Paul Harvey, the radio and television commentator, once said to his audience of Christians throughout the United States, “We’ve strayed from being fishers of men, to being keepers of the aquarium.” Unfortunately, this is truer today than it was when he first said it many years ago.  Christians and Christian churches in the U.S. need to make some big changes – before it’s too late.

The average church in the U.S. spends 85% of its income, on salaries, building expenses and supplies. (I know that most of you are not in “average” churches.) That is a sad reality, but what makes it more disheartening is that the statistic doesn’t seem to bother many believers. We must all ask ourselves, “Is this what Jesus meant for us to do when He commanded us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”? (Mark 16:15).  He never told us to stop, settle down, and build little kingdoms.

Only about 5% of the world’s population lives in the United States. About 3 billion in the world have never even heard about Jesus even once. Most of those people live in the “10/40 window,” the rectangular area of North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude. In fact, 85% of all unreached people groups live in the 10/40 Window.

The question is: What are you and I going to do to start making changes? It has to start with us! We have to start today, and we have to put other things on hold so that we can do the most important thing – working for the fulfillment of God’s Great Commission by Going into All the World. John Piper said we must, “Go, Send, or Disobey!”

Brothers and sisters, please don’t wait for someone else to lead the way. Don’t wait for the building program at your church to be completed. Don’t wait until your car or house is paid off. Don’t wait until your pastor gets a vision for missions. It may never happen! We simply cannot let people die in their sins in unreached parts of the world without ever warning them by sending the gospel. God’s Great Commission always trumps a man or woman’s vision that does not line up with God’s. Read the Word – not your church’s vision statement – unless it lines up with God’s.

There is no time to waste. People are dying as you read! Do you know a missionary working in the 10/40 window? Step forward and offer to help. If you don’t know anyone doing that, join with us, and we will connect you with people who are living and dying to complete God’s Great Commission in that part of the world.

Do it now, while it’s on your mind, or the cares of this life will come knocking to distract you once again. By God’s grace, power, and authority we must GO forward saying “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). We can and we must!

In His Service,  Brian Weller

P.S. A special thanks to all of you who already go the extra mile to fulfill God’s call. God knows your heart, sees your sacrifices, and is preparing a reward for you. Thank you again!