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IJFM (ISSN # 0743-2529) was estab- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF lished in 1984 by the International Student Leaders Coalition for Frontier FRONTIER MISSIONS Missions. Published quarterly for $15.00 in Jan.- April-June 1996 March., April-June, July-Sept. and Oct.- Volume 13 Number 2 Dec., by the International Journal of Frontier Missions, 7665 Wenda Way, Contents El Paso TX 79915. Editor: 53 Editorial: Completing the Task that Remains Hans M. Weerstra Hans M. Weerstra Associate Editors: Richard A. Cotton 55 The Unfinished Task D. Bruce Graham Luis Bush Managing Editor: Judy L. Weerstra 59 Unreached Peoples: How Many Are There? IJFM Secretary: Patrick Johnstone Barbara R. Pitts Publisher: 61 The Danuwar Rai of Nepal Bradley Gill Bethany World Prayer Center The IJFM promotes the investigation of frontier mission issues, including plans 63 Thy Kingdom Come and coordination for world evangeliza- Ralph D. Winter tion, measuring and monitoring its progress, defining, publishing and profiling unreached peoples, and the 71 Measured by the Master’s Piece promotion of biblical mission theology. David J. Hesselgrave The Journal advocates completion of world evangelization by AD 2000. 75 The Chitwan Tharu of Nepal The IJFM also seeks to promote inter- Bethany World Prayer Center generational dialogue between senior and junior mission leaders, cultivate an 77 To the Final Frontiers international fraternity of thought in the development of frontier missiology. Scott Grandi Address all editorial correspondence 81 The Joshua Project Research Survey and manuscripts, to 7665 Wenda Way, El Paso Texas, 79915 USA. Phone: John Robb (915) 779-5655 Fax: (915) 778-6440. E-mail address: 103121,2610. 87 Joshua Project 2000: Research, Profiles, Prayer and Church Planting for Unreached Peoples Subscription Information: One year (four issues) $15.00, two years (eight David Hargrove issues) $28.00, three years (twelve issues) $40.00. Single copies $5.00. 93 The Unreached Peoples List Payment must be enclosed with orders. Joshua Project 2000 Note: Subscriptions are automatically renewed and billed for year by year unless we receive other instructions. When changing your address, please supply both old and new addresses. IJFM Editorial Committee Cover Photo: Photo of a Danuwar Rai young man, used with permission from Gary R. Corwin, SIM/EMIS, USA Bethany World Prayer Center. Paul Filidis, YWAM Research Center, USA Copyright: © 1996 by the International Student Leaders Coalition for Frontier Todd M. Johnson, World Evangelization Research Center, USA Missions. Patrick J. Johnstone, WEC International, UK PRINTED IN THE USA Bill O’Brien, Global Center, Samford University, USA Edison Queiroz, COMIBAM, Brazil Editorial: Completing the Task that Remains ne of the most profound passages remains the god of the age. But we end? When the world has been evan- O of Scripture is found in Mat- must strongly emphasize that God has gelized. The disciples asked:“What thew 24:14, with its parallel passage in not abandoned this age to the Evil One. will be the sign of your coming and of In fact, the Kingdom of God has the close of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Mark 10:13. Speaking about the signs entered into this evil age; Satan has “This gospel of the kingdom will be of the end of the age, Jesus said, “And been defeated. The Kingdom of God, preached throughout the whole world this gospel of the kingdom will be in Christ, has created the Church, and as a testimony to all nations; and then, preached in the whole world as a testi- the Kingdom of God works in the AND THEN, the end will come.” mony to all nations, and then the end world through the Church to accom- When? Then; when the Church has ful- will come.” The Markan version, with the plish God’s purpose of extending His filled its divinely appointed mission... same focus on the end of the age, sim- Kingdom in the world. We are caught When we have accomplished our mis- up in a great struggle—the conflict of ply states: “And the gospel must first be sion, He will return and establish His the ages. God’s Kingdom works in this preached to all nations.” (NIV) Kingdom in glory. To us it is given not world through the power of the Gospel. This passage is so profound because only to wait for but also to hasten the ‘And this gospel of the kingdom will coming of the day of God (II Peter it clearly links the preaching of the be preached throughout the whole 3:12). This is the mission of the Gospel gospel with the end of this present age world, as a testimony unto all nations, of the Kingdom, and this is our mis- and the ushering in of the new. No and then the end will come.’ sion.” (Quotes taken from Dr George where in all of Scripture is any event so ... What this verse of Scripture firmly Eldon Ladd’s article “The Gospel of clearly linked with the statement con- establishes is that the Good News of the Kingdom” in Perspectives on the cerning when the end will come. I want to the Kingdom of God, or the rule and World Christian Movement, A Reader, reign of God in Christ, must first be remind our readers of the powerful Revised Edition, eds. Ralph D. Winter communicated to the whole world, to commentary of the late Dr. George Eldon and Steven C. Hawthorne.) all the nations, tribes and peoples of Ladd on this important passage of the earth—they must all have the Gos- Matthew 24:14 gives us a clear Scripture. I will quote Dr. Ladd at length pel as a testimony unto them, that is to biblical precedent and a strong impulse to since it is worth its every line. As I say, they must all know its deepest consider completion of the task that see it, it directly speaks to the theme of message—before this age comes to an remains—looking at the main dimensions this issue on completing the task of end and the new age, of a new heaven of the task with its goal to start a and a new earth, is ushered in. This world evangelization with the biblical church movement for Christ in every peo- must happen before Christ returns or impulse underlying it. before His second coming. ple group among whom that still Dr. Ladd, author and scholar of the ... Let this verse burn in our hearts. hasn’t occurred. This is the focus and pur- Word—especially on the Kingdom of God has said this about no other group pose of this special issue of the Jour- God—says: of people. This Good News of the nal, dedicated in its entirety to completing Perhaps the most important single Kingdom of God must be preached, if the task of world evangelization. verse in the Word of God for God’s you please, by the Church, in all the Every article in this special edition people today is the text: Matthew world for a witness to all the nations. deals with that focus. The goal is that 24:14. This of course refers to the man- This is God’s program... every tribe, tongue and nation will have ifestation of God’s Kingdom in power This means that for the ultimate mean- the Church planted among them, so and glory when the Lord Jesus returns. ing of modern civilization and the des- There is wide interest among God’s tiny of human history, you and I are that all will have the Gospel “as a testi- people as to the time of Christ’s return. more important that the United mony unto them”, so that all will Will it be soon, or late? Many pro- Nations...the mission of the Church is have adequate access to the Gospel thus phetic Bible conferences offer mes- more important than the march of making the Good News available to sages which search the Bible and scan armies or the actions of the world’s the newspapers to understand the every person on planet earth. Finally, this capitals, because it is in the accom- will make it possible for all to be able prophecies and the signs of the times to plishment of this mission that the to call upon the Lord and be saved. try to determine how near to the end divine purpose for human history is we may be. Our text (Matthew 24:14) accomplished. No less than this is our (Romans 10:13-15) May it be soon, is the clearest statement in God’s Word mission! even by AD 2000, to the glory of our about the time of our Lord’s second ... Here is the motive of our mission: Lord and God! coming. There is no verse which The final victory awaits the completion speaks as concisely and distinctly as of our task. “And then the end will this verse about the time when the come.” There is no other verse in the Kingdom will come. Dr. Hans M. Weerstra, Word of God which says: “And then ... The Word of God does indeed teach the end will come.” When is Christ IJFM Editor that there will be an intensification of coming again? When the Church has July 1996, evil at the end of the age, for Satan finished its task. When will This Age El Paso, TX USA INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FRONTIER MISSIONS, VOL 13:2 APRIL-JUNE 1996 The Unfinished Task God is on the move! He is superintending the events of our time. He is the source of the world’s growing spiritual thirst. That means that now is the time to act! by Luis Bush t was nearly two thousand years ago ted themselves in writing to the goal of a planting movement in their midst! Be- I that Jesus challenged His Church church for every people and the Gos- cause of God’s power and faithful- with the Great Commission to make disci- pel for every person by the year 2000.