A VISION TO FULFILL THE GREAT COMMISSION, NOW. . .
You all know that we
are commanded by Jesus to "Go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature." The technology to do so is
now in place. All we need to do is execute a plan. This plan must
be bold. I have a vision for this plan that I pray is directly
from God, through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am personally
unworthy to be the leader of this task but so is everyone else
I know. Not one person, called by Jesus to serve Him, is worthy
or without sin.
The Scriptures repeatedly
refer to the followers of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, as "saints".
Do you feel like a saint? I doubt it and neither do I. Let's not
dwell on how we "feel" but let us look to taking the
kind of action that would be taken by a saint. That is what I
am asking you to do. To join me in the greatest "work"
that could be imagined; to preach the gospel to the whole world.
This is a task that will demand our greatest effort. This work
comprises the most significant evangelical movement in history.
It is a work that the Scriptures say must be completed before
Jesus returns.
The tasks to accomplish
this mission has five parts and the total budget will be closer
to a billion dollars than a million dollars. But, the assets we
have are gifts from God and we certainly will be held accountable
for how we have allocated them. Charitable work is good and most
of us are already involved in good, charitable causes. But, ask
yourself what the outcomes will be of our current efforts. If
the answers are improved health for the world's population, fewer
hungry people, less violence, a cure for some devastating disease,
homes for the homeless and so on, then these are certainly worthy
efforts and should be sustained. To take part in fulfilling the
Great Commission is also a worthy goal and if the outcome is to
set the stage for the return of Jesus and to see millions of people
exposed to the Gospel and many converted, then it is among the
highest of goals. It will also, if we are to sustain current efforts,
require an extra effort on our part. I would say a "sacrificial
effort" but in truth most of us do not truly suffer from
unmet personal needs.
Allow me to pose a
question. Which of the following parts of this world evangelism
project do you want to either fund and/or to lead? You will need
to have access to the Internet to think through the implications
of each project and to have some vision of utilizing the technical
advances that have been made in the past 20 years.
The Sola Scriptura
Project
This site,The Sola
Scriptura Project, has received hundreds of thousands of visitors
over the past 9 years. This web site was developed, by myself,
led by God, I pray, to present teachings of selected topics using
"The Word" only, without commentary or interpretation.
Most people visit this site to study a particular topic, to prepare
themselves for teaching a topic or to simply drink in the Word,
undiluted.
This is what I think
the Lord wants us to do. First, the site needs to be expanded
for world-wide use by having it available in all of the major
languages of the world. We can not fulfill the Great Commission
in English only so translations are needed. There are several
notable organizations that are highly skilled and experienced
in performing translation tasks. They would be employed to develop
a "link" on the current site that takes the user to
a version that they can read in their own language.
Second, each of the
topics must be recorded, digitally. These CD ROMS, in all major
languages, would allow persons who do not have access to the Internet
to listen to the topics. The cost of recording each topic in each
selected language is not excessive and that part of the task,
when completed, will not have ongoing expense, other than to produce
copies. This is, however, a critical task. The recordings need
to be made by "believers" whose voice is believable,
persuasive and pleasant.
Third, many people
do not have CD players available to them. We would need to finance
the audio equipment required to transmit the recordings to people
(villages, communities, and organizations) who need this assistance.
Fourth, the digital
recordings can be transmitted via satellite radio, short wave
transmission, and AM and FM radio. A charitable trust fund would
need to be established to generate the income to initiate and
sustain such broadcasts until the Lord returns.
Fifth, each topic should
be made available in print or as a CD for purchase (or as a gift),
in every major language. The packaging and marketing of this product
is a task that needs attention, now. In the case of sales, of
any kind, from any part of any of these projects, all proceeds
would be deposited directly in the budget of the charitable trust
that sponsored that activity. If it is not yet obvious, no individual
would ever receive any payment, of any kind, except as an employee
or resource employed to execute the task.
The "Got Eternity" Project
The Got Eternity
Booklet was developed by myself over the past several years
and has been mailed to 1.3 million households. The mailings were
by zip code. This booklet is a bit of a window on my personal
views. If you do not like most of what I had to say in the booklet,
you probably should not get involved in any of the projects. We
need to have consensus on that which is of pivotal importance.
This "booklet"
needs to be translated into all major languages. This task is
similar to the one above where the topics on this web site were
translated and perhaps the same person(s) should be responsible.
This too, could be a closed end task (when it is over, it is over).
One of the more "creative"
tasks in this list of things that needs to be done is to develop
a distribution plan for the booklet. What I have done to date
is to simply print it and mail it as funds were available and
the recipients did not volunteer to receive it, it just showed
up in their mailbox. The results have been mixed. The booklet
elicited all sorts of reactions from complete disgust and anger
that anyone would have been so presumptuous as to send them an
unsolicited entreaty, to heartwarming responses that made sending
the booklets a total blessing to my family and to the persons
that received it. Even in the case of hostile reactions, we have
heard from persons who were initially angry and who now want a
copy of the booklet sent to some relative or friend.
The budget to send
out millions more of this booklet is about $.22 per copy ($220,000
per million). The expenses are made up of two items, printing
and postage. One alternative is to simply continue with this course
of action by expanding the mailing, dramatically (world-wide).
There is another course
of action that may work, either in tandem with the mailings, or
as a separate effort. One could make arrangements with any organization
that has a world wide presence, to place the booklets in public
places within a community. That eliminates the cost of postage
and it makes the recipient a "volunteer". It would require
a plan to be developed wherein the members of an organization
in a local community were to identify places where the booklets
could be displayed in a "take one, they are free" format
and those same persons would then be responsible for replenishing
supplies as displays were emptied.
It seems that simply
distributing the booklets would be enough to make things happen
but it has been my experience that the recipients need some coaching
in understanding the implications of much of what was presented.
To that end, I would recommend that the "Got Eternity"
project include a community wide follow up opportunity for the
recipients to safely come and receive teaching on the points presented
in the booklet. I say "safely" to imply that recruitment
by a particular organization to bring new converts (and contributors)
into their fold would be a red flag to some persons. Therefore,
the follow up meetings, advertised in local papers and in the
locations of the booklet displays, should invite interested persons
to come to a public place such as a library meeting room, a gym,
etc. for a seminar(s) to discuss the content of the booklet and
to respond to questions. The seminars would be led by a local
caring, competent Christian discussion leader who is completely
comfortable with the Scriptures.
The Jew #1 Project
Please go to the web
site, www.jew#1.com . I developed the content for that website at the turn of the
century (2000 A.D.) when many were looking to a doomsday scenario
due to computer failures, world-wide economic failure, etc.
I feel, after quite
a bit of research in the field of Eschatology (the study of end
times), that the end of the world and the tribulation that includes
pivots on God's relationship to Israel. I decided that, as to
timing, it relates specifically to the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple
in Jerusalem. I then set out to establish some "assertions"
that defined my beliefs and expectations. This list of 34 assertions
then required explanation or some sort of "defense".
What followed became a book entitled Jew #1. This book is now
available on Amazon.com and you can read an abstract of the book
on their site.
The book is directed
to Jews who are either interested in the roots of their faith
or who look to the coming (Christians say, return) of the Messiah
as an event which will occur. It is hoped that Jewish readers
and Christians interested in the relationship of Christianity
to Judaism will see the chapter Has Israel been on hold 2000
years? as a window on the history of our mutual interests.
As to the effectiveness
of the book, time will tell. It is definitely written in a spirit
of love and admiration for the Jews and all that they have been
given by God and that which they preserved for the gentiles (The
Holy Scriptures), but it is also controversial in that few Biblical
scholars seem to agree what events will lead up to the seven years
of pending tribulation, what events will transpire during those
seven years and what events will follow Armageddon. Gentiles are
attracted to the book simply because the topic of "end times"
interests them greatly.
The book needs to be
marketed to the world. The task would be one of public relations
and advertising. Fulfilling the Great commission can not be fully
addressed if the Jews are "left behind" in our planning.
You will find, in the book, complete respect for Judaism and Jews
as well as a plea for their understanding of what is about to
transpire as the Temple is rebuilt. All proceeds from the sale
of the book would go directly to the Sola Scriptura Project.
The Billboard Project
This project will enter
into long term (perpetual renewal) leases for signs that are located
in very high traffic count areas.
The billboards which
are leased will be converted to huge electronic signs which are
commonly seen at new stadiums and arenas. The billboard will have
the functionality of a computer. It will be possible to "program
and re-program" the screen as often as desired via satellite
links using existing technology. The messages, and images will
be powerful (mostly God's Word) and constantly changing.
The entity leasing
the billboard to the project will agree that the billboards can
be reconfigured at the Project's expense and that all capital
improvements made to the billboard become the property of the
entity leasing us the billboard if the lease is ever terminated.
The funding of the
Billboard Project would come from a separate trust established
by a donor(s) for this purpose. The investments of the trust will
perpetually fund the leases until the Lord returns. Some individual
billboards may be sponsored by other contributing entities, as
well.
The Board of Directors
of the Sola Scriptura Project would approve the content posted
on each billboard. The Project would have its own management and
operations team, supported by the trust funds contributed.
The Family Bible
Study Series (Core Christian Values Project)
If we are going to
evangelize the world, we are going to do so at a time when moral
and spiritual values are in a steep slide. The Core Christian
Values Project is an effort to have families learn, from the Scriptures,
one core value at a time and to come to some consensus at the
family level of what it is they agree is an eternal value, based
on God's word. This core value would be presented in a format
that places the family in a discussion group. In most cases, the
father would lead the family through the study and guide them
to understanding the Biblical foundation of the core value. The
language of the one page study would be simplified but the insight
to be gained would be more "meat" than "milk".
The primary purpose
of this project is to help families and individuals critically
think about Christian core values. For the most part, this kind
of inquiry now is delegated, outside the home. We send our children
to school, church, kid's clubs, and athletic activities and to
the homes of friends, but who is taking the responsibility for
teaching our kids core values? Do the persons who have the most
contact with our kids have the most influence? Probably, but that
does not have to be the case.
This project should
help children and parents focus on what is eternally true. In
truth, the parents probably need this teaching as much as the
children they would presume to teach. The objective would be to
"gain consensus" about those core values that are Biblically
based and to have that consensus result in enlightened behavior
patterns for the whole family.
The lessons can be
viewed by going to the link Family Bible Study. Additional
lessons are being continually added. The Core Value Lessons need
to be packaged for distribution. The Bible offers so many specific
teachings about core values that this could be an ongoing project
for some time. The funding would pertain to translation, printing
and distribution costs and the proceeds would go directly to the
Sola Scriptura Project.
In conclusion, if you
decide to participate in carrying out any or all of these tasks,
thank God for your decision. Just as none of us feel we qualify
for the title of "saint", none of us feel worthy of
this calling. It is not our "worth" that matters. We
go forward in confidence that God can use anyone to fulfill His
will, including persons like ourselves. This is one of the most
important tasks one could possibly undertake. If we make progress,
it needs to be in His strength following His will. Make your decision
a matter of prayer. Do you feel God wants you to get involved?
Seek His will in all things. God knows our hearts and our motives.
We are sinners saved by grace and we want to serve Him because
we love Him. It is our great privilege to stand in His presence
and say these words.
Bruce Caldwell
President, The Sola Scriptura Project
The
Sola Scriptura Project is a California Corporation, tax exempt
charitable foundation 501(c)3. All donations will receive confirming
emails which will serve as your receipt for tax purposes. Please
include an email address in your response. If that is not possible,
please include your mailing address and a receipt will be mailed
to you in cases where the donation exceeds the IRS requirement
of documentation for donations in excess of $250. Every penny
donated will go to distribution costs only, paid to unrelated
third parties. There are no administrative fees. Please email
me @ webmaster@solascriptura.com with any questions or comments regarding the ministry.
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