God wants to come yesterday, if not sooner. He's waiting. Why is He waiting? We haven't finished the job He gave us to do.
In the country where I presently reside and work, fewer than 1% of the people are Christian (with Catholics excluded). There are over a hundred tribal groups in this country, many/most of which still have no Bible in their language. There are entire villages where the name of Christ has never been spoken. We have fewer than 20 ordained Adventist pastors in the entire country. And the government has recently stepped up the persecutions here. I witnessed about 20 people baptized a couple Sabbaths ago--most had been transported out of their province to a church about eight hours' distance from their home, just to be baptized safely. They were from one of the tribal groups that still has no Bible.
Meanwhile, the NAD is redirecting money to itself, giving less and less year by year to other divisions. Where I am there is no Conference. Not even a Mission. Most of the church workers are but youth. The median age in this country is about 23, and a third of the population is 14 or younger. Alcoholism prevents longevity. Half of schools here have electricity. Three quarters have leak-proof roofs. Only a quarter have functional restroom facilities segregated for boys and girls. The divide between the haves and the have-nots is marked. And the government has been shutting down our churches. In many provinces here we are forbidden to meet in a church building. House churches are also technically illegal, but are harder to control. A nearby group that I met with recently in one of the members' homes solves the problem by moving around--juggling homes in which to meet. Foreigners are prohibited from preaching in any local church or home--the only exception being in the main church in the capital city.
Today at church I went head to head with a Chinese man who believes firmly that the law has been abolished and once saved always saved. He has been going around to our members to try to convert them over to his doctrine, and he downplays the importance of the Sabbath. But I was unable to prove his position to be in error from the Bible, as he does not know English and cannot be shown anything from the KJV Bible. Americans take that Bible largely for granted! The newer versions from the corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts claim the law has been abolished. I weakly attempted to explain to the man that his Bible was corrupt and not to be believed (see, for example, the NIV for Ephesians 2:15 and Colossians 2:14--that's what his Chinese Bible is like). He was unpersuaded, and I had no other option. As Ellen White says, error is never harmless. We need better Bible translations in Asia....desperately!
Meanwhile, Americans think the Great Controversy is over. We are told the final movements will be rapid ones, but let me tell you, it takes time for some things. The average time taken to translate a Bible is 20 years the old way. Now, with computer support, we can cut that to about a third. But it still takes time. While, from my vantage point, it seems NAD Adventists do little more than chatter about how things are wrapping up, it amounts to talk without action.
If you want to go Home sooner, then let's put our hands, time, money, and talents where our mouth is. Get involved. There's work to be done! As Jesus said, "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (Matthew 10:23) If that's how it is for the cities in Israel, what about those of the rest of the world? Don't they deserve to hear the Gospel?
Workers are needed now. As a people, we are not doing one fiftieth of what we might do as active missionaries. If we were only vitalized by the Holy Spirit, there would be a hundred missionaries where there is now one. {MM, December 1, 1892 par. 10}
Please come over and help us!
Selah.
Green Cochoa.