Legacy Youth Ministry Resources

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William Carey's Zeal

William Carey, pioneering missionary to India, diligently labored his entire 40+ years on the field. His famous quote: ?Expect great things from God?attempt great things for God? characterized his life. His ability and zeal for language acquisition and translation were nothing short of incredible. He had not yet been in India a full year when he wrote in a letter, ?I intend to send you soon a copy of Genesis, Matthew, Mark and James in Bengali. Also a small vocabulary and grammar of the language in manuscript of my own composing.? He did this while maintaining a job (though not a job with great time demands) (William Carey, by Finnie, p. 81) And later in his ministry, his schedule: ?He would be at work by six in the morning, after a short time for private devotion, followed by family prayers in Bengali for the servants.? Then, a quick breakfast ?before settling down to the translation of the moment. At ten o?clock he would be off to the College where his classes kept him till two in the afternoon. Back at his lodgings there would be Sanskrit translation and a study of one of the other languages he was learning. His day was not yet over. He would then preach in English to some forty people and when the congregation had dispersed he would fill in two hours on the Bengali translation, write a letter to a friend in England, and read a ?goodnight? message from his Greek New Testament, before probably just tumbling into bed! This was not an exceptional, but a typical day?. (p. 123) (Note: While a great example of zeal in ministry, one must wonder just where his wife and family figured into this zealous lifestyle.) Carey?s final days: ?His Bengali version was the one that lay nearest to his affection and he continued to revise it, not feeling that his work on it was finished until he had read the proofs of his eighth and final edition.? In the period of 39 years since he had arrived, he and his team had published complete Bibles, New Testaments, or separate books of Scripture in 44 languages and dialects. This represented not only great work on Carey?s part, but team work at the highest level. (p. 124) ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Needs in the World

One million people in Calcutta, India, have never slept under a roof. (Al Larson, with Unevangelized Fields Mission)

Unreached People

Ninety percent of the Christian workers minister in parts of the world that have ten percent of the world's population. Ten percent of the Christian workers work in the population centers having 90% of the world's population.

The Global Task

"However, of the 5 billion (soon to be 6 billion) human beings on the planet, 3.5 billion (soon to be 4.5 billion) are not Christians. Of those who call themselves Christians, the majority attend church only now and then - if ever. Three fourths - shortly to become four-fifths - of the world is unevangelized." (Donald McGavran, Essay, "Beyond the Maintenance Mentality")

Escalating World Population

To see how world population growth is escalating, perhaps the following picture will help: It took thousands of years for our world to reach a population of one billion people in 1850. But it only took 80 years for it to add another billion in 1930. It took only 30 years to add another billion, 15 years to add the next billion, and 12 years to add the next billion. By the year 2000, we expect to have six billion.

Unequal Distribution

To complete the Great Commission, we must take the gospel to every cultural group. Our world has 25,000 different cultures, and we have only penetrated 8,000 of those cultures. There are more missionaries to Alaska than there are to 900,000,000 Muslims (almost 1/5 of the world's population!) In the United States, one out of every 200 people work for Christian churches or organizations (including secretaries, etc, which are also included when we speak of foreign missionaries). In India, there is one church staff for every 200,000. In Nigeria, one for every 2,000,000.

Unequal Distribution

To complete the Great Commission, we must take the gospel to every cultural group. Our world has 25,000 different cultures, and we have only penetrated 8,000 of those cultures. There are more missionaries to Alaska than there are to 900,000,000 Muslims (almost 1/5 of the world's population!) In the United States, one out of every 200 people work for Christian churches or organizations (including secretaries, etc, which are also included when we speak of foreign missionaries). In India, there is one church staff for every 200,000. In Nigeria, one for every 2,000,000. ? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Candy Object Lesson For Missions

Object lesson for those in lands where a large proportion have heard the gospel. Say, "I brought this candy to pass out to the group. Maybe now would be a good time. Who would like some?" But instead of passing it out evenly, just throw pieces to those on the front row, giving them three and four pieces each, and only occasionally throwing a piece out to those beyond the first row. In many groups, as the youth see you're getting down to the last of the candy, they will begin saying, "What about those of us in the back? We're not getting any!" Then explain to them. What I've done to you is exactly what we have been doing to unevangelized countries. We keep offering the gospel, by television, churches, and literature, to some people, over and over, while much of the world doesn't even have a nearby church to tell them of the gospel. What right do we have to hear the gospel over and over, when much of the world has never had the opportunity to hear it even once?

More About Sports Than Missions

A missions leader spoke in a Texas church, and made several references to the Dallas Dolphins and Miami Cowboys. As everyone there knew, Dallas was home of the Dallas Cowboys, not the Dolphins. But as he continued with his message and noticed that some in the congregation were getting visibly uncomfortable, he said something like, "Okay, okay, it's the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins. We know our sports well. And some of you could quote me statistic after statistic of how your favorite athletes are batting, tackling, passing or shooting. But doesn't it seem rather odd that Christians can be massively informed about a sport, yet know so little about those who are breaking new ground for the gospel? How many of us know enough about several missionaries so that we can pray specifically about their ministries??? Copyright 2002 Steve Miller - All Rights Reserved

Why We Need To Tell Them

As Christians, we can have assurance of our salvation (I Jn. 5:13). But many religions don't offer that hope. A Muslim in Burkina Faso quit a good job with the government to live a life set apart to Allah. All day long he would sit and listen to Muslim radio, which quoted Scripture, so he could meditate on his holy book. He was known and respected as a holy man. When people gave him clothes, he would give them back to others more needy. He owned only the clothes on his back and said his prayers faithfully. But one day a missionary mentioned to him, "You are in your 80's and soon you will die." He responded, "Yes, and I am scared." The missionary asked, "But you say your prayers more faithfully than anyone I know. Why are you afraid?" "Because I do not know what awaits me on the other side," he replied. (Missionary source that should remain anonymous)

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