THE FORGOTTEN TRIBES

“Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty” -Ps.74:20

“But arise, and stand on your feet for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness… (to) –the gentiles,…to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God; in order that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me”.-Ac. 26:16-18.

The above account of the encounter between Saint Paul and the Lord Jesus Christ, reads like God’s response to the silent but constant cry of the dying masses of humanity –who are cut off from our little circle of self centered civilization. And there is no end to want and luxury.

The God of all flesh has sent his only begotten Son that “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved” . Through him also, He has established a living community of believers, “the body of Christ” and charged it with the responsibility to preach the Good News to all “tribes of Peoples (ethne). But our selfishness, unfaithfulness, unbelief, compromise and despondency have rather sought to keep us in our little empires” and confined more and more millions of souls to eternal damnation and misery. For how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? Rom.1014. I have just heard one of them mourn, “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved”. Will you go?

The Goal of Missions is “to reach those people who could not otherwise be readily accessible to the conventional methods of evangelism, without special graces, adaptations and sacrifices”, which lack depth and instructions.

The greater percentage of the world is increasingly poor and uneducated. This means that our Gospel tracts, broadcasts, and even Bible gifts are increasingly as inadequate as they are limited in supply. They may be meaningless in themselves (with the exception of the Bible) unless, there is somebody to make them intelligible to the people and within their context too. Otherwise what is an English Bible to a “Mumuye” man in Taraba State of Nigeria? Of what use is a Television Pastor to a “Wolof” in Senegal.

Moreover, a great proportion of the “privileged” few, are residing in the so called “limited access or locked”, nations of the World (with regards to evangelical Gospel).The Muslim nations of Libya, Senegal, Tunisia, Pakistan, Sudan, e.t.c have not experienced the love of Jesus in the reality of the Gospel. And with the possible exceptions of South Korea, the Philippines, Hong Kong and a few others, the Orients are without “The Light. (no wonder even some of them are declaring themselves to be “messiahs”). Japan with over a hundred million people each with his or her own god, has never responded to “Mass evangelism” Infact, Asia, is far from being classified as “REACHED”.

“But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
He hath made the earth by His power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” Jer.10:10-12.

The star has fallen in Eastern Europe. Communism (that wicked system that sent millions to eternal doom) has collapsed, by the mighty hand of God. For “the oppressor, shall not oppress forever”. Naturally, one would have expected a great surge of enthusiasm to carry the Gospel, “the Living waters” to these “thirsty lands”. Yet the privileged West is Luke-warm. Oh, where are the likes of Andrew (God’s Smuggler) Keith Green, Adoniran Judson, C.T.Studd, Jim Elliot to mention a few? Today, the cry of Russia is “you have increased the Corn, and not increased our joy” .But the Lord Jesus must have a testimony there .Rev.5:8-10. Africa can provide the alternative in human resources, if you will believe God.

The emergence of materialistic theology and humanistic doctrines coupled with the large follower ship and patronages which it enjoys have dampened the enthusiasm of the U.S Christians in reaching out to their less privileged neighbors. Also, some undue restrictions on the part of secular authorities have further worsened the situation. THIS MEANS THAT AFRICA MILLIONS WILL CONTINUE TO PERISH WITHOUT THE GOSPEL UNLESS WE ARE WILLING TO GO OR DO SOMETHING TO ENABLE OTHERS GO. I am afraid that if “rapture” meets us in our present state, many of us will regret our pursuits, Luke, 12:16-21cc.Ps.2:8; 74:20.

But should we not first remove the log in our own eye”? Worldliness and politics have blinded the Church in NIGERIA; from reaching out beyond its traditional frontiers. Secular dominance is being pursued at the expense of the Divine Commission to make disciples of every “ethne”. The result is that ’we act as if there are people whose geographical location; and culture have specifically marked them out for hell, and there is nothing anybody can do about it. This is all lie of the devil, you know. There is no human or ideological barrier, which the Holy Ghost cannot break, (2Cor.10:3-6). The Lord had assured us that He Himself have placed every man in his own habitation (Acts.17:22-31); and had commanded us to preach the Gospel to “every creature”. Therefore, MISSIONS and nothing short of MISSIONS is the heart cry of God for now!

So far the work is directed on a neglected, unlovable, ignoble folks, lost in the tide of human selfishness, or on the apparent confusions, and destructive indulgences of world religions, the work is MISSIONS. So far there is no viable community of self-reproducing body of Disciples fully committed to the work of evangelism and practical holiness informed, by unfeigned Love of God and the brethren, the area is “Unreached” and the call is MISSIONS. Will you get involved today?

Missions therefore, is that faithful carrying of the CROSS, and submission to CHRIST, to become a “burning and shining light” to a people that sat in darkness and the region and shadow of death (Matt. 415-16).Those regions where no one might go if you wouldn’t (Jer. 820; Ac.18).This is the essence of a Missionary work.

The Chief Missionary is CHRIST JESUS, Himself. No one would have saved us if He hadn’t come. “The Lord from heaven” who became the “son of man’ gave his life as a ransom for many”. Therefore the worst sin on the part of a Christian is to neglect, or abuse the command “Go Ye ….(Mk.16:15)”and “occupy till I come (Luk.1912-27)”.

Will you be a Missionary? Confirm your callings and make full-proof of your ministry, “the Lord is at hand”. None, but the Missionary ever had such clear sense of purpose and mission in life, assurance of completed work,  and a hope for eternal rewards at the end of his pilgrimage here on earth (II Tim.46-8.)

AND TO YOU DEAR FRIEND
Africa lies waste and most of her citizens are crying: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved (Jer.820)”, as they are either doomed by man-made religion, ruined by man-made doctrines, or imprisoned by man-made Laws and ideologies.

Even in times of prosperity, Africa is in turmoil. For how long shall it remain “the dark continent” where famine, hunger and sufferings reign unabated? And her citizens referred to as the “poor benighted heathens? Won’t you rise up to be a light to those who sat in the region and shadow of death”?

At His first coming, we were too far to be reached. Now , in times of Grace, we reached out to Balaam’s errors, and those who saw the light are by far, more occupied with vanities that His second coming is about to meet us still “UNREACHED”!

Are you not contributing to this, oh! Christian, filled with the Holy Ghost and looking forward to rapture but sitting at ease in Zion, and romanticizing with the world? Remember the parable of the “Talents” (Luk.1912-27).

Why don’t you join this little band of the Faithful, and run a rescue shop within a yard of hell? “Behold, I say unto you lift up your eyes and look on the field for they are whites already to harvest (Jn.435)”.

INNO-PRAISE
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR
DISCIPLES ON MISSION