present time they are translating it into an additional 170 languages. (Gone With The Wind is only in 35 languages and it is the most translated Hollywood film.)

d. Whole villages in India, China, and jungle natives have come to know Jesus Christ.

e. A new translation of the Jesus film into another language is completed every 10 days. The film is so massive, that Campus Crusade reports that approximately 10,000 people per day make a decision for Jesus Christ because of the Jesus film.

f. Dr. Bright’s goal is to have the Jesus film available in the language of the people to 99 percent of the world by the year 2,000 A.D.

g. Dr. Bright has a goal to put that video in every home in America by the year 2000.

• People won’t read a book, but will view a video.

• People won’t come to a public place, but will view privately.

• The film asks people to pray to receive Christ at the end.

IV. FIVE PERCENT TO GO

Ninety-five percent of the world’s population has access to a Bible or scripture portion in their language.

Eight out of ten people have the entire Bible translated into their language.

Nine out of ten people have the New Testament translated into their language.

V. CHURCH PLANTING

There are 12,000 known ethno-linguistic peoples in the world. 10,000 Have a church planting movement in their midst. There are 2,000 "people groups" that do not have a church available to them.

• Our goal must be "a church for every people group."

• We have not carried out the Great Commission until we plant a church in every culture, in every ethno-linguistic people group.