MISSIONARY INTERVIEWS with
for 17 years in Singapore, what have you found is the relationship today between the nationals and the mis sionaries ? R ev . M r . P oulson : Certainly the day of foreign missionaries is not past. The time has come, however, for joint partnership without any expression of superiority whatsoever. We must go as laborers together with the nationals in the Gospel. The national Christians want our help, provided we’re willing to work with them and not over them. Considering Biola’s present mis sionary program which I’ve carefully studied, I honestly feel that what the school is offering today is the best in its history. Professors are coming right to grips with the principles people will have to deal with as they go to the field today. There is more emphasis upon the very practical things a missionary must know if he’s to serve the Lord effectively on any of the fields of the world. Dr. Sutherland, it's too bad that we hear more about closing doors than about opening doors. The South Pacific Congress on Evangelism brought delegates from 23 Asian countries into Singapore a little over a year ago. The general consensus of opinion was that this is an hour of unparalleled opportunities for the Gospel. We have to take a new ap proach with the same Gospel mes sage. Certainly the population is ex ploding. The old religions are taking a new form with a new appeal. This is a great challenge to the mission ary to learn what these people be lieve. Buddhist missionaries are com ing in to many areas as an example. Young people all, in some way, have been subjected to the philosophies of Communism. I believe our great est need is for a re-awakening here in our American churches. The spirit of secularism and materialism has had its real influence. People here at home haven’t been responding. We need to pray for revival.
Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland and Rev. Ernest Poulson D r . S utherland : How did you re ceive your call as a missionary? R ev . M r . P oulson : R e tu rn in g from World War II, I had contact with several Biola graduates. I felt this was the school for me to attend. Here, I was introduced almost daily to missionary challenges from all parts of the world. The burden for Asia became very great in my heart. D r . S utherland : During your time at Biola, what helped you most in your decisions? R ev . M r . P oulson : Exposure, first of all, to the Word of God. Then there was the influence of teachers who had a world vision and wanted to influence students to think in these areas. D r . S utherland : When you got to Asia, what did you do? R ev . M r . P oulson : When we went to Singapore, there were 39 evangelical churches who felt the need of a Bible-training school. They had recruited what staff was avail able and I believed the Lord wanted me to be a part of the work. The very first night I met a group of young men who were crying for Bi ble teaching. We started an evening Bible school program and my Biola training fitted me properly for the program. The education was foundational for everything that’s followed. We now have graduates of the Bible In stitute serving in Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and throughout parts of Asia, as far away as Japan. D r . S utherland : After serving 18
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