"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:37-38
-U.S. = 4.48% of the world population
-only 4.6% (333) of the class of 2010 entering seminary students (7259) plan to commit to foreign missions
-of 15000 people groups, ~5885 people groups AKA 2.75 billion people are unreached
isn't the great commission directed towards all followers?
why are there so few workers?
my mind can’t wrap itself around the deplorable discrepancy between the need & the amount of workers.
if such an overwhelming percentage of the world doesn't even know that there is a Jesus to believe in, who am we to presume that we can have the audacity to say "wait, God. let me finish my degree. let me get married. let me get a job. and then i'll go when i feel ready & when i've lived my life." we don't have that luxury.
God doesn't need our help. & yet he graciously offers us the opportunity to participate in His kingdom plain; what foolishness has possessed us to pass up that opportunity? christians are daily passing up the opportunity to serve on the winning team. that's like everyday civilians saying "no thanks, i see more value playing in my cramped backyard" after being offered a chance to play on the winning team on the next superbowl.
furthermore, what a heartbreaking insult it must be to God when He says, "i have a mission for you. i'll provide 100% of the strength & means necessary, and i promise you joy & fulfillment" to which we respond with a miserable, "i don't know if i can do it... what if i fail? i honestly prefer slaving away at my fruitless job right now." i can only imagine how saddened God is by our continual rejection caused by stupid misunderstandings of His character. in any case though, God is omnipotent and His kingdom will be accomplished on earth no matter what.
"...if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20
sidenote;
[ the Joshua Project: 10/40 window ]
[ Operation World ]
baby steps:
i had a conversation with mother without raising my voice
i messaged him
k God. let's do this