opportunities o f service for Christ in Iron Curtain countries is increasingly encouraging. The amaz ing number o f tribes unto whom the Gospel is now being given in their own languages is a most heart ening story. The vastly increased outreach of the Good News through literature and radio should encourage the heart o f every Christian who is committed to the importance o f the Great Commis sion. Even in “ closed” countries, the Gospel is being heard. Modern mass media has certainly made the entire world our parish. But I am not telling it as it is if I forget the negative side o f the picture. How does one fit the sovereignty of God and His desire for all men to hear the Gospel into the framework o f the world’s largest nation ? Why does God allow a bamboo cur tain to keep 700,000,000 people in the dark? Is China to be forgotten ? Is God not bigger than Mao Tse Tung and his gang? Of course He is. But who can know the mind o f God in this? It is not ours to question the pur pose o f God relative to what He is doing in China or as to what He will do through China. It is our job to pray for the Christians o f China, to get as much o f the Word of God into China as possible (via radio and literature), and to be prepared to enter China if and when God makes it possible. In the meantime, the prayer of the early church will give us a proper perspective of world evangel ism and the sovereignty o f God whether we are facing crushing obstacles or overwhelming oppor tunities. Then all the believers united in this prayer: “O Lord, Creator of heaven and earth and of the sea and everything in them— “You spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor King David, your servant, saying, ‘Why do the heathen rage against the Lord, and the foolish nations plan their little plots against Almighty God? The Kings of the earth unite to fight against Him, against the anointed Son of God.’ “That is what is happening here in this city today! For Herod the king, and Pontius Pilate the governor, and all the Romans—as well as the people of Israel—are united against Jesus, Your anointed Son, Your holy servant. “ They won’t stop at anything that You in Your wise power will let them do. “ And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and grant to Your servants great boldness in their preaching, “ And send Your healing power, and may miracles and wonders be done by the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:24-30, Living New Testament). This kind of praying enables one to clearly see the stage of world evangelism with God standing in the wings. kb Dr. Don W. Hiilis is Associate Director of the Evangeli cal Alliance Mission.
S TA, which stands for Short Terms Abroad, is a rather recent innovation in missionary circles. The historic denominations led the way. The United Presbyterians have had over 30 years of experience with this new kind of missionary—the short-termer. The American Methodists began their STA program in 1948. In 1964, they had sent out over 900 short-term workers. In 1966 the United Presbyterians sent out 49 workers, 32 of whom were short-termers. When the Free Meth odists first announced their new program, Volun teers in Service Abroad (VISA), they received 700 applications in four months! At least three mission boards no longer expect young people to sign up for life. These are the United Presbyterians, the United Church o f Christ and the Protestant Epis copal Church. For some years the Faith Missions tried to buck the tide. They held out as long as they could, but by 1960 they too were forced to come to terms with STA. The Sudan Interior Mission launched its STA program in 1962. Other Faith Missions followed. Even such a missionary-minded denomi nation as the Christian and Missionary Alliance fol lowed the trend. In 1965, it accepted 154 new work ers, of whom 61 were short-termers. Today most o f the member missions of the Inter-denomina tional Foreign Mission Association and the Evan gelical Foreign Missions Association accept short term missionaries. Why the sudden change? The answer is sim- THE KING'S BUSINESS
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