An Intolerable Inequity

I was struck by John Piper's words in his article: A Passion for Missions in the Men Who Stay.  On November 14, 1983, Piper wrote:

I cannot get over the fact that there are more churches in the Twin Cities than there are Protestant North American missionaries to 1,930,000,000 Muslim, Hindu, Han Chinese and Buddhist people who have not been reached by the gospel. “To whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48). Surely this implies that churches and denominations with many members and many ministers should be giving many of these people to cultures which have virtually no gospel witness. I cannot see how we can go on with business as usual while this intolerable inequity exists: 650 Protestant North American missionaries minister to 1,930 million unreached people, while 1,000,000 Christian workers in America minister to 200 million people, most of whom are already reached. How will the church give an account of itself to the Lord?!

For the rest of John Piper's article click here.

That means that within America the ratio of Christian laborers to nonbelievers is 1:200.  Simultaneous, the ratio of laborers to unreached overseas is 1:2,969,230.  Do we not see the injustice we impose on the world through our selfishness?!  Our comforts and blessings have made us lazy and indifferent, yet Luke 12:48 is still true.  "To who much is given, from him much will be required."  And, really, why wouldn't we want to?  Do we not truly love others?  We are commanded to love God and love others... but true love is shown through deed and in truth.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18)

Our nation is growing obese with not only fast food, but also with Christianity.  We have more churches and Bibles than we know what to do with, yet we become complacent when we should be compelled forward in deed and truth.   Will we dare pray that God will send laborers into the harvest, and that we might be part of God's answer to that very prayer???