Celebrate!Sample

To All Nations

Jesus outlined the “signs of the times” that will characterize this age as it groans to give birth to the future age (Matt. 24:3–14). The final “labor pain” is the universal preaching of the gospel. Then the end will come!

Until the trumpet sounds and Jesus returns to usher in this wonderful coming age, there is still work to do. Nations remain that need the witness of the gospel. The twentieth century is the first century in which the gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached “in all the world,” including so-called “closed countries.” Why then has the Lord not yet come back? Apparently because this preaching of the gospel of the kingdom “in all the world” must result in a witness “to all nations” (ethnic groups) within these countries.

How are we doing? Of the twenty-four thousand distinct ethnic groups in the world, about half do not yet have ongoing “witness” in terms of an indigenous church that can evangelize the group. “A church for every people group” is the goal of Christ’s words. Let’s travail in prayer toward that end. Amen! Then the end!