Dear Friend,
Shalom from the Philippines! While COVID is still not cleared in most parts of the world, another turbulence continues to mark the news headlines. From Myanmar, Afghanistan, Burkina Faso and now to Ukraine, the political clashes do not stop alarming humanity. NY Times reports that peaceful times are calculated to be only 268 years out of the past 3,400 years. That is less than 8% of history! It seems human civilization has been brutally marked by fights and quarrels everywhere. At such a time as this, it’s easy for us to lose focus and panic at what is happening around us. Some even wonder if this is the end of the world. Yet, our Lord Jesus promised:
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is STILL to come … And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come.” (Matthew 24:6, 14)
The only rightful criterion for the end of the world is when the condition of the gospel of the kingdom being preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations is met. This makes the task of the mission all the more significant and precious. Upon the basis of the Scriptures, let me assure you, it is not a war or coronavirus that will bring the world to an end. God’s eternal word brightly beacons that when the gospel is preached to all the world, only then shall the end come. Even in this dark time of disease and wars, our workers are sharing the message of love and reconciliation in Christ in Africa and Asia.
From nomads who never heard the gospel in Mongolian-Manchurian grassland to Buddhists in Thailand and Myanmar as well as Muslims in Pakistan and Indonesia, our IGSL students and alumni are shining this dark world with the light of hope. Though challenging and painful, the pandemic has brought the expedited popularization of online technology. Thanks to this unprecedented tool, we’re constantly able to communicate and have meetings with other Christian leaders around the globe. EAPTC regional leaders are virtually having strategic meetings. Eunice and I are teaching and equipping ministerial students based in 20 Asian countries through an online learning platform. I often minister at the webinars to the Christian leaders of denominations, churches, and Bible colleges across the nations. In November, I virtually addressed 500 pastors and leaders of the Christian & Missionary Alliance (Philippines) on the topic of Christian’s response during the pandemic. Eunice has partnered up with a Christian academy in Vietnam and is regularly ministering to teens through online chapels.
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is STILL to come … And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and THEN the end will come.” (Matthew 24:6, 14)
The only rightful criterion for the end of the world is when the condition of the gospel of the kingdom being preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations is met. This makes the task of the mission all the more significant and precious. Upon the basis of the Scriptures, let me assure you, it is not a war or coronavirus that will bring the world to an end. God’s eternal word brightly beacons that when the gospel is preached to all the world, only then shall the end come. Even in this dark time of disease and wars, our workers are sharing the message of love and reconciliation in Christ in Africa and Asia.
Yours for the nations,
Dr. Paul Lee (& Eunice)