1

Is there anything more relevant today than to point out why the ultimate weapon to fight
against all kinds of injustice, violence, and terrorism in the Book of the Father, the
Bible? Is it true that the Bible is present in many places around the world?
(although not in all, as Loren claims), but what we need today is
teachers, followers, disciples, pioneers, reformers –and why not,
"occasional" smugglers of the Bible - that bring down all the strongholds of
incredulity and boldly proclaim the Lordship of Christ. The world is
waiting; the doors are open; God is waiting. If you are too
wait, then read this book that is not about the problems but about the
solutions. I wish I had written it!
Brother Andrés, "The Smuggler of God"

I believe that The Book that Transforms Nations is one of the most important.
there have been writings on the subject of missions. I do not know any other book like
This. It is a rare and exceptional book that assumes a comprehensive view of the Kingdom.
from God, provides examples from history and models of things that were done well
until our days... It is necessary that all the founders of churches and the
personal related assimilate the content of this book took a whole lifetime to
Loren understand these things - God willing we practice them ourselves - this
it may be the most important contribution Loren has made to date
to expedite the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Bob Roberts, first pastor of NorthWood church; founder of Glocanet; author
of Transformation and Glocalization.

The Book that transforms nations instructs, informs, and inspires the servants of God.
and shows them how God acts to transform nations: His Word unleashes
power to change any nation. Loren Cunningham can talk to
authority on this subject; first, because he received the vision to transform the
nations more than forty years ago; second, for being the founder of the largest
Teaching center where unusual courses are taught, faithfully
 2

cemented in the Bible; and third, because he is probably the only missionary
who has visited all the countries in the world
Luis Bush, international manager of Transform World Connections

It is stimulating to discover the beneficial effect that the word of God has
produced in the past. This book invites you to imagine the consequences
beneficial that it will produce in the future if applied to life and culture.
Steve Douglass, president of the International Student Crusade for Christ

In these stimulating pages, Loren Cunningham once again shows that when
when the truths of the Bible are practiced, a transformation is experienced - in the
individual, the family or the nation-. Loren demonstrates, based on history, that
those who delight in the law of the Lord will bear fruit and prosper
Paul Eshleman, founder of the 'The JESUS Film' project

In the global village, our future depends on that of all nations... and the future
Each nation depends on its ability to receive the Word of God. In this
In the book, Loren Cunningham provides a penetrating and visionary answer to the question:

How do cultures come to obey God and listen to Jesus Christ? It turns out
fascinating to follow you in your exploration of so many towns and cultures through
history and geography.
Prof. John C. Badoux, honorary president of the Swiss Federal Institute of
Lausanne Technology (EPFL)

In The Book that Transforms Nations, Loren lays the foundation for why the
The word of God is not only able to draw people to salvation in Christ,
but also to transform entire towns... I believe that this book will help to
to disciple its readers, will honor the Word of God and exalt it properly.
Because you have exalted your name and your word above all things.
138:2).
 3

Danny Lehmann, Director of JUCUM in Hawaii and member of the Leadership Group
Global and International of JUCUM.

The Book that transforms nations is both a reminder of what God has
made in the past as a practical manual of what every believer can
do it now. Loren Cunningham will ignite his imagination and renew his
hope for the world.
Rick Warren author of "The Purpose Driven Life"

In the many years that I have closely known the modern missionary statesman
Loren Cunningham has shown me to have a passion for the lost and also the
passion of the Holy Spirit for the Bible to be distributed, studied, and taught.
Reading this book, I have perceived this omnipresent compulsion: The word of God
"It truly conforms to history."
Dean Sherman, international dean of the Faculty of Christian Ministries of the
University of the Nations

The living Word of God allows us to know our Lord Jesus Christ.
Later we will receive the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our being,
family, society, and nation. In Korea, we received the Bible and were filled with the Spirit.
Holy. The great revival and transformation that occurred in the 20th century
they were legendary. This transformation continues to occur in Korea and in other
countries. Loren Cunningham's new book clearly teaches everyone
towns, anywhere in the world, to take the first and precise steps that
They will transform their countries. We must read this book.

Dr. KunMo Chung, president of the National Prayer Breakfast of Korea;

president of Habitat for Humanity Korea; president of the University
Myongji

God's love for the nations of the earth is reflected in the intriguing stories
truthful accounts reported by Loren. Given the apparent and incessant growth of the
 4

spiritual darkness in the world, this book brings hope and is a reminder of the
power of the Bible
Joyce Meyer, recognized author and biblical teacher

"Loren Cunningham is undoubtedly one of the leading mission leaders of

twentieth century and one of the most distinguished missionary statesmen of the Church in the century

XXI. It is not surprising that a book about the Book and its power to transform
cultures had been written by a man whose life is an imitation of that of Christ,
Living word, manifestly faced in one of its faithful servants.
Jack W. Hayford, international president of the Four Square Church; rector of
Seminary and King's College University
 5

The book that TRANSFORMS nations

 6

Other Books by Loren Cunningham

Your faith and your money: The adventure of a lifetime of faith

Are you, Lord? The adventure of hearing and obeying the voice of God

How to succeed with Jesus?: The secrets of spiritual victory

Why not the woman? A new approach to the Scriptures regarding the woman in

the mission, the ministry, and the leadership

 7

The book that TRANSFORMS nations

THE POWER OF THE BIBLE TO TRANSFORM NATIONS

LOREN CUNNIGHAM with Janice Rogers

JUCUM EDITORIAL
 8

I dedicate this book to Darlene… loving wife, good mother, and true friend.
partner. I couldn't imagine my life without her.
 9

Acknowledgments

We want to thank those who have given their time and their experience
to make this book a reality. First of all, thank you very much to
Pacheco Pyle, who set out to write the first draft and dedicated a lot of
hours to the investigation. Thanks to Marit Newton, Warren Walsh, and other workers of
JUCUM Editorial for exceeding far beyond what their obligation required.
We are also grateful to others who helped draft stories and data and
they made this manuscript legible, among them Peter Adams, Larry Allen, Paul Allen,
Al Akimoff, Rev. Dr. E. H Jim Ammerman, Tom Bloomer, Gail Boemhker, Terry
Bragg, Ryan David, Carol Dowsett, Bill Efinger, Katherine Erwing, Herbert Ford,
George Foster, Jeff Fountain, Dawn Gauslin, Lynn Green, Phyllis Griswold,
Thomas Grunder, Keith and Marilynn Hamilton, Debbie Hicks, Olivia Jackson, Todd
Johnson, Warren and Gayle Keapproth, Emele Kila, Young Sook Luce, April Otis
MacCallum, Alv Magnus, Vishal y Ruth Mangalwadi, Colleen Milstein, Bod Moffitt,
Kalafi Moala, Oliver Olson, Lisa Orvis, Colin Pettit, Winkie Pratney, Pari y Diane
Ricard, Bráulia Ribeiro, Ricardo Rodríguez, Jeff Rogers, Jim Rogers, Ed Sherman,
Debbi Smith, Ronald Smith, Jim Stier, and Tom Wheaton.
 10

Index

Prefacio 12

Part 1: We can win it all or lose it all

The loss and the finding of Book 15

2. What will it require? 20

3. The tide can be turned 26

4. Revival or transformation? 33
5. Dare to imagine 40

Part 2: Transformation Profiles

6. A true builder of nations: William Carey, India 46

7. A man you should know: Abraham Kuyper, Netherlands 52
8. Ski with Bibles: Hans Nielsen Hauge, Norway 59
9. The "miraculous" success of a country, South Korea 66
10. Revolution in a tiny country, Pitcairn 73
11. The greatest revolution of all time: Martin Luther, Germany 77
12. The Key to Wealth, Germany (cont.) 82
13. John Calvin and the most foul city in Europe, Geneva 87
14. The laying of the foundations of freedom, Geneva (cont.) 91

Part 3: Transformative Truths from the Book of God

15. The key: Who is God? 100

16. What you believe about God matters 105
17. Essential truths about us 113
18. The truth exists and it is possible to know it.
19. We are responsible for living according to the truth 125
20. Why are nations rich or poor? 130
 11

Part 4: Are there exceptions to the rule?

21. Japan: Partial obedience, partial blessing 138

22. The Great Transformation of Japan 145
23. Africa: Great Challenges, Great Hopes 149
24. Latin America: Delayed Hope 157
25. Winds of the Spirit in Latin America 162

Part 5: Let us take the Book of God to the whole world

26. Set your gaze on the world 167

27. The distribution of Bibles 172
28. At the forefront 177
29. Let's evangelize the 7 percent 184

Part 6: Let us keep our eyes on the Lord

30. The Spirit and the Word 194

31. Jesus, the living Word 201

A parable for the nations

The parable of John 208

Notes 215
 12

Preface

I must admit that I do not consider myself a scholar. I have several academic degrees.
like the bachelor's degree and the diploma from the University of Southern California; for
So, I am not an ignorant man. But I know some people who have...
dedicated to research and study, whom I greatly admire. Among
These experts know pious men and women who have analyzed with
depth some specific topics or countries, combining their knowledge
with an admirable devotion to the word of God
Nevertheless, I enjoy an advantageous perspective to talk about nations.
and the issues that they must face. Since my call to the ministry at the age
Since I was thirteen years old, I have been interested in the whole world. As an adult, I have traveled.

continuously, sometimes to thirty or forty countries a year. I have visited all the
countries of the earth – a rare privilege perhaps shared with a dozen of
people-. Traveling, I have been able to observe the countries and the changes that occur in them.

they have produced. This book deals with the observation of the processes that each
nation of the earth, perceived throughout my life and my vital concern for
to know the word of God for the nations. My advantageous point of observation
it has not been deep – it is perhaps a kilometer wide and a centimeter of
depth - if preferred, I can offer you broad strokes as a vision
panoramic. In many chapters from the book we only touch on issues that
would require a much more thorough treatment I hope this book starts the
debate. I trust it will open your appetite to initiate a deeper investigation
about why some countries emerge and others fall into despair.
I certainly believe that it is possible to improve the quality of life in the world.
God has given us the keys to solve every problem we must face.
in the 21st century - problems present in both developed and
those that are in developing countries. Everything, everywhere, can be
change.
I have dedicated my life to this purpose. Along the way, I have had the honor
to work with millions of young people who have shared the same goal. I wrote
 13

this book remembering in prayer that you can also participate in this
effort. The body of Christ has the answer to the most serious problems
of the world. We have the answers within the covers of a Book that many
we have known each other since we were children. We can glimpse a change
For the nations. If we sow the Bible in many lives, we will achieve a new
"cosmovision" for nations, a transformation of their mentality, of their
values and their behavior.
By reading this book, you will search for the fundamental biblical ideas to renew.
to the nations. Also look for the methods, especially the methodology of
story. God Himself began with a story in the book of Genesis, and 70 percent
From the Bible is narration. These stories envelop the truth of a context.
emotional, and this is what causes the impact. The stories of God are eternal,
while ours express the relevance of truth today.
May God wish that the stories of the change agents, narrated below,
They are encouraged to use the Bible to transform nations.
 14

Part 1
We can win it all or lose it all
 15

Chapter 1

The loss and the discovery of the Book

Many years ago, in a dusty market of a town located in

on the eastern slopes of the Himalayas, a missionary preached: 'This is the Book of
"God," he said, raising his Bible. Then he spoke about the message it contained. When
he finished his speech the people dispersed. Then a man approached him.
dressed in handwoven clothing typical of the Himalayan heights, and he
asked if it was really the Book of God.
Yes, it is the Book of God, useful for addressing all aspects of life.
the missionary responded.
The villager then asked him:
-May I tell you the story of our tribe? -And right after that
he began to tell the story that his great-grandfather had told his grandfather, and this one to

his father. His tribe came from a territory located to the west of the great
mountains.
We were always guided by the Book of God. But our ancestors
they were expelled from their lands - the villager continued, recounting the details
from that dangerous journey to the east, through the mountains-. When
We were advancing through the canyons when our people were caught by a
storm and lost the Book. And as a result of this loss, her tribe did not know
how to live in the present. They had been waiting to find that Book for
many generations.
Two weeks ago, an elderly woman from our tribe had a dream,
He dreamed that a foreigner had arrived displaying the Book before the people and said that
if the elders sent an emissary on this same day, they could find the
foreigner. They sent me –he concluded by saying-. Could you bring the Book of
God to my tribe so that we can learn to live again?
A missionary sent to the Himalayas reported this remarkable experience in the
church that my father pastored when I was a teenager. Years have passed
 16

many years - I no longer remember the name of that missionary - but I never
I will forget this story. When he spoke, I pictured that tribe.
struggling to advance, crossing the Himalayas. I saw them
tiredly leaning against the biting wind, blinded by the blizzard of
snow. I imagined her joy at discovering a valley of refuge, and losing her only
copy of the Deed. What a tragedy!
Sadly, the tragedy of the loss of the Book of God, and the forgetfulness of its
instructions on how to live have occurred in many towns throughout the
history.

Down the slope of madness

The Bible tells the story of another people who lost the Book and fell into despair.

in the darkness. This account is found in the Old Testament. During the
During the reign of Manasseh, the kingdom of Judah turned away from the living God.1The town
contaminated the land with witchcraft and sorcery. They filled the country (and the temple of God)
of pagan altars, engraved images, and poles of the goddess Asherah. They consulted with
sorcerers and spiritists instead of seeking God. King Manasseh established the worship
to the idols in the temple of God2and put prostitutes to satisfy the appetite of
3
his clients. People adored the idol Moloc warming his stone image
to the bright red and placing their newborns upon it to immolate them.4The king
5
Manasseh also burned his sons as an offering to Molech. In fact, this king
he shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from one end to the other. 6
Amon, the son of Manasseh, was then enthroned, but he was so wicked that
his own officials assassinated him two years after coming to power. Then7
the people wanted to take revenge and massacred those who had conspired against Amon.
in the midst of this slaughter, an eight-year-old boy, Josiah, was named successor of
his father. Can you imagine a situation more difficult than the one he had to face?
confront that boy?
Surprisingly, in that atmosphere of conspiracy, betrayal, and danger, the
young infant did not fall down the wicked paths of his father. Instead of8
Hello, Josías began to seek God.
 17

The uncovering of a long-lost treasure

When he was twenty-six years old, Josiah commissioned some experts to

reconstruction of God's temple. One day, amid the dust and rubble
from such a serious restoration project, the priest Hilkiah found something wrapped
in a skin. Upon unwrapping the protective cover, he discovered some pages
yellowish, carefully marked. The heart began to beat strongly for him.
to know what I had in hand: they were rolls long forgotten, the word
abandoned by God and completely lost.
The priest hurried to the secretary Shaphan, bringing the ancient
manuscripts on his arms.
9
I have found the Book of the Law! exclaimed Jilquías.
Shaphan presented the damaged scrolls directly to King Josiah.
announcing the discovery of the priest Hilkiah. At the king's request, Shaphan began
to read the Scriptures aloud. As Josiah listened attentively, he felt
that the guilt for his sins and those of his people pierced his heart. He cried out
repentant and begged God for forgiveness for himself and for his people. He promised

obey the Lord in everything, just as it was specified in those scrolls. Then
he summoned all the people, "from the greatest to the least" and read to them
out loud all the word of God.10
In this way, a great revival and a great transformation began.
that reformed the entire country. The people rediscovered their covenant with God contained
in 'the Book' and trusted in the blessings that would follow if they respected their
contract with God. Thus they understood how much misfortune it had cost them their
loss. The pain of this discovery touched them all and they followed the king
Josiah in tears and repentance, begging God to forgive them and that
heal your country.
Then Josiah ordered the people to turn away from evil throughout the nation.
Order the king destroyed the pagan sanctuaries and abandoned their wickedness.
customs, they expelled the prostitutes from the temple and destroyed the places
where they had sacrificed their newborns. Josiah ordered the people to make
 18

shattered all the idols, the Asherah poles and the engraved images,
burning them to scatter the ashes.11
In every possible way, Josiah changed his heart to obey the
12
precepts of the Sacred Scripture and guided his people to do the same.
Unfortunately, the kings who succeeded him brought terrible times. But,
thanks to that event, today we can learn from King Josiah and his people and
promote the health and restoration we need in our country.

The Book that Transforms Nations

Whether in ancient Israel, in the distant Himalayas, or in our own

Nation, there are many ways to 'lose the book' that contains the word of God.
The consequences are always tragic. But when a nation finds itself...
new the Book of God, blessings return. The record of history shows that:
whenever a significant group of people has the Bible and practices its
teachings, their nation experiences a beneficial transformation. This book
unfold this great idea, which we will explore in more detail in the chapters
following.

A double-edged sword

It is wonderful to know that there is hope for our nations if they embrace
the Bible and put its truths into practice. However, before entering into the
topic about how good it is to have the Bible, we must seriously consider the
another side of this premise, which is true in any country where we
we find: Whenever a significant group of people leaves the Bible
and stops practicing their teachings, their nation begins to be destroyed.
We must foresee that the blessings we enjoy thanks to the Bible.
They are not a permanent inheritance. Our choices determine what they are.
whether we retain or not. Many believers are, at least in some way,
aware that Western civilization had biblical foundations. But
 19

Many people overlook how close we are today to losing the blessings that these
foundations provided us.
It is necessary to ask some difficult questions about this: Have we
gone too far in the process of de-Christianization in the West?
Are we about to lose the leadership and lifestyle we hoped for?
reach? If we reject the source of our blessings, for how long
Will we be able to enjoy freedom, security, creativity, and material prosperity? I
I believe there is a serious reason for concern and also for hope.
which we will examine in the next chapter.
 20

Chapter 2

What will it require?

China is becoming the new world power while

The West is in danger of plunging down the slope of decadence.
This fact impressed me again while I was having a conversation.
with a Chinese reporter. Thousands of people from many countries had gathered.
gathered in Gisborne, New Zealand, to welcome the new millennium. Many
international representatives of the media were present
among the crowd that had gathered that day at the beaches of Gisborne, in the
penumbra of dawn, because this city located on the edge of the meridian 180 E,
it marks the new day for everyone. And, of course, this was the first one
city that would witness the dawn of the new millennium. I had traveled there to
to gather with a group of believers and welcome the year 2000 in praise and worship
At that historic moment, I had a conversation with the reporter of one
of the Chinese newspapers with the highest circulation.

China can become the new power of this century - I said.

The man looked at me in surprise. China will be the new world leader in three or four
generations if two conditions are met...
After presenting the two conditions, the reporter reflected a look.
thoughtful and a little hopeful. I, on the other hand, showed awareness of the
precarious situation in which my own country, the United States of North
America. What are the two conditions that must be met for China
Did I become the world's leading power?
The first: China will be the world's leading power if its people continue
becoming followers of the Lord Jesus Christ at the same current rate of
growth and if they base their lives on the Bible.

An amazing growth

To understand what is happening in China, we must remember a

little of his past. For several decades, communist policy had reduced the
 21

practice of traditional Chinese religions: Taoism and Buddhism. This was

especially true among its leaders and change agents. The resulting void
God led to an astonishing growth of the Christian Church, as, despite the
years of communist effort, the Chinese resisted believing that life
spiritual dimension. The house churches - known as 'underground church' -
are experiencing the greatest growth in the world. Some
Experts claim that the Chinese Church is growing at the surprising rate of 3 to 4 percent.
annual hundred,1which results in an estimated total of more than 110 million
Christians, that is, 8.5 percent of the population.2
It's hard to digest figures of such magnitude. But, think about it! If these
believers would form a country, they would be the eleventh most populous nation in the

earth.3
The word of God is taking root quickly in the life of the people.
Chinese. It is interesting that many of the converts to Christianity are
those young people to whom throughout their lives it was taught that God does not exist.
Despite the communist persecution that spans from the loss of
job opportunities up to the loss of freedom, and even of life, millions
Chinese people are converting to Christ. They are discovering God and His Book.
According to David Aikman, former director of the Time office in Beijing and veteran

observer in the country, "China is becoming a Christian nation. I believe

that China will be between 20 and 30 percent Christian in the next twenty years
years.4
A secret graduation

I recently witnessed this growth at a believers' meeting.

in the back room of an old factory in the suburbs of a large Chinese city.
Black plastics covered the windows. Friends with mobile phones were
positioned on all the streets leading to the meeting place to warn us if
the police were approaching. Despite all precautions, there was so much danger
that the congregation sang hymns in hushed voices.
I had to preach at the graduation ceremony of one of the
secret seminars that exist in China. I did not feel worthy of being the first
 22

speaker of the ceremony. Many of those young people had suffered

persecution due to their conversion to Christianity and some had been
incarcerated. Twelve of their students were martyrs. Nevertheless, upon hearing their
worship in a low voice but fervent, I was infected by their good spirits. They were

intrepid, brave, and willing to move forward in their ministries at any

price. The young people I saw that day are just a tiny part of a
a movement that is captivating church historians and causing fear
in the hearts of some Chinese leaders. If the5 Chinese continue to put their
hope in the God of the Bible and obeying His Word, their nation will prosper and
soon he will arrive to lead the world.
The second: For China to become the leading world power,
it will be fulfilled if Western countries continue to turn their backs on the Bible at this pace

The leadership of the United States and other Western countries is

stumbling.

Is the United States a developing country?

The economist Michael Schluter –co-author of Factor R– recently made this

same question to a group of JUCUM leaders. Dr. Schluter, father of the
Foundation for Relationships also played an important role in the effort
reconciliation carried out in South Africa after the end of apartheid.
When Dr. Schluter posed this question, we were a bit
unprepared. He explained to us that surely God judges a nation, not by its
income per capita but by their obedience to Scripture - particularly to the
great commandments of love for God and neighbor-. If 6healthy relationships
they were the norm by which the progress of a nation is judged and not by income per
per capita or gross domestic product, the United States would occupy a position
much lower in the development of nations.
Let's examine the facts: The United States has one of the rates of
divorce rates among the highest in the world – 43 percent of marriages end in divorce.
7
separation or divorce in the first fifteen years. The U.S. has more
 23

8
of two million prisoners - the highest rate in the world -. Alcohol addiction,
9
Drugs, gambling, and pornography are alarmingly multiplying.
Why is American society failing if more than 84%
10
One hundred of its citizens identify as Christians? The answer is
simple: although many claim to have been born again, and almost 70 percent
one hundred11attends church every Sunday, their lives do not conform to the
word of God. According to a survey conducted in the year 2002 by the Group
Barn, from Ventura, California, only 7 percent of adults of ages
aged between eighteen and thirty-five years make decisions
morals based on the Bible; among those over thirty-five, the percentage is
higher: 18 percent.12
What do Americans rely on when making decisions?
According to this survey, most people are based on 'feelings' or on what they
it is beneficial for themselves.13

Europe abandoned its heritage

The nations of Western Europe are turning their backs on God and the
Bible faster even than the United States. Europeans consider each
you see the Church and faith in God as something outdated, irrelevant and an
obstacle to progress. A recent study on long-term European values
term, and on a large scale, reveals how far its inhabitants have strayed from their heritage
christian.14Only 21 percent of Europeans say that religion is 'very
important" to them and only 15 percent attend a place of worship once a
week.15Few Europeans believe in things like heaven or sin.16
Other research reaffirms this depressing outlook. In England,
only 11 percent attend church once a month.17There's no need to be surprised.
that the divorce rates, illegitimate children, suicide, and consumption of
drugs are so high in the United Kingdom, and an alarming increase is recorded
of the violence in the cities of this country.18In Norway, half of the newborns
born are children of single mothers and it is becoming more and more common for couples
Don't get married.19In Germany, the cradle of the Reformation, only 8 percent attend the
 24

Church regularly.20Sadly, in these countries that were once

Christians respond with hostility to anything even remotely related.
21
related to the Church. On the contrary, the New Age, pagan philosophies and the
Occultism is becoming more and more popular and widespread.22
The rise of Islam in Europe corroborates what has been said. The births in the
Muslim families far exceed those who are not. For reasons that
Experts still do not fully understand, Europeans register every day
fewer births. They have a reversed birth rate - which is
insufficient to replace themselves.23On the other hand, Europe has welcomed
millions of immigrant workers, mostly from the Middle East and the north of
Africa. Muslim immigrants have, on the other hand, a high rate of
birth rate.24If this trend continues, Islam will prevail in Europe by the end of
this century.
Although Western countries fear the increase of Islam in Europe,
They appear blind to a much larger problem: the loss of their own faith. If
The West continues to deny the relevance of God, or even his existence, and
especially if he insists on abandoning the absolute truths revealed in the
Bible, its world leadership will decline sooner than we think. Our
cultures will increasingly pursue pleasure, materialism, irresponsibility,
dishonesty, corruption, and violence. We would end up mired in poverty.
The same as Judah during the reign of King Manasseh, North America and the
the rest of the West will crumble. And if the Chinese Church continues to experience
with such phenomenal growth, that country will become the new world leader in
three or four generations.
However, I believe that the West does not necessarily have to
to decline. We see that both China and the West –and any nation in the world-
they can be elevated to reach the potential that God has prepared for everyone
them. Both in the West and in China God has planted that potential to
to live in peace under the guidance of the same God. In this perspective, we can glimpse
that our countries will take a turn and that our foundations of life will be
restored because they rest upon a book: the Book of God.
 25

If we place our hope in God and in the power of the Holy Spirit,
we will begin to disciple the nations and teach them everything he has given us
revealed in this Book. Thus we will see the nations change their course. Will we
Do we dare to believe and act?
 26

Chapter 3

The tide can be reversed

Is it possible to transform a community, a city, a country?
Jesus always believed it would happen. He entrusted us to pray for his coming.
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.1He/She sent us to
to disciple all nations and teach them to do everything that he commanded us.2
If it were not possible for the will of God to be done on earth and that the
nations learned to obey God’s commandments, will it have us
Did Jesus command to do these things? No. He is just and loving. He would not ask us
something impossible. Obviously, he did not mean for us to stay seated and that
we would accept the current state of affairs.
Some argue that it is impossible to stop evil on earth claiming that
The times will gradually worsen until the return of the Lord. Although
I admit that evil is certainly increasing, Jesus was not fatalistic nor am I.
Neither. It is possible to be a witness to the restoration of our own country. The Bible
It affirms that where sin increased, grace overflowed.3The Lord does not want
that we succumb to a growing evil.
Do you believe that the future can be better? Note that the mandate of Jesus
to disciple and teach all nations is accompanied by two very good
reasons for hope: he declares that he has all authority and promises to be
with us. Jesus assures:

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore,
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them

to obey all that I have commanded you. And I assure you

that I will be with you always, until the end of the world.
(Matt. 28:18-20, author's italics)
 27

He does not leave us alone to change the nations. He does not expect that

let's go with our own strength. He, who is the Alpha and the Omega, us
invites to collaborate with him under his authority.

By reading the Bible, we gain confidence. We discover that God created all the
things and holds them, both the visible and the invisible.4Jesus is not here.
comfortably seated on his throne, indifferent to the state in which he finds the
world. It remains active, using its power and authority to reconcile the
nations and the peoples with him.5And he asks us to join him in this venture -
the greatest battle in history.6

Let's live in reality

If we yield to despair or apathy, we cannot live according to the

reality. We must first consider who we are in Christ to strengthen
our will.
I have asked in many congregations, all over the world: "How many
"Are you saved?" - and the auditoriums are adorned with raised hands. Then
I have asked them: 'How many of you are perfect?' and none raise their hand.
hand. And I've asked again: "How many are today much better than they were"
"before being born again?" and all the hands go up again
God can transform nations in the same way He can change
our life. The apostle John declared: "He who is in you is more powerful
than the one who is in the world.7The apostle Paul said that Christ is above all.
power and authority.8If we look at the world in light of these truths, we will realize
count that sin and brokenness do not have to overcome us. We must
to rise and do everything possible so that it is not so.

The world doesn't have to be so evil

Some may say that I am not realistic and that I promote a certain kind of
utopia. No. There will be no perfect nation until Jesus returns and establishes the
New Jerusalem. But the world doesn't have to be so evil. Sin
It can become increasingly intense, but the light always shines brighter. The Bible
 28

It asserts that darkness will never extinguish the light.9Jesus said that he is the light of
world and that his disciples are also.10

An island full of believers

I get very excited when I visit places where the town of light
surpasses that of the darkness. One of those places on the island of Atafu,
belonging to the Tokelau archipelago. We arrived there aboard one of the
Marine Reach boats from YWAM.11We visited several countries in the central Pacific,
we evangelize with simple puppet shows, we teach people and
we offered medical assistance. When we arrived in Atafu, we discovered that
practically the entire population of this island of 275 inhabitants had delivered their
life to Jesus. When the people found out that we were also
believers, they welcomed us warmly and offered us a warm reception.
We set up the puppet show at the outdoor market, and soon it
gathered a good group of people. While the puppets moved and
They represented a simple evangelical message, I focused on the audience. The
Adults laughed uproariously, just like the children. I sighed and reflected.
the scene. What a wonderful atmosphere, free of stress!
Later, the pastor of the only church on the island visited me privately and I
he shared his troubles. He was worried because one of the men was fermenting.
coconut milk to obtain an alcoholic drink and would get drunk
occasionally. The pastor also told me that some people lied about
once in a while. I encouraged him, but I couldn't stop thinking about the serious ones.

problems that many pastors have in other parts of the world. How good
these were the main problems of Atafu!
We appreciate a huge contrast upon arriving at the next island of the archipelago.
after sailing through the night. We immediately discovered that this neighboring island
Christian era only in name. Although we were given a warm welcome, but
we noticed that the islanders didn't really want us there. They felt nervous and
they were uncomfortable and seemed to boil with resentment. Sadly, we learned that
 29

a rape had just occurred on the island, something unheard of on the nearby island of
Atafu.

Of drawers and beds

How can we make the light shine in our communities?

What does it look like on the island of Atafu? How will we see the light shining?
about the darkness in the whole world? This will only be possible when we are
fully committed. Jesus said that we are the light of the world, but
we must not remain passive about this. In Mark 4:21, he set the example
to light a lamp to put it under a drawer or under the bed.
What did I want to communicate with this example? The drawer symbolizes material provision. If

We only live to meet our needs and those of our families.

putting the lamp under a drawer. We will be living for materialism
without allowing our light to shine. Jesus also said not to put the
lamp under the bed. The bed symbolizes a comfortable life. If we only live
to feel comfortable and we try to avoid any awkward situation we will be
hiding the light of Christ.
The Lord wants His light to shine throughout the world in such a way
those who live in areas of great darkness can see it.12This only
It will happen how we can bring his light to the world. What does Jesus himself say?

Not only salvation but discipleship

To transform nations, one must first guide the people to

to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Jesus entrusted us in Mark 16:
15 that we should go to the whole world and preach the good news. This is the
starting point. However, more than one billion five hundred million people from
people are still waiting for us to hear the message of Christ. Let's put it another way
In this way, a quarter of the world has never heard the gospel.13We must take them
the light. If we give those people the opportunity to respond to the good news,
they can be transferred from what Paul calls the domain of darkness to the kingdom
of the light.14This is what it means to "be saved." It is a change of citizenship.
 30

But even if we guided people to do this - even if we gave each

individual on earth the opportunity to respond to the gospel-, this would not be
sufficient. Salvation is only half of 'the Great Commission.' Jesus us
He also commissioned the other half –the discipleship-. This can be found in Matthew.
28:19-20. Here it told us that we should make disciples, and not only referring to
the individuals (as emphasized in Matthew 16:15), but referring to all the
nations (as Matthew 28:19-20 states).

Make disciples
Go and make disciples...
What does it mean to make disciples? Discipleship is a process that consists of
to guide the person towards a transformation according to the model of the Bible. Paul
Romans 12:2 says that this transformation leads to a new mind - to a
new mindset or way of thinking-. Transformed thinking is obtained
When a person submits to God, they listen to Him and assimilate His Word.
To disciple others, one must follow the method of Jesus - a model.
classic for all teachers. First, Jesus did things before his
disciples. Then he taught them the meaning of what he had done. After that he gave them
the opportunity to act, correcting them in a timely manner. Finally, he sent them to
that they would perform themselves. Later they would return and report on the
results.15This is the process of discipleship.
In the upcoming chapters, we will see many examples of how it transitions from

to disciple individuals to disciple nations. In summary, it begins

discipling people, as Jesus did. When they are transformed
and apply the truth of God to all areas of their life, in any field.
the social environment in which they live and work will begin to affect other people, who,
at the same time, they will affect many more. There will come a time when there will be enough

transformed people -even if they are a minority, but influential- who will influence
to change the whole country. Jesus referred to the example of the yeast to explain
this process: a small leavened piece affects the entire dough.16It's like a
virus.
 31

All nations

Make disciples of all nations...

Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. All of them, without exception.

exception. He told us to go to the easy places or where it was legal to do so.

conversos. He sent us to all places. We must not avoid any country.
because it is difficult, or great, or dangerous, or filled with hopelessness, or 'strange', or

distant or near. The gospel and the blessings that accompany it are for all
the nations. John Wesley once said: 'I consider the whole world as
my parish.17It is necessary that we broaden our thinking to include
to the whole earth and see it as God sees it – every human being and every country that exists in

They are precious to him.

Baptizing them...

Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...

Later we will see the importance of the three persons of God in

As for the discipleship of the nations. But, what can be said regarding the
mandate of Jesus to baptize? Someone will ask: How can one be baptized?
nation? Of course, you cannot baptize a nation in the same way as a
individual. So, what did Jesus mean?
If many individuals are baptized and the Word and the person are presented to them
from Jesus, the living Word, a minority of believers capable of rising up will emerge
to transform their country. In this way, entire nations can be baptized
through immersion and resurrecting a biblical worldview, which will bring about changes in
each sector of society.

Teaching them…

Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...

Jesus also commanded us to teach all nations, and he gave us the
program: "everything I have commanded you." This is our program -
The whole Bible is our textbook for teaching the nations.
Note that it is not merely mental knowledge that we need to emphasize.
 32

Jesus said to teach the nations to obey. This is a task

immense, but it is not beyond our possibilities since we can do
anything and everything that Jesus asks of us, as long as He grants us the strength
necessary.18
Jesus himself embodied all the Word for us. He came to the earth.
to show us what truth looks like in real life. He commanded us to
we would teach others promising that he would be with us. He even summed up
the message that we must communicate. He said that the commandments are more

important are: to love the Lord our God with all your heart, with all the
soul, with all the mind and with all the strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself

same.19This is, in short, our message, the principles that we have

to teach the nations.
However, cold and impersonal principles, no matter how good
Sean, they will never transform people or nations. The kingdom of God, in
Change extends when a pact is made to live according to its principles.
We experience the kingdom of God when we abandon all rebellion against Him and
we receive his forgiveness through faith in his Son. Thus we are born to true life.
His Holy Spirit can then fill our life and make His Word be
vivifying. Then we began to discover who the living Word is within
the written Word. Jesus acts to make his principles part of
our character. Our character, expressed in words and actions, becomes
the yeast of society, wherever we find ourselves and influences justice.
This is how the kingdom of God comes to this world and His will is fulfilled in the
earth as in heaven.
 33

Chapter 4

Revival or transformation?

These days, there is talk about the need for revival in our
half. But this is not enough. Nations need transformation. What
What is the difference?

In the revival, many people experience the power of God. Thousands

They come to know Jesus the Savior, -sometimes- most of them in a community. The
people abandon sinful habits, and manifestations often occur
from the supernatural power of God: the sick are healed and signs and wonders occur.
It is a very exciting time, a time when people can hardly sleep.
not eating because of the enthusiasm that comes from seeing what God is doing, or
because of the expectation of what is proposed to be done next.

Scholars of the history of the Church can point to many cases of

revival. To give some examples, the revival reached England in the
the days of George Whitefield and the Wesley brothers, and to America, in the times of
Jonathan Edwards and later with the preaching of Charles Finney. More
Recently, a revival took place in Wales in the early 20th century.1, and
another swept the Scottish Hebrides in the 1950s.2The revival
it was reignited with the Jesus Movement, in Southern California, in the late
from the '60s' and '70s'. And in the Brownsville Assembly of God church,
in Pensacola, Florida, there was a revival that lasted over 5 years and influenced
hundreds of thousands of souls.3

As much as those times of revival are needed, if desired

to truly see lasting change, the revival must lead to the following
stage: the transformation. This happens when believers immerse themselves in the
Bible and they ask God for help while they investigate the principles that will order their
lives –the process that Paul referred to as the renewal of the mind.4This happened in Gran

Britain over two centuries ago. In the time of John Wesley, the revival
led to a transformation. And we could even say, to a revolution.
 34

Wesley and the revolution of the true workers

In all times, people tend to believe that it is their turn to live.

as long as possible - such is human nature -. But in many ways,
John Wesley and his followers had to face challenges harder than
us today.5It is not easy to conceive how impious and cruel England was to
mid-eighteenth century. Thousands of people flocked to the cities in the era of
the industrial revolution, in search of a better life. But they ended up being like
human grain ready for milling. It was a time of great darkness.

They turned a deaf ear.

No one advocated for the men, women, and children who worked long and
dangerous hours in inhumane conditions in mines and factories, earning
despicable wages. Hunger weighed heavily. Thousands of people fell prey to
alcoholism, trying to find an escape route from the daily horrors. The
the weak and the young were victims of tuberculosis, diphtheria, cholera, and a
multitude of diseases incubated in overcrowded and overflowing neighborhoods
latrines.
The children of the poor did not attend school. From a young age
they had to work in mines or factories, often twelve-hour days.
In textile factories, children worked as patchers and cleaners, tying
broken thread cables in machines in operation and were being dragged beneath
of moving parts to collect loose cotton. Some were left without leather.
hairy when their hair gets tangled; others suffered crushing of hands; others
they fell on the machines and died. In the match factories, the little ones
they died from breathing phosphorus; when they survived, the phosphorus corroded their teeth.
Inside the mines, the children dragged coal carts or loaded
considerable weights of mineral on their backs. The owners of the
mines could have used horses or mules, but the substitution of animals from
loading proved to be too costly due to frequent collapses. From
 35

a method they used for small children, who could fit into corners
too narrow for adults.
Despite the cruelty in the treatment, the Church turned a deaf ear to the cry of
the poor. The established churches became comfortable rest centers
for the wealthy, whose theology, dominated by deism, conceived of the
Creator as an “uninterested watchmaker” in the everyday affairs of the
men. This belief, reinforced by a fatalistic form of Calvinism, granted
scant incentive for someone to dare to challenge the contemporary
state of things.6
A strange warmth in the heart

Thank God, the Lord prepared a change agent for the nation.
John Wesley was an ordained minister in the Anglican Church, but things did not
they got along well. He always tried to act correctly. While he and his brother
Carlos studied at Oxford and was part of a group that came to be called 'the
Club Santo. His disciplined prayer and Bible reading attracted scorn from
his classmates, who gave them the nickname of
Methodists.
Despite all his efforts, Wesley was filled with doubts and insecurity.
of his own salvation. He failed as a missionary when he went to the colony
American from Georgia. He returned to his country defeated and was about to
abandon the ministry. But something happened that profoundly transformed him.
On May 24, 1738, while attending a study in London
Aldersgate district, heard a preaching from the Moravians about the preface
from Luther to the book of Romans. Wesley later recorded the experience that
he changed his life in his diary:
At a quarter to nine, while (the speaker) was describing the
change that God makes in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt
a strange warmth in mine. I felt I trusted in Christ, in Christ alone,
for my salvation; and I was granted the assurance that he had carried
my sins, precisely mine, and had saved me from the law of
sin and death.7
 36

This changed everything. The love of God flooded Wesley, and he knew that his
sins had truly been forgiven. Immediately, he set about extending
the good news to others.
John and his brothers Charles, a hymn composer, believed they could
reform the Church of England. However, the stagnant churches
Conservatives did not receive their preachings and emotional songs well.
The brothers were literally expelled from one church after another. Therefore,
the Wesleys took their message outdoors. This method, surprisingly for
At the time, I was employed by George Whitefield, an old friend of the Club.
Saint of Oxford. The Wesleys and Whitefield preached to the poor and ignited
a fire that would become one of the largest social movements and
radicals of all time.

The foundational blocks of the Reform

Although some of John’s converts came from the upper classes,

It was the desperate who flocked in masses to listen. Thousands and thousands of
dirty, poor, and illiterate workers heard the gospel and found
hope.
Before long, the Wesley brothers found themselves busy trying
to disciple the new converts. No church welcomed the
disheveled brothers in faith, for which John formed small groups that
they gathered weekly to teach them to apply biblical principles to the
daily life John traveled continuously on horseback - he covered about 400,000
kilometers throughout his life – preaching to the pagans, organizing the
converts in small discipleship groups and forming lay leaders. In total
prepared ten thousand small group leaders.8Those small groups, to which
called 'classes', constituted the foundational blocks of a reform. In them,
the new believers were discipled and refined, they learned to account, to be
responsible, honest, compassionate, leaders, and also the value of teamwork
for common causes.
 37

The prevention of a bloodbath

In 1798, the Methodists, as they were called, numbered 100,000.

adepts.9They believed that God had called them, as John Wesley said, 'to
reforming the nation, specifically the Church, and extending biblical holiness through
the entire territory. 10 It was not enough to save the souls of men; it was also
They needed to transform their bodies, their minds, and those around them.11
Thanks to this conviction, John Wesley's ministry in Great Britain
it went much further than evangelization. John inaugurated a medical dispensary,
a library, a free school, and a shelter for widows. He fought against slavery
before the famous champion who would raise the flag against her was born,
William Wilberforce. Wesley embraced the causes of civil and religious freedom and
it awakened the nation's consciousness to the evil of the exploitation of the poor.
He established looms and sewing workshops and he himself studied medicine in order to
help the needy.12
Wesley's ministry also led to the recognition of rights.
of workers and workplace safety. The former British prime minister
David Lloyd George once said that for more than a century the Methodists
they were the main leaders of the labor movement.13
An example of the pious reformers who believed in the Bible was the
merchant Samuel Plimsoll. He believed it was wrong for the merchants
they will overload their ships and then shrug their shoulders when the
ships were sinking and everyone on board was drowning, only worrying about
to have good insurance policies to claim and recover their losses. To
to combat this deception, Plimsoll invented a symbol: a line on the ship that
it will indicate a safe load level. This invention, also called the mark of
Plimsoll has saved thousands of lives over the years.14
Another Christian, Robert Raikes, conceived the idea that schools
Sundays would provide working children the opportunity to receive
instruction.15Others, impressed by Wesley's revival, worked for the
reform of orphanages, mental asylums, hospitals, and prisons. Florence
 38

Nightingale and Elizabeth Fry were two famous reformers who developed the
nursing profession and reformed the prisons.16
The legacy of John Wesley also includes the emancipation of women. The
Wesley's Methodist movement treated women as equals in the spiritual realm.
People of faith like Josephine Butler, Susan B. Anthony, and Charles Finney followed
Wesley's steps defended the right of women to receive education or to
pursue higher education and set professional goals, including ministry.17
The early Methodists William and Catherine Booth also inherited the legacy.
from Wesley, inspired thousands of women into ministry through the Army of
Salvation and they awakened once again to the Church to the reality of the poor outside.
of the temples.
All these reforms took place in England at a time when
the elite of the country watched in fear the French Revolution of 1789-99, which
resulted in a bloodbath, slaughter of nobles, priests, and others. Maybe
something similar happened in England! It could have happened, but according to the historian
J. Wesley Bready, the renewal movement led by the Wesleyans
prevented.18The revival that originated a transformation started political changes,
significant economic and social factors, mitigated injustice and poverty, and uplifted
thousands of people to a stronger middle class.

Optimism and sense of calling

The Wesleyan renewal movement not only shook Great Britain.

It spread to other European countries and North America. The followers of
John Wesley traveled as missionaries to the emerging nation of the United States.
As soon as the border settlements were developed across the continent
Methodist preachers arrived, traveling through the territory mounted.
on horseback. They arrived with a Bible in hand and other books in their bags, ready
to preach and establish churches. After a short time, almost all the communities
settled at crossroads had a Methodist group operating. The message of the
free will and the grace of God of the Methodists shaped the States
United, it produced optimism and a sense of divine calling.
 39

Wesley did not live long enough to see all the reforms that
they unleashed their efforts to disciple their country. But it would be difficult to imagine
the current world if it had not been for the thousands of people in small groups
studying the Bible and applying it to their lives. It all started when a man
felt a strange heat in his heart, obeyed God and His Word and taught his
country to live according to the will of God. He wishes to do it again.

Chapter 5

Dare to imagine
 40

What would happen if the tide reversed in your country? What would it look like?
your country if more and more people applied the truths of the Scripture to their
lives?
It can be hard to imagine a country where the majority respects the
wise purposes of God for His creation. It is a little easier for me.
imagine this to the young people.
I grew up in Los Angeles, in a racially mixed neighborhood, where leaving
the doors opened at night posed no danger. As a child, I roamed
the city by bike and my parents didn't worry. There was no talk of drugs
like marijuana, heroin, or cocaine, at school; only a few
young people smoked tobacco or drank alcohol. People thought that sex
belonged to the realm of a married man and woman. If a single woman
she became pregnant with her partner, they both got married or gave the baby up

adoption. There was no talk of sexual perversion; many Americans never

they had heard of her. Almost all marriages lasted until 'until the
"death shall separate us." It was rare for a young person not to live with both parents at home.

Try to reimagine the virtues of that past time, much

better if it weren't for its difficulties and blind spots. How would it go for us if many
of our neighbors lived according to the ways of God revealed in the
Bible? Remember, this is not a retrospective look at a supposed age
golden, but forward, to what God can do in our days. Thus
well, dare to imagine:
A majority would honor God and respect each other; they would see the
life as a gift from God.
All mothers would love their unborn children, and all the
parents would provide the loving stability that their needs
children.
Racism would be rare. Reconciliation will unite all races and
ethnic groups.
We would not fear violence or theft.
 41

The gangs would disappear due to lack of followers. Instead of

they, young people would find a true community and purpose
in the body of Christ.
People would keep the streets clean. No one would make them dirty.
graffiti on the walls, the road signs or the buildings.
Most people would respect the environment and
They would practice good stewardship over God's creation.
The mistreatment of children and wives would disappear.
Divorce would be extremely rare.
Broken relationships would be restored as the
people regretted and forgave each other.
Financial scandals would not happen.
Companies would seek to surpass themselves with charitable initiatives.

Politicians, officials, and judges would be true.

public employees.
Millions of dollars would be available for public works.
because there would be little corruption, fraud, or tax evasion.
The productivity of workers would increase as the
alcohol, drugs and pornography will decline and people will work.
with objectives and purposes and being competent.
Empty prisons should be redesigned for other uses.
to be destroyed.
We would look outside, we would help others in distant places,
we would spread the gospel and cover their physical needs.
People would speak the truth in love. The obscene words and the
calumny would be the exception, not the rule.
The fury of drivers would be a peculiar phenomenon that one would
they would occupy the scholars of history.
What else could happen? What would your country look like?
Dare to dream and take a step of faith to see these things become reality.
 42

Could it be your country?

When a nation is marked by such characteristics and blessed with

prosperity and freedom, its history will be invariably marked by people
Like John Wesley, who sought God, spent time reading His Book and sought
way of discipling your country.
God is looking today for people who take His Word seriously and it
investigate, as if it were a textbook, to transform nations and influence
your generation. One of them could be you. Spending time in your presence, of
knees on His Word, it will change every sphere of your life. If you do, it will influence
those around him. And as more people do it, the entire nation
it will change. It could be yours.
Vain words directed at God do not change lives or nations. The
Possessing a Bible that is never read does not change one either. It is necessary to read it.

Bible and obeying God by the power of His Holy Spirit. Obedience to Him and to
His Word grows character. The Word of God becomes part of our
to be, the norm for our life. This is what changes a nation.

Who builds the nation?

Recently, many leaders and experts have been discussing the topic of
who is responsible for the task of building nations. Their debates fill the broadcasters,
the Internet and the publications, but I have not heard a clear answer from any of
them. So, who are the builders of nations? The armies? The
peacekeepers? The government leaders? The United Nations? The
ONGs? To answer this question, it is necessary to define the terms. In
In any case, what is a nation?
By 'nation' we usually refer to the state: the political organization or the
government. We think of borders, passports, and flags. But the Bible offers
a different perspective of the nations. In Genesis, we see how the families
they turned into tribes and then nations that separated due to differences
linguists and spread across the land. If viewed from this angle, the
 43

nations are simply families or tribes of people. They share heritage,

language, beliefs, and ways of doing things that we call "culture".
The Greek word 'ethné' in the New Testament means 'nation'...
sense of ethnic group. I believe that God sees the nations from this
perspective: ethnic groups made up of families and tribes; peoples that
They share language and culture. Nations are peoples.
To build nations, one must build communities: families, tribes, groups
ethnicities, entire countries. That is the task that Jesus entrusted to us in Matthew.

28:19. He claims that his disciples are to be builders of nations. But,

How should this be done?

Seven spheres to begin

Where to start? This is the question I asked God in 1975. I

I was worried about the direction that some countries were taking, including mine.
How can the course of a nation be changed? How can the...
foundations of morality and goodness?
That summer I spent in Colorado, on vacation with my family, in the
San Juan mountains. We stayed in a cabin that a friend lent us.
One early morning, sitting in front of the extinguished fireplace, the Lord spoke to me.

Quietly. There are seven areas of society that are like classrooms for the
discipleship of the nations. I took paper and pen to jot down ideas, well
formed, which quickly came to my understanding. I could barely take note of the
seven areas in my yellow notebook:
Family
Religion (church and mission)
Education
Leisure (arts, entertainment, sports)
Communication (media)
Economics (business and trade, science and technology)
Government
 44

How interesting! –I reflected as I slowly folded the paper and it

I kept it in my pocket. That same day, the ranger approached us.
cabin on his motorcycle, raising a small cloud of dust. "Sir
Cunningham,” he said, “has received a phone call at the guard booth.”
The call was from a married couple friends, Bill and Vonette Bright, founders of
Student Crusade for Christ; they were in Boulder and wanted to interview.
with my wife Darlene and me.
The next day, a friend offered to take my family across.
from the Rocky Mountains in his small plane, and visit Dr. Bright and his wife. I
was about to take out the paper stored in his pocket to show it to Bill, when he
He manifested: "Loren, the Lord has shown me several ways to change our
country
He took out a piece of paper and started to read. His list was virtually
identical to mine! So I showed her mine.
I knew that this was not just a word for me or for YWAM. It was for
the body of Christ. A few days later, I went to several hundred of
young people gathered in the cathedral of Hamburg, Germany, and I showed them the seven
spheres that God wanted us to influence to change the course of the nation.
A week later, Darlene heard Dr. Francis Schaeffer, founder of
the L'Abri community, in a television interview. Dr. Schaeffer presented the
the same list of spheres that believers should consider as an object of
change.
Will you not accept the fact that when God speaks to three people in
three different parts of the body of Christ with the same message, He tries
to get it to his town? What I didn't know back then is that other servants of
Gods had tried to access these same spheres for centuries, and attempting
transform their countries. In the following chapters, we will examine some of
those people. They were heroes; their lives, transcendent; authentic
nation builders.
 45

Part 2
Transformation profiles

Chapter 6
 46

A true builder of nations: William Carey

India

It is hard to imagine what William Carey perceived when he disembarked from the ship.
who transported him to India in 1793. Carey, who was a shoemaker, pastor, and linguist.
self-taught, he found many things that urgently needed to be reformed in
all areas of Hindu society. Ruth and Vishal Mangalwadi offer us a
panoramic view of what India was like at that time in his book The Legacy
of William Carey: A Model for the Transformation of a Culture, from which they have been
spiked the following grains.1
Carey arrived in India and felt stunned when contemplating the harmful
effect of the worst deception. Hinduism claimed that only a few people,
belonging to the elite of society, they could enjoy material possessions
and education. The caste system condemned the rest of the population to
perpetual slavery. The Hindus considered this to be an order of things
legitimate. The lower classes expiated sins committed in previous lives.
Hindu teachers asserted that there was no difference between them and
God. Man merely imagined that he was separated from the deity. Therefore,
everything he did was divine. This belief divorced religion from morality
making it possible for the Indians to be extremely religious while
they practiced terrible things.
When Carey arrived in India, nearly three thousand years of Hinduism had
pushed its civilization to the brink of collapse. Learning had almost
missing; common education barely existed. The "omnipresent culture of
bribery" had raised loan interest rates from 36 to 100 due to
one hundred, making the investment impossible.
Human rights were nonexistent. Women were despised.
For example, Hinduism approved of female infanticide, the marriage of
minors, polygamy, the immolation of widows in fire (suttee) and euthanasia.
The only hope left for the woman was to serve her husband well and perhaps
making merits to be reborn as a man. The lepers were buried
 47

alive or burned at the stake to ensure them a better birth in life

future. Sick babies were hung in a basket for three days, without receiving
some care, to see if they would overcome the 'evil spirit'. Every winter,
There were parents who pushed their children along the banks to the mouth.
from the Hooghly River into the sea, to drown them or be devoured by crocodiles. The
People considered mothers extraordinarily devoted for sacrificing their
children of this way to Mother Ganges.
It would have been understandable for William Carey to have taken a look.
around and decided to focus on the spiritual rescue of those individuals
that could evangelize. But it did not stop at evangelization (half of the
Great Commission of Mark 16:15). He set out to fulfill the other half (Matthew 28:19).
Carey began the monumental task of discipling India. We do not have here
space to explore all that this remarkable nation builder did. By
Hello, I recommend reading any of the excellent books by the
Mangalwadi. But let's quickly examine how William Carey caused a
It impacted each of the seven spheres mentioned above, in India.

Family

William Carey addressed the reform of the Indian family. He realized that
No country can be free if its women are oppressed. First of all,
he pressured for the killing of unwanted children to be made illegal,
obtaining the victory of 1804. More difficult was eradicating the terrible practice of
burn alive widows on their husbands' funeral pyres. But Carey managed to,
Finally, that this practice was prohibited in 1829.

Religion

Of course, Carey and her inner circle of collaborators did a lot

in the realm of religion: they built the Church of Jesus Christ on Indian soil.
They founded the Baptist churches of India, which continue today.
multiplying. Carey also founded Serampore University, where he
 48

formed the first shepherds of the country. And oversaw the translation of the Bible into
almost forty languages, so that the Indians could read it in their native language.

Education

Carey opened dozens of schools for children and women of all castes.
As we have already mentioned, he founded Serampore University, which was the first
Asian University of Liberal Arts that provided teaching in languages
vernaculars. He compiled the first Sanskrit dictionary for scholars and founded the
first lending libraries of India.

Celebration (the arts)

The tireless missionary even lent a hand to the development of the arts in
India. Carey promoted literature by translating and publishing the great classics.
nationals. Elevated Bengali, a language previously considered suitable only for the
demons and women, to the most literary language category of India. He wrote
ballads with evangelical messages in Bengali, taking advantage of the Indians' fondness
through the musical declamations and thus effectively communicate the message of
Christ.
Communication

Carey also introduced the media in India, established

the first printing press, and taught the natives how to use it, as well as how to make their own.

paper. He founded the first newspaper to be printed in an Asian language. He

I was convinced that 'above any form of truth and faith, the
Christianity favors free debate.” His newspaper, in English, published articles that
Many social reforms were promoted in India in the first half of the 19th century.

Economy

It is hard to imagine where the Indian economy would be today if Carey

I would not have introduced the idea of savings accounts and promoted interest rates.
reasonable and foreign investment. But that was not all he did to
 49

benefit of the nation's economy. As for technology, the

he introduced the steam engine in India. In medicine, he promoted a campaign
for the humanitarian treatment of lepers, demonstrating that the Bible cares
by individuals. In science, I founded the Agricultural Society of Horticulture that led
a systematic investigation in this branch of agriculture and introduced the
teaching of modern astronomy to break the Hindu tie to the
astrology. As a dedicated botanist, Carey also published the first books of
country about science and natural history. He was not like the Hinduists, who taught
that physical reality should be rejected as an illusion. On the contrary, he believed that
The Bible teaches that God looked upon all of creation and exclaimed that it was good.2

Carey remembered, 'all your works will praise you, oh Lord.'3Given that the word of
God teaches that man must exercise authority over nature,4wrote
essays that advocated for forest conservation fifty years before it
the government would do.5

Government

The most spectacular part of Carey's success was achieved in the sphere
governmental, where he encountered enormous obstacles. We must understand that
When he arrived in India, an illegal activity was being undertaken.
British East India Company, in partnership with the Crown, had
all missionary activity is prohibited. Some may believe that the reforms that
later took place in the country due to the authorities
British colonies. But they were wrong. The British occupied the country.
since the year 1600 and they had not made any reform.6
The British believed it was better to leave the religious forces as they are.
they were because it would be easier to control the colony. Before Carey and his
friends, lovers of the Bible, will enter the scene, the only thing the government did
The colony was to exploit the country; it did not care to benefit the indigenous people.7

It was the disciples of Jesus who insisted on these matters.

believers in Great Britain, like William Wilberforce in parliament,
they united Carey to advocate for the cause of India. Ultimately, they awakened the
 50

awareness of the English for them to adopt a more 'public administration'

effective in the colony and undertake the necessary reforms.8
One of the great battles that Carey will fight throughout his life still has not
has been defeated. The caste system is still in place and keeps several
hundreds of millions in the deepest poverty and with no way out.
Recently, the powerful of the world have looked favorably upon the
economic growth of India – the rise of the private sector, the flourishing of
new buildings and businesses, and even a modest growth of the middle class.
But these leaders seem blind to the fact that more than 160 million Indians
are being excluded from this new economy. The Dalits, formerly known as
"Untouchables" make up 17 percent of the population of India.9
The term untouchable is quite literal; without a dalit touching someone or something that

belongs to a person of a higher caste, this person must submit to a

ritual purification. Under the caste system, dalits have no hope of a
better future. The system prohibits them from engaging in any occupation, except for the most

despicable, such as the cleaning of public latrines, and the Hindu custom
forbids dalit children from attending school. The dalits live their miserable lives
trying to fend off hunger, they raise their children in squalid neighborhoods
marginalized people or even sleep on the sidewalks of Indian cities. Those who have
access to the new and flourishing economy of the country jump on their bodies, or them
they hurry to get to their workplaces. The struggle against the
the caste system must continue.
Despite everything, it comforts me to glimpse real changes on the horizon.
The Church in India is one of the ones experiencing the greatest growth.
world. Thousands of people decide to follow Jesus every day. Reverend Dr. J.N.
Manokaran, a scholar of the expansion of the Church in India, estimates that seventy
millions of Indians believe in Christ and worship him in 400,000 churches and groups
homemade. Three hundred thousand pastors, missionaries, and evangelists are gathering a
great harvest of souls and they strive to disciple their country. Joshua Pillai, from
Dawn Ministries reports that Indian pastors are founding about fifty thousand.
churches a year. Which means forty-one churches per day! 11The believers
 51

Indians are also spreading beyond their borders. Tens of thousands.

Indian missionaries have gone to other countries or work in other cultures, within
from his own country.12Some experts believe that, regarding workers in
The country itself, India is the second largest sender of missionaries in the world.13

Carey laid a stable foundation. However, in this vast country there is

hundreds of millions who have not yet experienced a transformation of
mentality. They continue to cling to their old habits. India needs
more building agents to carry out the work that William Carey started.
 52

Chapter 7

A man you should know: Abraham Kuyper

Netherlands

Many have heard of William Carey, but few of Abraham Kuyper,

another nation builder. I am going to present to you the Dutch preacher who arrived
to be Prime Minister of the Netherlands. He has much to teach us about
to bear faithful witness to Jesus Christ in a pluralistic society. Let us descend
to mid-19th century Europe and let's get to know this surprising game.1
In Kuyper's days, the European continent was still recovering from
great uprisings, such as the bloody French Revolution and the wars
Napoleonic. Two important ideologies emerged during that turbulent time: the
Marxism and the theological liberalism of the Romantic era. The majority of the
European universities surrendered to rationalism and humanism; the belief
that man can find the truth within himself and resolve his
problems without God. These dominant ideas also prevailed in the
seminars that trained young ministers. So that when Abraham
Kuyper decided to dedicate himself to the ministry, he had to attend a university.
Dutch where it was taught that Jesus was nothing more than a man and the Bible
a collection of myths.

He envied the faith of his parishioners

When he completed his theological training and took on his first position of

pastor, Kuyper believed little or nothing in a personal and active God. But as
As the months went by, he found himself surprised at envying people's faith.
simple from her small rural church. After a little while, one of her own
parishioners led him to Christ as his personal Savior.
Relying on his persuasive intellectual capacity and on an almost
superhuman, Kuyper immediately dedicated himself to restoring the biblical foundations
to the Dutch church. He accepted to shepherd a large congregation in Utrecht,
 53

in 1867. While serving as a full-time minister, he studied journalism and

he started writing religious and political columns for the press. He ended up working
of editor-in-chief for two publications - a weekly and a daily - for forty years.
But that was not all. He also worked as an educator and a teacher, he was an activist.
politician, member of parliament, and finally, prime minister of the Netherlands,
persevering in all those vocations, except that of prime minister, during
decades.
The discovery of the spheres

It is not surprising that Kuyper's physical strength gave way. In 1875, a

year after being elected as a member of parliament, he had to request two years of
permission in Switzerland. While Kuyper prayed and scrutinized the Scriptures, God
began to grant him a very important understanding. Just a hundred years
before the Lord spoke to me and Bill Bright about the spheres of
society showed Abraham Kuyper exactly the same. I do not know if Dr.
Bright had heard about Abraham Kuyper in 1975. I certainly had not.
Kuyper called it "sphere of sovereignty." This concept would inspire the
disciples to extend the lordship of Christ in every sphere of life
modern European nations.
When Kuyper studied the writings of John Calvin, he discovered that God
it cannot be neatly fit into the category of 'religious box', open only
On Sundays. God should be Lord of all areas of life, like the church.
I prayed every Sunday: Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Heaven. Jeremiah 27:5 declares that God made the world and everything in it, and that
He gives it to whom he pleases. God is the owner of all spheres, and all society.
he needs the teachings of Christ to counteract the wicked inclination of the
human beings to sin, and produce love and integrity.

Not a theocracy

Kuyper agreed with Calvin that the Church as an institution should not govern.
about the other spheres directly, even if the whole society were
 54

responsible before God. "No –Kuyper thought", we should not establish a

theocracy. God respects our free will. He also respects the separation of
powers. Faith could not be imposed.
But the state should not dominate either, as the humanists proposed.
socialists. Neither should individuals simply do what they wanted,
as the more radical proponents of democratic liberalism and anarchists advocated.
No. Kuyper understood that God had designed the person to operate within
from certain "spheres," each of them with limited authority. (This approach
it is similar to the division of powers among the prophets, the priests, and the kings in
ancient Israel, or among the executive, legislative, judicial powers, in countries
modern.
Kuyper distinguished five well-defined spheres: self-government (the individual
is responsible before God), the family government (parents were granted the
primary responsibility for the education and upbringing of their children), the government
ecclesiastical (the administration of the Church's affairs and leadership, along with
the discipline in the Church), the civil government (which received the divine mandate to "bear
the sword" to minimize the effects of the fallen man's condition) and the
social government (voluntary associations, such as clubs, companies,
societies and organizations.2
Jesus, Lord of all

Although Kuyper emphasized that each sphere must be founded on the

principles of the word of God, he taught that Jesus must be Lord over all
the spheres, and each of them, depend directly on God. No sphere
He must not overstep his authority received from God to exercise it over others. More
Well, individuals must extend God's influence and teaching to all
the areas of life in which they move.
You will be able to perceive the wisdom that God granted to Kuyper in categorizing
these spheres of interrelated and yet limited authority. Since
whenever the Church as an institution interferes in state matters, it incurs
in a religious tyranny. If the state interferes in the family sphere or intervenes
In religious matters, it incurs a political tyranny. If the Church interferes
 55

in the family sphere, it ends up imposing a kind of religious sect. Instead of

Hello, there must be a division of powers among the spheres of authority granted.
for God and personal freedom within an organized society.

Fundamentals of modern Holland

Upon returning from his convalescence, in which God revealed these concepts to him,
Kuyper devoted himself to a greater activity in the Netherlands. He dedicated a great
effort to allow the influence of the gospel to be felt in the media,
politics, education, the Church, and the family. He returned to work for both.
newspapers, with the intention of teaching their readers to apply the truths of the
Bible in all areas of life. I reorganize a political party and train a
growing number of representatives from the lower-middle class to introduce
reforms based on biblical teaching.
In the field of education, Kuyper and his colleagues fought to
defend the right to "free schools". They believed that parents had
the right to send their children to public schools that impart their worldview
particular – even "to schools with the Bible". In fact, this model continues today.
in effect in the Netherlands, not only in its educational system, but also in
newspapers, unions, political parties, and broadcasting networks, reflecting a
spectrum of worldviews.
In 1880, Kuyper founded a university in Amsterdam - the Association for
Christian Scientific Education, or Association for Scientific Education
Cristiana - He was her first rector, and he built it on the lordship of Christ. The
university encouraged students to love the Lord with all their mind and to
to implant his truth in all spheres of the life of the nation. Kuyper began
with four teachers and five students. This institution is called today Vrije
University, or Universidad Libre. It is one of the largest universities in the world.
Throughout its teaching history, it has produced or welcomed some of the
most prominent personalities of the nation. And although many things have
changed, the university still recognizes its Christian roots. It emphasizes
 56

the norms and Christian values, especially through commitment

social.3
Work with a view to the future

Kuyper returned to parliament in 1894 with renewed vigor and launched into
a feverish period of political activity that amazed friends and foes. The queen
from Holland asked him to accept the position of Prime Minister in 1901. In his
inaugural speech, Kuyper declared his intention to build the nation on
biblical principles. He made many social reforms throughout his career
politics, ensuring the rights of the poor, minorities, and workers. Their
influence was recognized internationally and she was required to act as
peacekeeper between the British and the Boers who were waging a war in South Africa.
The same as Wesley in England and Carey in India, Abraham Kuyper
he worked for the future. No matter how energetic and intelligent he was, he knew he could not

to reform a whole nation by oneself. He wrote in one of his newspaper columns:

We work long term. We do not aim for apparent success and

momentary, but for the ultimate success of our cause. The
the issue is not how much influence we exert in the present, but
what power will we exert in half a century; not how few
militant today in our ranks, but how many members of the new
generation will stand up for our cause.4

Short-term plans, long-term failure

Obviously, not everyone cares about future generations.

The Bible tells the story of King Hezekiah. He was a good king; to say the least, one of
the best. But he committed a grave sin against God. The prophet came to him and said
He said: 'Your generation will be safe, but your children will bear the consequences of
your sin and that of your people.5

Hezekiah was overjoyed when the prophet announced this to him. Why? Because the
God's judgment would not reach him. But he should have cried for the fate of.
future generations.
 57

In our days, many of us are like Hezekiah, we live with the sight
put in the present. We only care about thinking about what we can achieve
for us now. We should rather be like Wesley, Carey, and Kuyper, and
to keep in mind the next three or four generations. We should live in such a way
so that we may bless the children of our children.
Don't get me wrong about what I'm going to say, but an important factor that has
contributed to the current short-term mentality is the exaggerated emphasis on the
prophecy about the last days.
A few years ago, during a flight, I talked with a passenger who was
champion of world ecology. I asked her how things were going on a global level
general in the fight against pollution. She replied to me: "We are making progress and
motivating many large groups, except for evangelical Christians." She
he continued explaining that this was because evangelicals believe that Jesus is going
to return at any moment and this has caused them not to be interested in the
pollution. "If we could get this group on board - she said - we could give the
return to the situation.
I know what he meant. I've heard the expression 'paralysis of the last'
"times." Many church members only focus on the present. They believe that
If they plan for the future, they have no faith in the imminent return of Jesus.
Some of us have had grandparents and great-grandparents who believed in this way. They were

convinced that there would be no future generations and concentrated all their
attention to converting people before the second coming, as a consequence
they abandoned politics, the arts, education, and other spheres of influence and the
effort that it required to maintain a pious presence in those crucial areas.
Instead of instructing their children to occupy leadership positions in the world,
they preached against such participation.

Before we would send our children to hell

I recently heard an eloquent example of the retreat or withdrawal of the Church.

Dr. William Dyrness, professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary,
 58

It tells that, in the 1930s, a producer from Twentieth Century Fox wrote
letters to various evangelical universities asking them to send graduates
that they would create good scripts and in that way help to shoot good movies and
edifying. Did the Church take advantage of this golden opportunity? No. A rector of
university replied saying that they were previously willing to send their
young people to the same hell as Hollywood.6
We must regain leadership in the influential spheres of the
society, just as Abraham Kuyper did in the Netherlands and William Carey in
India. We must not allow our beliefs about prophecy and the
last times prevent us from doing everything possible to disciple the nations,
including ours. Jesus commanded us to be busy until his coming.7That is to say,
that we should be active, not indolent. When Jesus returns, he should find us.
busy with the task of bringing their kingdom to every corner of the earth.

Chapter 8

Skiing with Bibles: Hans Nielsen Hauge

 59

Norway

One of the great nation builders grew up on a farm.

Norway. Many may think that this country became rich thanks to the vast
Oil wealth discovered in the North Sea. But there's more to it.
it seems. I have observed considerable poverty in other producing countries
of oil. Such countries are often ruled by corrupt despots, whose
citizens languish without freedom. Norway is different. Its blessings are
wide and deep due to the nature of its people. And that nature is due to
largely to a Norwegian who taught the people the word of God in the 19th century.
A few years ago, in 1995, I had the privilege of interviewing the king.
Harald V of Norway. I received an invitation through the Royal Secretary of
Protocol, who had heard me talk when I was a teenager. He had read
all my books and I had passed them to the king. Alv Magnus, leader of JUCUM
Youth with a Mission in Norway accompanied me to the royal palace to
to be interviewed by the king.

Before being seated, I asked the royal secretary how long we

His Majesty would grant. "Oh, he will let them know when they have to leave."
he replied instantly. A heavy door opened that led to a spacious room of
visits adorned with noble wood. Paintings with gilded frames decorated the
walls. The windows overlooked extensive hills, from where one could see, in the
distance, the city of Oslo. The king stood up and gave us a warm welcome.
Then he made us sit on each side of his seat. I had meditated for
anticipated what I was going to say to the king to make the most of that
moment.
After a preliminary presentation, I said:
Your Majesty, when your grandfather was a child, Norway was the poorest nation in
Europe - The king nodded -. And not only was Norway poor at that time, the people
he was poorly educated and enjoyed very little freedom. But recently, he has
announced that it is the country with the highest per capita income on Earth. It has a
excellent educational system, registers a 100 percent literacy rate and the
 60

The town enjoys great freedom. How can you explain such a change?
drastic in such a short period of time?
King Harald touched my arm.
Mr. Cunningham, I don't know. Many ambassadors ask me the same thing.
They ask many times, and I always tell them that I don't know.
Your Majesty, would you like to hear about the person who changed the country?
I asked.
The story goes back more than two centuries, to a young man named Hans Nielsen.
Hauge. Many people outside of Norway have never heard of him. And within the
country, many experience the same as the king: they only know that Hauge was a
a kind of popular hero. But the impact of his life was enormous. Alv Magnus, my
visitor colleague, had chosen the character of as his graduation thesis
Hauge. That is why Alv and I told the king the story of the young man who had
made a big difference in their country.1
The interview lasted longer than expected, as King Harald seemed
to fascinate him the account of his biography. When we were finally told that the time
it was over and we left the room, we noticed that the waiting room had
filling of ambassadors and officials who were waiting their turn in front of the king. He

here is the interesting story why King Harald made them wait
ambassadors.
They could barely hold on.

Hauge lived from 1771 to 1824. He was the son of a farmer raised in the bosom of
a family that honored the Bible. They were sensitive to spiritual matters but never
he felt that he was good enough to be saved. Hans was very skilled.
With his hands and still being young, he began to prosper with his work. Not
however, he felt uneasy recognizing that his motivation was more due to the
acquisition of material goods that is tied to their love for God.

One day, at the age of twenty-five, Hauge's life took a great turn.
On April 5, 1796, I was singing a hymn while working in the field.
Suddenly, her heart soared to God and her mind overflowed with a
revelation from heaven. In an instant he knew that God had accepted him. That his
 61

sins were forgiven to him. He also knew that he had to preach the word of
God throughout Norway.
When Hauge began his ministry, Norway could barely...
to feed herself. Although there were a few merchants in the country and
wealthy landowners, the majority of Norwegians were peasants. Jeff
Fountain, director of JUCUM in Europe, recounts that he sometimes hit the
famine, forcing people to make bread from tree bark. It was not uncommon
finding the body of a hunger victim by the side of the road. The
the situation did not seem to have signs of change, as there were few schools and
no university. After being subjected to a long time by their neighbors, the
the country was nothing more than a handkerchief of fishing villages and farms

subsistence. People also did not enjoy personal freedom in the Danish kingdom-
Norwegian. Public assemblies were not allowed nor traveling through the country without the

permission from authorities.

A threat to the system

Nevertheless, Hauge ignored these restrictions. He began to travel to all

parts, on foot and on skis, and to share their newly found faith with great power.
He traveled across the country with a radical message that astonished the churches of his.

time. Many had fallen prey to rationalism or lethargy. But God acted
through this preacher farmer and encouraged the hearts of many Norwegians,
winning them over for their cause.

The authorities jailed Hauge for holding religious meetings without

authorizations of the church pastors. Hauge replied to his detractors that the
The Bible admonished believers to build each other up. Certainly, when
Hauge preached, many listened and believed. Between 1796 and 1804, Hauge
he distributed the Bible from village to village, sowing the Book of God throughout the country.

A lively enthusiasm and a new hope emerged in the impoverished.

Norway. In less than three decades, Hauge formed more than a thousand home groups.

within the state church, in a country of only 800,000 subjects.2As

believers gathered in home groups to pray and study, they went
drawing closer to God and to one another. They held each other accountable according to
 62

the new standard established by the Book. As Joseph Shaw says in the biography
The pulpit under the ski: 'God made new people and places out of them.'
new ones from the communities where they lived.3
The ministry of Hauge and the growing revival alarmed the officials,
to the clergy and the upper classes. For them, Hauge's message was bland. Not only
the very fact that a peasant preached was revolutionary and
unacceptable. Worse still, this man was inspiring and dragging others.
peasants to abandon 'the place that belonged to them' and do the
same. Thus, Hauge and the lay preachers he recruited were
imprisoned time and again. Hauge was arrested eleven times in seven years.

The creation of wealth through fair trade

Inside or outside of prison, Hauge continued to serve the Lord and disciple.
to his nation. To reach more people, he wrote books. In addition to books of
religious instruction, wrote about the education of children, how to create
wealth based on fair trade and other topics discovered in the word of
God.
Hauge searched in the Bible and was extraordinarily practical regarding the
life here on earth. He found the Book packed with principles to face all the
human affairs. He taught that Scripture should be "the most sacred treasure, for
above any other in this world.4
He preached that everything we own and everything we are comes from God. The
The Lord expects us to be good stewards of what He has given us.
granted. Since the Creator made all people in His image, Hauge
encouraged everyone to create wealth through honest work. Helped the
the poor to seek means of self-sustenance and urged his followers to
employ their economic resources to exert a charitable influence in the country.
Hauge not only taught people what the Bible says about the
trade; he also put it into practice. He launched many businesses. In
certain place, I build a paper mill, a bocarte or stamp mill, a
bone mill, a flour mill, a tannery, and a foundry. In addition,
 63

he guided believers to choose professions in cities where they could make an impact
a difference. By doing this, this preacher-merchant boosted the economy of
country.
The teaching of literacy

Hauge saw the potential of the press to spread the gospel and
to teach the believers. And he learned to print and bind books. He wrote and
published books of all kinds - thirty-three in his entire life -. His writings were
they popularized and many people were literate in order to read their books. During
In his first eight years of ministry, Hauge became the largest editor of his
time. More than 200,000 copies of his books were distributed throughout the
corners of the country - a quite notable figure for a population of 800,000.5
The instruction of peasants for leadership

The revival began to transform Norway. As Shaw reports,

even though "they themselves were not aware... Hauge and other simple preachers
laypeople issued a challenge to the system.6

Hauge continued recruiting preachers from the peasant class and the
the movement expanded rapidly. Ordinary people taught themselves and
they encouraged each other, became communicators and leaders. The peasants,
whose world had been reduced to a village or valley, began to interact with
people from all over the country, which generated a strong sense of national identity.
The peasants migrated to the cities and became artisans. Some of
The converts of Hauge created a common fund and started new businesses:
textile factories, paper mills, and printing houses. Through correspondence between
the enthusiasts of the movement that Hauge began, they learned all kinds
of knowledge, for example, more advanced agricultural methods. They began
even to influence the government. When the believers discovered what the Bible
They talked about the government, they sought to access it. They made use of the

knowledge acquired in the small groups of Hauge as a springboard for

reach the parliament.
 64

Norwegian believers increasingly reflected the character of Christ.

they influenced their own spheres of culture: home, work, and circles
social. They began to disciple society. And little by little Norway came to be
transforming.
The darkest years

These changes threatened the elite. In October 1804, the authorities

Hauge was captured again, this time with chains, for preaching without the proper
authorization. He lost his freedom for ten long years. He did not intend to become
in a political threat. The only thing he sought was to build a nation that
It will be based on a biblical foundation in all aspects. But the authorities
they suspected he was a dangerous man. His teachings and the revival
the spiritual that had caused were changing the state of affairs in the country.
They held him in chains, breaking his body. Nevertheless, they could not
stop the changes that had been unleashed; changes that occurred throughout
Norway while Hauge was in prison.
As his imprisonment lengthened, his health deteriorated, and sometimes,
also his spirit. He thought everyone had forgotten him. Ironically, while
he was serving his sentence, the government temporarily granted him freedom because
I needed your expertise to build salt refineries on the coast. The wars
Napoleonic wars interrupted the normal supply of salt, element
essential for food preservation. Thus, in 1809, it
they allowed Hauge to leave jail long enough to resolve the crisis. He
he investigated the best locations and analyzed the waters whose salt content
the marina had a higher density, helped to establish several salt factories. Then
the authorities sent him back to prison.
Finally, in December 1814, he regained his freedom. Although he only had
Forty-four years, the long time imprisoned broke his health.
He spent the last years of his life on his farm, teaching and writing.
The man they called 'God's gift to Norway' strived to
to discipline his nation until the end, dying at fifty-three years.
 65

throughout his life he traveled more than sixteen thousand kilometers on foot and on skis, and

distributed the Bible and his own books.7

Let's think long term

The wealth and freedom of Norway clearly trace back to the person of
Hague. A nation changed, starting with a single man. As noted
Shaw: "The work and biblical teaching of Hauge launched one of the first
attacks against the tyranny of an economic system that had been in place for centuries

"monopoly of the upper classes".8Ultimately, some of the disciples of

Hauge advocates for the independence of Norway. They helped to draft a
new constitution for the country in Eidsvoll, in 1814. The disciples of Hauge
they turned the country into one of the most free on earth, and they did so based on
biblical principles.
Hauge's legacy also reached other countries, as Norway
started sending thousands of missionaries. Today, it continues to be one of the
main missionary sending nations of the world. He did not live long enough
to see to what extent Norway was thriving or becoming a great
missionary country. But he was one of those who started the process. If someone wishes
changing nations, you may not see the result in your days. However, the
The Bible promises that if one acts piously, the benefits will follow until the
third and fourth generation. In some cases, the blessings extend up to
a thousand generations.9We should not only seek to influence our time.
We must plant the seed of a renewed world for our children, grandchildren, and
other descendants, as Hauge did.

Chapter 9

The "miraculous" success of a country

South Korea
 66

One of the greatest turns in history took place in Korea, in the

20th century, but our story begins in the 15th century with a king named Sejong.
King Sejong received a word from heaven that revealed to him that the poverty of
his subjects was due to illiteracy. In those times, reading the
Korean required memorizing many thousands of Chinese characters. This made the
reading will be beyond the reach of the poor. Only the privileged will
could afford the luxury of receiving education. Thus, King Sejong, along
with a few wise men, he invented a new and simplified writing system
phonetics called Hangul. The new alphabet was originally named Hunmin
the correct signs for the instruction of the people.1
The king's effort soon attracted detractors. The courtiers.
they understood that this simplified writing system posed a direct threat
their sustenance. And then they despised the alphabet precisely because it was
too easy to learn. They mocked saying that hangul was just
suitable for women and children. The scribes burned most of
the papers of the king and the Korean people continued to be poor and illiterate. Until the
modern times, the vast majority of scholars and the upper class Koreans
they continued using the old and complicated Chinese writing. They associated hangeul with
the lower class. However, the writing of hangeul survived centuries of neglect
until the advent of the Book of God.

The blood of the martyrs

Known as the 'Hermit Kingdom,' Korea resisted those who brought it

Book of God. When the Catholic missionaries arrived in 1784, they found
indifference, persecution, and martyrdom. But they managed to plant the Church in Korea.
1866, eighty-two years after the arrival of the first missionaries, the
Koreans massacred ten thousand Catholics.2
A year before that massacre, Robert Thomas, a Protestant missionary,
attempt to settle in Korea. He only managed to throw a package of Bibles at a
crowd before being beaten to death.3
The word of God in the writing of King Sejong
 67

Abroad, a handful of Koreans converted to the Christian faith and

he returned with the Word. One of them was Suh Sang Yoon. Some missionaries
Scots guided him to Christ in 1876, in Manchuria. Suh Sang Yoon helped to
Translate the New Testament into Korean, using simplified script.
Hangul that King Sejong invented four centuries earlier. Later, I brought portions.
of the gospel to his homeland.4In addition, the Protestant missionaries, who arrived at
at the end of the 19th century, they spread the word of God and opened schools, clinics, and
universities. The Word was sown and began to expand.
But still, Buddhism and animist religions dominated the Kingdom.
Hermit. In the early 20th century, Korean Christians accounted for half of the
one percent of the population –only 42,700.5
The preservation of the living language and faith

The worst times came with the turmoil of the 20th century. A brutal
Japanese occupation that lasted thirty-six years threatened to crush the
Korean national identity. The Japanese made Korean illegal in schools.
and the public use of this language. The submerged Church, persecuted, was the one that
preserved the language, using printed Bibles in hangeul as textbooks,
despite the persecution. Teaching the Korean language through the Bible
it was punished with imprisonment. Some were even killed for teaching the
word of God.
Sadly, when the Japanese were expelled, at the end of the
World War II, an even more cruel power took over the north: a
dictator named Kim II Sung. He killed many thousands of Korean believers.
In 1950, it invaded South Korea and attempted to impose communism by force.
the whole peninsula. Its attack triggered the Korean War. Although the conflict
it only lasted two years, tore apart the fibers of the country, bathed the Korean Peninsula in

blood and left it divided. It is estimated that five million people lost their
life or were injured or missing, of which more than half of those
victims were civilians. The war tore ten million people from their
 68

6
families and left a hundred thousand orphaned children. The country was devastated and in deep

poverty.
Prayer for a bicycle

When I visited South Korea for the first time in 1971, the poverty and the
military government still prevailed in the country. I will never forget that visit. In Seoul,

I spoke at the church of Dr. David Yonggi Cho. At that time, the church only
it had six thousand parishioners. I told those Korean believers the impression
what I believed I had received from God: Korea would become a great nation and
would send missionaries all over the world. Next, several believers would
They approached and greeted me with 'Kahm sah hahm nee tah', which means 'thank you'.
But, answer me, they contradicted my prediction. They were too poor to be
sent as missionaries. In addition, their government did not allow them to obtain

passports to travel abroad.

Both fears were real. South Korea was certainly poor. And ten
years before, the military had taken power. The people had to suffer for
decades. From the moment of my arrival, I became aware of the mark of poverty
in the town. One of the things I noticed when the plane was about to land
it was the absence of trees in the field. They told us that people had so much
need for fuel during the war years that felled the trees.
I noticed that the surroundings of Seoul were crowded with blocks of
low-quality apartments and alleys filled with garbage. Buses
crowded they roamed the streets and dozens of small and battered taxis
they were going back and forth, mixed with military vehicles. Very few
citizens owned a car. Moreover, I didn't see any cars parked at the
door of Pastor Cho's church. The pastor himself had prayed and trusted in
God to give him a bicycle to better serve his parishioners.
freedom.
From poverty to prosperity in thirty years

Thirty years later, I preached again in Pastor Cho's church.

On the way to Seoul, that afternoon, I looked around and marveled at the changes.
 69

The Koreans had other problems: thousands and thousands of Hyundais, Daewoos, Kias
they caused big traffic jams on the highways. The skyscrapers – piles of
luxurious offices and apartments occupied by the new rich - were tearing the sky.
I looked more closely and saw something that stirred my heart: blue neon crosses.
From the height of many churches, on both sides of the highway, they shone in the pale
twilight light.
When it was time to deliver the message on Sunday morning at the church
from Pastor Cho, I could hardly believe it: the Yoido Full Gospel Church
it had seven hundred thousand members, which made it the most numerous
of the world.7And since hundreds of thousands now had their own vehicle, the faithful
they had to park in distant parking lots and transfer by bus
regulars to access the temple.
What I saw with my own eyes in Seoul appears today in articles and
press and television reports. The recent economic expansion has turned
to South Korea as an 'Asian tiger', and the sixteenth economic power of
world.8Instead of military rule, South Korea currently enjoys a
civil and democratic government. And what can we say about the incredible prediction that the Lord

I was urged to announce from Pastor Cho's pulpit in 1971, that Korea would send to
many missionaries abroad? With a population of only forty-eight
Millions, South Korea is currently the second country that sends the most missionaries.
abroad, after the United States.9
A low voice and with wisdom

According to a recent article published in the Seoul Times, South Korea

currently has more than twelve thousand missionaries outside the country.10What
it represents double the number of missionaries per capita than the United States, even though

this country is known for having a Christian majority. The Presbyterian church
Onnuri is committed to missions, as are many other churches.
Koreans. This church was founded nineteen years ago and has specialized in
the preparation of missions. Currently, five hundred missionaries from this church
They provide services in fifty-three countries. Korean missionaries work in
many countries, but significantly in those of the Middle East, where it usually
 70

It is difficult to evangelize. One of those missionaries states that it is necessary for the work

from that region is done in 'low voice and with wisdom', in order to bequeath to the maximum

number of people.11The South Korean Church also evangelizes in China and

even in North Korea.

I replied to the television

What happened? How can it be that the fortune of a country changes in

less than thirty years? The economic growth of South Korea matched with
the rapid expansion of the Church –one of the largest in history.
Recently, in a hotel room, in the city of Bombay, I heard
some statements that the Indian finance minister made on television. He said: 'If
South Korea has been able to become a wealthy nation in just twenty-five years,
India can also do it.” I replied aloud, in front of the television: “No
"Without Jesus!" For it is he who is responsible for the success of Korea.12

One third of South Koreans currently follow Christ.13This means that

the number of Korean believers has increased from half of one percent to the
a third of the country's population in less than a hundred years! It never happened.
such a spectacular growth of the Church in no other period of history.

Massive prayer meetings at dawn

The land, suitable for the spectacular growth of the Church, was watered.
for the blood of many thousands of martyrs in the 19th and 20th centuries. I will never forget.

that I was told about a group of soldiers who forced many men,
women and children to enter a church. The soldiers barricaded the doors and
They set the building on fire. The Christians were singing before perishing; their hymns.
prevailed over the crackling of the flames and the beams that
they were collapsing.
The Korean disciples of Jesus who survived the persecution
seemed to be made of steel. Rising from these roots, the Koreans
They devoted themselves diligently to prayer and Bible study. If you were to visit Korea today
from the South, I would see hundreds of thousands of people entering the churches at 5 o'clock.
 71

early morning to pray and read the Bible for two hours before heading to work.
There are plenty of weekly night prayer vigils and spiritual retreats.
fasting and prayer. I had the opportunity to visit the Osanri prayer mountain, in the
on the outskirts of Seoul, where thousands of Koreans go on weekends to
kneel and open the Bible. As a result of all this fervor, the believers and the
Churches have multiplied, and they have dramatically changed the spiritual landscape.
Ten of the eleven largest megachurches in the world are located in Seoul.14
The largest Pentecostal churches in the world (the one of Pastor Cho), Presbyterian,
Methodists and Baptists are all concentrated in this city. I have had
the privilege of speaking at each of them. All those gatherings
they were full of fervent people, intercessors, Bible readers. These are
disciples firmly attached to the Book that teaches people how to live.

The most concentrated country on earth

Korea is not a utopia free from sin, but the biblical influence has
impregnated each social sphere. In 1996, two former presidents were convicted of
corruption. Why were these two cases so notable? Because in times
In the past, corruption thrived among the authorities.15
Other symptoms of South Korea's healing are the great advances.
of the country in technology, education, and literacy. While a bicycle was
A true luxury in 1971, South Koreans are now at the forefront of technology.
and manufacturing, export of automobiles and electronics. Furthermore, South Korea
Sur is the country with the most internet users per capita.16The momentum of Korea
from the South to connect all its citizens is part of a broader perspective
Ensure that everyone has access to education.
Recently, Dr. Sek Yen Kim Cho, a professor of linguistics at the University
from Buffalo, New York, informed me that the literacy rate of
South Korea only reaches 0.002 percent.
Upon knowing this remarkable rate, I remembered all the believers of the church.
immersed. Over the years, these believers have kept the faith alive, and
even the language, despite the death threats and imprisonment. They read the
 72

Bible in the script that a Korean king of the 15th century created after receiving a
heavenly message. The king's long-term vision to help the Korean people and
the faithfulness of generations of believers led to a "miraculous" success of the
Church and of the country.

Chapter 10

Revolution in a tiny country

Pitcairn

The exaltation of the word of God and the application of its principles
They will honor and bless any country because these principles are universal.
They have yielded results in one country after another, big or small. When God takes
 73

control of a person or nation through their Word and their Holy Spirit,
a revolutionary effect is produced.
One early morning of a beautiful August day in 1991, we anchored.
near the small British territory of Pitcairn Island. To reach this place
remote, we had to sail for three days from the Gambier Islands, Polynesia
French, on the Pacific Ruby, one of the ships of Marine Reach of JUCUM.
The islanders welcomed us by coming out to meet us in a skiff.
We had responded to your invitation. It's the only way that the visitors
they can enter Pitcairn, with a population of fifty-five people in
1991 and an area of five square kilometers.
The island rises in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by deep cliffs,
buffeted by the waves, along its entire perimeter. Grateful for those
smiling men will sail through us, we jump with great caution in their
vessel, and we rocked over the waves. Then we zigzagged through
the violent waves that crashed against the rocks to reach its small
dock.
Upon climbing "the hill of difficulty", an inclined path that led
up to the settlement Adamstown, I felt pleased to be there. I knew
that this small country had a fascinating history.

A hell of its own making

The mutineers of the ship His Majesty's Bounty colonized this island long ago.
of two centuries. In 1789, nine sailors, in protest against what they deemed
Unfair conditions on board the Bounty were rebelled against and took control.
from the boat.1First, they fled to Tahiti. After making several stops at some
island accounts, the nine mutineers persuaded or kidnapped several
Polynesians – and they ended up with six additional men, eleven women, and a child.2Your
Chief, Fletcher Christian, had heard about an uninhabited island called
Pitcairn, which had been mislocated by mistake - estimated to be hundreds of kilometers off -

in the nautical charts. The island was literally 'off the map.'
 74

The survivors of this small group of sailors and islanders

desperate were the predecessors of the smiling men that us
they greeted our arrival in Pitcairn.
After many days of sailing, the mutineers discovered the
lonely island, a rocky crest in the most remote seas of the South Pacific.
After dragging everything they couldn't save down the sloped ramps of
what would later be called 'hill of difficulty', the men
they were forced to make a desperate decision. They knew that the
The British would be scouring the seas to capture them and drag them to the
justice, that is, to the knot of the noose. So they set fire to the Bounty,
they sank and became castaways for life.3
The island had drinking water. The men transported some animals.
acquired in Tahiti and plants to grow and produce food. Living there does not
it should have been very difficult for them, separated from the rest of the world. But

After a few years, the lives of the inhabitants of Pitcairn plunged into a
hell of their own making. One of the men discovered how to manufacture
liquor made from the roots of the plantati, which was abundant on the island. Very soon
that homemade distillation produced enough alcohol to keep them all drunk.
Disputes erupted, usually due to women or slanders.
racial. Some of the castaways contracted diseases and died. Another one
suicide by jumping into the sea from the cliffs. No one knows for sure,
because the accounts differ, but at least two massacres took place.
Finally, the Polynesian men and all the mutineers died, with the exception
from Alexander Smith, who began to be called John Adams. Besides
Smith/Adams, ten women survived, as well as the children of the mutineers.
From Bedlam to the Book

What happened next changed the abandoned settlement in a way

drastic Adams found a Bible in Fletcher Christian's chest - a Bible that the
Fletcher's mother had packed for him before he set sail to England. Adams began to
study the Book. After a while, he had an encounter with its Author and
 75

he devoted his life to God. Adams then taught the women and children the precepts
from the manual. And everything changed on Pitcairn Island.
Sir Charles Lucas, in an introduction to the history of Pitcairn, summarizes it.
quite well
Many notable cases of conversion have been recorded in the
history of Christianity, but it would be difficult to find a parallel
exactly like that of John Adams. The facts are very clear. There is no room

no doubt about what he was and did after his

companions perished on the island. He had no caretaker.
human advisor who will guide him to return to the path of the
justice and make her feel the responsibility of raising a group of
children in the fear of God. He only had a Bible and a
devotional as the only instruments to address your company,
and as for education, or rather, lack of it
education, they served him. He could well have brought to mind memories of
his early childhood. But there can only be one explanation
simple and straightforward about what happened: it was a work of
Almighty, for no other can make a sailor
acclimated to crime, come to yourself in a remote corner and learn and
teach others to follow Christ.4

In 1808, an American ship, the Topaz, encountered the island.

located on the nautical charts and discovered the settlement in which they lived
Adams, the women and the young people, some of whom were already nearing their last.
years of adolescence.5The captain and the crew of the Topaz, as well as others
ships that followed in subsequent years, described the settlement as happy and
calm.
For some reason, the first cry for execution from the mutineers was
It would have vanished. Two British captains finally arrived at Pitcairn.
while carrying out other tasks and returned to England with the
recommendation that King George's government leave the inhabitants of
 76

Pitcairn. They reported that the island's own culture resembled an Age
Gilt6Since Adams began to teach them the Bible, no young woman
she had been seduced. The theft had been extinguished. One lived in order and in peace.7

This was almost two hundred years ago. In 1991, we were granted permission to
visit the descendants of the rebels and their Polynesian wives. With the
Over the years, many inhabitants of Pitcairn moved to the island of
Norfolk, New Zealand, or elsewhere, in search of employment and space for
to settle. Of course, many things have changed. Just about fifty
There are people today in Pitcairn.8

My family and I stayed at the pastor's house. I preached in his small...

church. Our team, consisting of a doctor, two nurses, a dentist and
a dental assistant provided the island's residents with much needed assistance
medical.
One of the most exciting moments was when they showed me the
Bible rescued from the Bounty. They kept it in the church on a small pulpit
made of wood covered with a glass case. They showed it to me and I touched it with
a lot of caution. When I held the old book, bound with leather covers,
in my hands, I couldn't help but think that the word of God had
wonderfully transformed a long time ago all things for
those people. I looked through the window and saw little happy children playing.
I tried to imagine that place before the Bible put an end to drunkenness,
the murder and suicide that prevailed in Pitcairn. I slid my fingers through
the yellowed pages and I marveled at the great change that the Book had
promoted in the smallest country in the world.

Chapter 11

The greatest revolution of all time: Martin Luther

Germany

It's easy to notice drastic changes in a small country like Pitcairn. A place
small is like a laboratory where one can clearly appreciate the
 77

change. But will the same happen in large nations? Will it be possible to appreciate
similar impact of the Book? Yes, precisely this happened in Germany, in the
sixteenth century.

In the German region of Saxony, a young man named Martin Luther entered
a monastery of Augustinian friars, hoping to find forgiveness and salvation for
his troubled soul. But although he strictly obeyed the imposed disciplines
for the religion, and even more, he was deeply aware that he was lost,
desperately tried to seek salvation through good works, already
who was tormenting him with guilt. He felt that God was about to condemn him. The superior
from the order, John Stupitz tried to encourage the young man. He told him that the Lord was going to

to be used for great purposes. And he admonished him: "That the study of the Scriptures
be your favorite occupation.1
Devour pages

During his second year in the monastery, Martín began to read the Bible.
in the monastery library. He began to devour its pages and to ask God
that would allow him to understand his Word.2

When the abbot sent him to run an errand to the Vatican, Martín took advantage
the opportunity to do more penance, seeking to find salvation in the
"the same doors of heaven", as it was said about Rome. He climbed the holy steps.
from the Vatican on his knees, as a faithful pilgrim, believing the promise that
that would take away fifteen years from purgatory. Suddenly, a passage from Scripture
the wine hit the memory so hard that he stood up. He thought it was the same
God who spoke to him: "The righteous will live by his faith."3Christ was not offering him

fifteen years of purgatory pardon, but full and free salvation for all
eternity. It was a message full of strength. Still, Martín's soul
she still felt insecure.
The young man was stunned by what he discovered in Rome. Immorality.
sexual and greed were running rampant and reacted against the priests who
they took their sacred profession with cynicism.4The evil that saw the "same ones

"gates of heaven" sowed the seed of Luther's calling to one day reform the
Church.
 78

But first, he sought to reform himself. He was ordained a priest in

1507 and became a professor at the University of Wittenberg. He also provided
services as a priest and confessor in the church of the Castle. Although still
he supported struggles of people, his dedication to study earned him a reputation as a preacher and

master.
Finally, in 1513, while preparing a lesson, he read about the
God's justice in Psalm 31:1. Thinking about God's justice always leads you
uncomfortable. Then Martín remembered the passage from Romans 1:17, which speaks of the
justice of God and his power of salvation for every believer. The words that so
clearly she was told that justice was simply a gift from God
received by all who believe that Christ died for them. Later he wrote:
When I realized this, I felt the fullness of a new birth. The
gates of paradise swung open wide and I entered through them. There, in that
At that very moment, the Scriptures took on a new dimension for me.5
The power of the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart and your
They reformed Martin Luther's mind. From that moment on, he set out to reform.
fellow contemporaries, preaching that salvation is a gift from God that is received
by faith, not something that can be earned. It was already set up on the stage of the
confrontation that would divide the Church, change Europe, and, over time, the
entire world.
The sale of salvation

The reality saddened Luther as he served as a priest and confessor.

He saw what common people were suffering. It saddened and particularly enraged him.
the sale of indulgences.
The indulgence promised to alleviate punishment after death for the
committed sins. People could purchase indulgences for themselves or for a loved one.
dear deceased who was in purgatory. One of the prerogatives of the Pope
was to grant these indulgences.
While Luther was serving in Wittenberg, the Pope decided to continue
go ahead with the sale of indulgences to raise funds. I was trying to conclude.
the construction of the glorious basilica of Saint Peter. Its representatives went out to
 79

sell indulgences under the motto: "When the coin in the coffer rings, the soul..."
moves away from purgatory.
When they arrived in their city, Luther was very upset. He saw his
parishioners buying indulgences with the money they needed for sustenance
to host their families. It wasn't fair. And he began to preach against the sale of such
indulgences, arguing that the gift of God's salvation had already been satisfied
for Christ on the cross.
Finally, in 1517, Luther composed a document that invited debate.
He wrote ninety-five propositions or "theses," and according to custom, the
he nailed it to the door of the Wittenberg cathedral.6In addition to dismantling the

justification for the sale of indulgences, Luther's theses dealt with

repentance, the forgiveness of sins, greed and the worldliness of the
ecclesiastical hierarchy.
Luther intended to open a serious and profound debate. But it was not like that; his

writing unleashed a storm of controversy. The ninety-five theses were

quickly translated from Latin to German and multiplied through a medium
quite novel and important: the printing press. In two weeks, the ninety and
five theses spread throughout Germany. And after a month, throughout
Europe.7
An important job in confinement

The Church reacted immediately to his open challenge to the authority of the
The Pope labeled Luther as a heretic and ordered him to present himself in Rome to
to account for his actions. If he had gone, he would probably have killed
as happened to other reformers. But no, a German prince intervened and him
I am looking for a hiding place. While he was in confinement, Luther carried out his greatest work.

important: he translated the Bible into German, the language of the people. Previously, the

The Bible was in Latin and only the clergy could read it. The return of the Book to
The people were a decisive factor that changed the German nation and also others.
In the next chapter we will see how the Bible in German ignited one of the
great revolutions of all time.
 80

Luther did not intend to leave the Church. Like others who were with him...
they preceded, he wanted to return it to its foundational doctrines, to introduce a
reform. However, although both sides tried to make peace, the break
it was too deep. In an audience granted to the emissaries of the Pope in
the Diet of Worms, in 1521, Luther refused to retract his right of
interpret the word of God. He confessed: "I cannot and do not want to retract, since
It is neither safe nor wise to do something against one's conscience. Here I stand, no.
"I can do something else. May God help me. Amen."
The Pope responded with excommunication. In a world in which the Church
he boasted the power over the salvation of the individual, that was the worst of the Pope
could do against Luther. Indeed, he was condemning him to hell.

The idea that changed everything

All these events were much more relevant than those

those involved could sense. When Luther rejected papal authority, he affirmed something
very important about the nature of the Church itself. Many people thought
that "the Church" was a religious institution - in particular, the bishops and the Pope.
The laity were only passive members. They depended on the priesthood and were
subject to the teaching and the authority of the bishops.
It is hard to imagine the control that the institutional Church exercised over the
life of the people. The bishops ruled as princes, assuming
functions that are today considered typical of a government. For example, the Pope
could recruit an army and declare war; the bishops could imprison the
people and to carry them out. The Church even intimidated kings to submit to it.
surrendered.
When Luther challenged that exclusive authority, he was actually
stating that the Church was not only made up of priests and bishops, but also
for all believers in Christ – a "priesthood of believers" both in the
As old as the New Testament: the glorious understanding that God wanted
to relate directly to their people and guide them.9
 81

The priesthood of all believers was the central idea of the Reformation. The
believers in Christ could approach God directly without having to depend
of a human authority or ceremony. Other passages of the New Testament, in
especially the words of Paul in Galatians 3:28, where he says that there is no longer Jew nor

Greek, slave nor free, man nor woman, reinforced the truth that all are
equal before God. All are one in Christ Jesus.
Therefore, every person was free before God to scrutinize the
Scriptures and live according to one's conscience. As Luther himself declared: 'A man
Cristiano is the most free man of all and is not subject to anyone, and yet,
A Christian man is the most respectful servant of all and is subject to everyone.10
This truly revolutionary idea, taken from the word of God, not only
I would change Germany, if not one nation after another, as it expanded the
Reform.

Chapter 12

The key to wealth

Germany (cont.)
 82

The stimulating discovery of the priesthood of all believers

began to be noticeable immediately in the Church. Many became
"Protestants" and they separated from Rome. Meanwhile, the Catholic Counter-Reformation
he started to address some of the abuses of the Church. Centuries had to pass.
until, at last, many of the things that overwhelmed the young man would be faced.
Luther, like the sale of indulgences. However, the division among Protestants.
and Catholics led to much violence and centuries-long wars, even in times
recent, like the case of Northern Ireland.
A few years ago, a Catholic priest from Mexico City visited
our mission in Kona, Hawaii. He was a true brother in the Lord. There was
led revival meetings emphasizing personal salvation and holiness
in more than eight hundred dioceses in several countries. My sister Janice asked him
what he thought of Martin Luther and his response was remarkable: "God sent Luther to
calling the Church to repentance, but it did not want to listen.” In the times
currently, this priest did everything he could to bring Catholics closer to
personal knowledge of Christ.
It took several centuries for Protestants and Catholics to
they could establish some kind of collaboration. The initial violence unleashed in the
The times of Luther were brutal. The bloodshed impressed the
reformer. But his teaching ignited a light that quickly illuminated more
beyond the walls of the Church. Over time, the thought of the
Reformation – and the Scriptures that the reformers embraced and shared with
the whole town greatly influenced the radical transformation of society and
even in the popular conception of government. The Reform and its derivatives
they paved the way to democracy, the education of the common citizen and the
human rights. It ended in the greatest explosion of wealth and knowledge that
have known the history of the world.

A Bible that everyone could read

With few exceptions, before the Reformation only the scholars and the
cultured priests studied the Bible. They transmitted (or not) its content to the people.
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common as they deemed it appropriate. In reality, many believed it was

dangerous to allow ordinary people to read the Bible for themselves, that is, in case
that they knew how to read. People could form incorrect ideas about the
religion or - which was equally bad - questioning their rulers.
However, the reformers believed that all people were
equal before God and could present themselves before him without intermediaries. The
believers were part of a kingdom of the word of God. How else were they going to
to know how to please God? Unfortunately, the only translation of the Bible that
was the Latin version of St. Jerome, made in the 5th century. and only just
The scholars and the priests understood Latin.
Translating the Bible into the language of the people and trying to distribute it was a

dangerous business. In England, in the hundred years preceding, many had

to pay with their lives or go into exile for having dedicated themselves to translating the Bible for

the people. And when they triumphed, the authorities confiscated and burned their
fruit of their effort.
But Martin Luther decided that his people should have a Bible that
could read. His Bible in German, contemplated while he remained hidden,
Well, the word of God in the hands of the people. The importance of this fact.
It is hardly possible to exaggerate. Luther's translation adorned the language
German and gave wings to one of the most radical progressive movements of all.
the times.
Previously, another important event had laid the foundations.
for this revolution of hearts and minds, nourished by the Bible in
German. In 1437, another German, Johannes Gutenberg, invented the printing press.
mobile characters. Books would no longer be luxury items for an elite.
privileged. This technology arrived just in time to quickly extend the
new translation of Luther, as well as pamphlets and books with biblical teaching.
My Asian friends point out that they already had printing presses before
Gutenberg. It may be true, but his printing presses did not lead to liberation and
to prosperity. The invention of the printing press, along with the translation of the Bible to
the language of the people changed the face of Europe, and over time, that of the world.
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The key to wealth

Once the Bible was available in the language of the people, another critic
The revolution came into play. It was not enough to have the Bible in one's own language.
The people also needed to learn to read. The reformers created plans
of literacy in Germany and in much of Europe. And once people
If I could read the Bible, I could also read other things – religious treatises, novels,
poetry, political pamphlets, news and books on any topic: agriculture,
accounting, architecture, that is, all kinds of useful information. The ideas
they could be extended and creative energies released.
All of this changed history. Before this, there was no country on earth whose
most of its citizens were rich. The kings and tyrants are
Individually rich. A few aristocrats were rich. But not the people.
common. The individual potential exploded when people received capability, thanks to
the notion of the priesthood of all believers. And as people learned
Upon reading, an unprecedented number of people gradually developed their minds.
capturing ideas that created wealth and changed the lives of many. It flourished the
middle class and entire nations became richer after a number
significant people will embody the Word in their lives.
The acquisition of knowledge began to accelerate. For centuries,
Europe had lagged behind the Middle East and the Far East in development.
creative. The Europeans forgot a good part of the heritage received from Greece and
from Rome, while the Islamic world eagerly absorbed it and built
About her. The Arabs invented the numbers we use today; the Chinese
They achieved many inventions before the West, including paper and gunpowder.
But these innovations soon paled in comparison to the brilliance
from the new discoveries coming from Europe.
Like a hundred years before Luther, Europeans rediscovered the texts
Greeks and Romans. An important recovery of knowledge and exploration
new concepts, rooted in Europe, and it was called the Renaissance.
The era of discoveries was also inaugurated, in which Europeans
 85

they launched to explore the oceans to better understand the world. And the most

most importantly, they recovered the knowledge of ancient languages, which

facilitated the study of the Scriptures.
However, no matter how important the Renaissance was to open the
the mind of the people and facilitate the emergence of great literary and artistic works, was
the Reform changed the life of the common people. As more people
they were learning to read, discoveries multiplied exponentially in
The West, reaching to overshadow the progress made in other parts of
world. Currently, our knowledge base doubles every three to five
years. In a single field, that of biological science, knowledge is doubling
every 180 days.1
Sometimes, leaders misunderstand the imbalance of knowledge.
technological divide between the Christian and non-Christian areas of the world. By the end of the

In the 290s, the news circulated that the Chinese had stolen secrets.
nuclear to the West. The Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji denied the news. I
I listened to their comments translated and broadcast by CNN: 'Don't you think that the

Are we as smart as you?

Of course, the Chinese people are intelligent. There are smart people and less smart ones.

smart in all the countries of the world. And since there are more Chinese on the earth
Than citizens of any other nationality, there are more gifted Chinese. Everyone
intelligent people are born in India, Russia, and the Middle East every day? But how many
Western youth go to China, India, Russia, or the Middle East to study science.
And technology? I'm not saying this in a competitive spirit or national pride. It is
it is necessary to consider that basic issue.
What is the cause of the 'brain drain': scientists, doctors and
professionals? Why do those professionals leave their home countries to
to go to places of culture and religious beliefs so different from their own? Why?
They seek freedom and opportunity to develop their full potential? After
arriving at their destination, they build their mosques and their temples. They do not realize that

that the churches surrounding them and the Bible are the source of what they seek in
your adoptive country.
 86

Mariano Grondona, professor of state government at the faculty of

law of the National University of Buenos Aires ensures that no country is
had developed before the 17th century, neither in the East nor in the West: “It was the
Protestant Reformation that first encouraged economic development in the
North of Europe and North America2And adds that the current growth rate
Economic growth in Protestant countries has increased partly due to the cooling.
of religious fervor.
We must make known to all nations the application of the truth
and the wisdom of God, Creator and sustainer of the universe, will allow them to flourish.
Whether it is a small and irresponsible country like Pitcairn, or large and
deeply rooted like Germany, God has power, through His Spirit
and from His Word, to do what seems impossible. Collaborating with Him,
we can extend your blessing to all nations. The principles of the word
of God are universal. They have proven their validity in one country after another and have

generated freedom and justice; they have blossomed creativity and have increased the
potential of the peoples.

Chapter 13

John Calvin and the most foul-smelling city in Europe

Geneva

One of the best examples of the change that the Bible made in a country in the
History of Switzerland. It is impressive to drive through this country. Green,
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immaculate landscapes flow on both sides of the road, framed in

snow-covered mountains. dream cottages with gables and window boxes
filled with flowers nest in the valleys and hang from the hills. The route approaches
solid and prosperous cities like gardens, parks, and large mansions and
boulevards, decorated with elegant stores full of designer clothes and many
other luxuries.
One might think that it has always been this way in the country of the simple red flag.

white cross. But Switzerland was tremendously poor, always at the mercy of its
powerful neighbors. The Swiss reform involved many people and places. But
to understand the transformation that this region has undergone, we can trace
the history of a city: Geneva. Tom Bloomer, leader of JUCUM, has made a
meticulous study of Swiss history, especially of the city of Geneva.
I am indebted to Tom and Jim Stier for allowing me to include material from their
next book Transformation for the Nations.1They show how one of the
worst places became a brilliant example for the world. It's a story
notable transformation, based on the power of God's word.

A transformed city

Imagine you are visiting Geneva in the year 1530. The stench is the first thing.
that suffices. Geneva has earned the shameful reputation of being the city
most stinking in Europe. As one approaches, the cracked walls of the
city and streets full of garbage and human excrement. Odors of vomit,
sour wine and urine pierced the smell. One clings tightly to their possessions
realizing the kind of people surrounding him. He has already heard about the
many criminals that are in the city, of their political refugees, soldiers
of fortune, spies, sailors of Lake Geneva, merchants, prostitutes and
needy neighbors from filthy neighborhoods. Once in the city, one finds oneself
happy not to have to stay long in this stinky pit.
You may think that all the cities of the Middle Ages were poor and
foul-smelling. It's true, but especially Geneva. And it is astonishing how quickly
change that the city experienced.
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From the worst to the best

How could such a terrible city become so prosperous? How is it that

a place where crime and corruption abounded became a
crossroads of international diplomacy and headquarters of humanitarian agencies and
international organizations? How was it possible for a place plunged into the
ignorance will continue to host so many prestigious institutions to which the elite
Does the world send its children to study? Why has Geneva become a
place where enemy nations gather to sign important agreements? How
Has this city and its nation remained free and at peace for three centuries?
Of course, a thorough study of the history of Geneva and Switzerland
it escapes the scope of this book. But if we wish to understand the differences between
nations, why some are poor and others rich, we certainly should
pay close attention to Switzerland, and Geneva, in particular.
The transformation of Geneva began with a man named John.
Calvin. This character was as important to the French Reformation as Martin.
Luther would be for the German. Calvin and other reformers of the world
Francophones emphasized the need for personal salvation. They urged people to
to repent and trust in God. But they did not stop there. They launched
immediately to systematically teach people to use their pulpits to
reform the society.

Teaching a village to live freely

For centuries, the Church and the nobility were the only authority in Geneva.
No one could opine or ask -everything had already been decided for them-. Geneva was
an independent city-state. Its people were free, but who would teach them
to live? Calvino and his friends researched the Scriptures and taught the people what
what God had said about each area of life. They proposed to build a
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city founded on the word of God, a model city for many others
European cities.
Calvin preached sermons that emphasized individual responsibility and
the value of work as worship. In the past, thinkers of the Church
they had tended to separate the 'sacred' from the 'profane', teaching that only the Church
holy era, separated from impure and secular things, from everyday life. The
faithful were to attend the Church to undergo a kind of spiritual immersion
before diving back into this dirty world for one more week.
On the contrary, the reformers taught the people to cleanse their world
with the word of God and prayer. As Paul taught Timothy in 1 Timothy
4:4-5, all of God's creation can be sanctified. Calvin and the others
reformers viewed life as an integrated reality. Any
employment could be a calling from God. The worship of God was not reserved for
Sunday. The work done with excellence during the rest of the week was
also worship because it was 'a service to the Lord'2The reformers believed that
God is the sovereign of public and private life. May the true disciples
they surrendered all things to the direction of God.
These and other ideas of the reformers spread across the continent.
Since Calvino preached a sermon every Sunday, it was printed in the form of
pamphlet and was distributed throughout Europe. His sermons dealt with all kinds of
matters.
The reformers preached about what it means to have a family.
centered on God. The Genevans were bad parents –dishonest, irresponsible
and often drunk-. The disorder of families was reflected in poverty and the
immorality of the city. But the reformers emphasized taking care of the
family, stay sober, work hard, pay the debts and the
tithes, and saving for the future. In Geneva, these teachings had the force of
law, since the municipal council enacted the code that Calvin presented to it.
Max Weber, the German economist and sociologist, investigated the cause of
Western prosperity and concluded that it was located in Geneva. In its
 90

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, credited to Calvin and his
teachings in that city.3
John Calvin scrutinized the Scriptures to extract all kinds of principles.
economic; for example, he taught bankers not to impose interest
abusive, as they would incur in the sin of usury. Set the interest rates at 4
percent, high enough for the lender to gain something from
money with its capital and low enough for the debtor to be able to
finance a new company. Calvino's interest rate of 4 percent is
lasted for four centuries in Switzerland. All these teachings had a
immediate economic repercussions. Geneva and Switzerland began to prosper.

Chapter 14

The laying of the foundations of freedom

Geneva (cont.)
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Many people, including political leaders, are today convinced that

that the riches of this world are limited. The policies they advocate for
they assume that it is necessary to conceive ways to divide the limited resources into
smaller and smaller portions. But the Bible does not teach this. The
redistribution of wealth never brings prosperity. It only generates more greed,
corruption, injustice, and class envy. A few powerful individuals take over
the resources while the poor and the weak sink even further. The class
media disappears completely. Lethargy sets in and joy is nullified and the
productivity of those who take the initiative.
The people of Switzerland, and those of other countries of the Reformation, discovered that

there are no limits when free people turn to biblical principles to

create new wealth. Prosperity increases as individuals are
capable of unleashing the true potential that God has granted to you.
Modern economists think today like John Calvin, who extracted
its principles of the Book. They affirm that any country can prosper if it
strive, save, preserve the family, maintain reasonable interest rates and live
under the system of law and accountability. The International Monetary Fund and
the World Bank teaches some of these principles to its member nations.
But in the 16th century, John Calvin obtained these ideas from the Bible.

The education of the children of God

As part of their agreement with the parents of the city to carry out the
Geneva reform. Calvin required the construction of a school and the collection
to money to teach all children – a truly idea
revolutionary-. Since each child was created in the image of God, the
reformers believed that all children should learn to read His Word. Hence,
for the first time in history (outside of ancient Israel), education reached all
social classes, not only to the rich. And unlike ancient Israel, also
the girls were included.
Thanks to the Reform, more and more people were able to read and study. The
literacy led to an explosion of knowledge. In previous centuries, only
 92

a small number of people had received an education. What a waste!

tragic considering that God grants gifts to all children! - talents
and abilities that when they surface bless many. In this way
we understand that when freedom and the opportunity to read are denied, it cuts off from
root the emergence of new inventions and ideas.
My wife Darlene and I went on a historical tour.
Geneva with Professor Tom Bloomer. I felt chills in front of the school of
John Calvin, observing its robust stone walls. There is where it all began.
It began. It was as if we were witnessing the birth of a great one and
a mighty river of education that has flowed to reach many millions of children
and girls.
The laying of the foundations of the free world

Another concept that Calvin and the reformers found in Scripture was the
the sinfulness of man. At first glance, it doesn't seem like this is a great idea.
to build a society. However, being aware of this truth: that
no human being is perfect, the reformers taught that the power of the
leaders and the government must be limited. Its system of checks and balances was
modeled after the separation of powers of the Old Testament. The
reformers sought to ensure that rulers do not accumulate too much power, to
not to end up being victims of their sinful natures and their tyrannies
corrupt. The tripartite government that they designed with the judicial powers,
legislative and executive arose from the book of Deuteronomy and Isaiah 33:22: 'The
The LORD is our guide; the LORD is our ruler. The LORD is our
king.
The Swiss reformers went even further. They not only divided the
government in the three branches of power, but they established each branch in a
different city. And they separated the levels of power: national, cantonal (as
states or provinces) and municipal (cities).
Europe closely observed this pilot project of resorting to the principles
biblical for the building of a nation. Later the Geneva model
it would be imitated and adapted by many countries, and even centuries later, by the
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designers of the Constitution of the United States, with their executive powers,
legislative and judicial.
Freedom was not a fortuitous accident that happened in Western Europe.
and in North America. It was born from the teachings of believers who sought
the principles of government in the word of God. The free world has a great
debt of gratitude to John Calvin and other Reform preachers.

The care of the poor

The Swiss reformers also found in the Scriptures that they were
responsible for the poor. In the 16th century, Geneva began to receive refugees.
as the Protestants fled from the Catholic rulers that were in
England, Scotland, France, and the city-states of Italy. In reality, the very
the word refugee was coined by these believers, based on the concept of
the cities of refuge in the Old Testament. Although the influx of
foreigners could sometimes create tension, the people of Geneva welcomed the
refugees in their homes. During the stroll through Geneva with Dr. Bloomer, we
We stopped on a hill from which we could see a line of old buildings. Tom
he pointed to a place where, centuries later, one can still distinguish the line of
demarcation of the old buildings where the citizens of Geneva
They built new houses on their homes to welcome the refugees. How great!
generosity and hospitality!
Over time, these refugees greatly contributed to making
Geneva, the remarkable city it became. Many were artisans, musicians, and
members of the emerging European entrepreneurial class. They contributed skills and
many knowledge to the city and, later, to all of Switzerland.
The reformers created an organization to take care of the refugees.
new arrivals and of the widows and orphans. Nevertheless, even the poor
they were considered responsible before God for their own progress. This
yes, anyone who was capable of working hard, even if they had to
receive help. The Geneva model of assistance to the poor was imitated and
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adapted throughout Europe, becoming a prototype for the movements of

reform and welfare of the subsequent years.

Necessity was not the mother of invention.

Scholars teach that social changes occur due to

great needs, which drives change agents to seek
solutions. If this were true, why weren't orphanages and hospitals created and
all kinds of humanitarian agencies in India or China, where the
were enormous needs? Necessity is not the mother of invention; the
the revelation of Scripture gave birth to these ideas. They have always been the
hearts transformed through the Bible those who see the problems and
they strive to meet needs.
Calvino has, of course, his detractors. His efforts to reform the
society has not always been consistent with the Scripture. But it laid a foundation
solid. The biblical principles he taught to establish social reform in the
education, government, and the economy, and particularly their ideas that all
Human activity can be sacred, bringing freedom and prosperity. Their ideas
they spread through the Scandinavian countries, Scotland, England, and the Netherlands, and,
mediation of the Puritans, to the New World. For several centuries, these and others
nations were deeply influenced by this man who sought
to build a city founded on the word of God.

The 'darkening'

Sadly, Geneva did not always progress in that way. In the

subsequent generations, the city –and certainly, Western Europe– turned away
of the biblical principles that guided him to wealth and freedom. The insistence of
The reformers in educating the people paved the way for an even greater explosion.
greater academic objectives. However, all of this evolved and gave rise to the
philosophical movement of the Enlightenment, in the eighteenth century, based on rationalism
the idea that man, through his own capacity for reasoning, could
to reach any truth that I needed.
 95

Instead of seeking answers in the word of God, the wise turned

to humanist sources, especially to the ideas of ancient Greece. The
universities and the seminars in Geneva and the rest of Europe were filled
quickly from teachers and students who knew nothing of the truth of God
revealed in the Bible. Instead of being enlightened, Europe remained shrouded in darkness.

spiritual. One can only imagine what would have happened if the Reformation had
continued without interruption. Would the old continent have suffered the revolutions
bloody and the wars of the 19th century? If the European leaders had
continuing to search the Bible for principles to govern their lives and countries,
Would we have seen the tragedies that erupted in Europe in the 20th century - the
Hitler and Mussolini's fascism and Lenin and Stalin's communism?

Again the light

Although darkness and ignorance of the Bible accumulated for centuries, the
The Lord continued to act in His grace to revive and correct. For a time, Geneva
it lost its freedom. In the early 19th century, the city-state was subjected to
Napoleon. Finally, the people of Geneva reclaimed their political freedom and
union to the Swiss Confederation in 1814.
In the year 1815, Robert Haldane, a young Scottish missionary, arrived in Geneva.
He was horrified by the ignorance that people had of God and His Word.
He started by offering Bible studies. Many upper-class people became
disciples of Jesus. New churches were born and a movement was founded to
send missionaries to the French-speaking countries of Africa and the Pacific. The people
he learned crucial truths that had been taught by the
reformers.
Although scholars did not again pursue biblical knowledge as
they had done it in the times of the Reformation, the people of Geneva and that of Switzerland

they continued enjoying what Francis Schaeffer called 'the fruit of the fruit' of their
pious ancestors. The country continued to develop and became a place
unique in Europe – small, but prosperous, and at peace with everyone.
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Mercy to the nations

It is well known that the International Red Cross is based in Geneva. But
Few know that the Red Cross arose as a result of a spiritual revival.
It was founded by the Swiss Henri Dunant. As a young man, Dunant belonged to a church.
who started to gather at the Haldane revival meetings. While
still a teenager, he began to meet with other young people to study the Bible
and look for ways to help the poor. Later, while Dunant was traveling and
he was trying to make a fortune in the world, he arrived at a dreadful battlefield between
the French and Austrian armies, in a place called Solferino. There he saw bodies
wounded and dying scattered across the field. He asked why no one was.
He was helping. They told him to ignore the injured and continue on his way.
without worrying. They explained to him that if he tried to help the injured, one of
they would shoot at the parts of the conflict. It had always been the custom in
the wars and in the battles - the wounded had to get up and flee or stay
where they were and die.
Dunant believed that this was not right. It did not correspond to what
he learned in his church in Geneva. In 1862, he wrote a pamphlet titled Memory
from Solferino. The pamphlet was printed many times and thousands of people read it.
throughout Europe. It awakened people's consciousness everywhere. As a result of
Hello, Dunant was invited to speak in front of kings and parliaments about the
treatment given to wounded soldiers. Dunant's efforts led to
to form the Committee of Five, which would be the precursor of the International Red Cross.
The following year, this committee hosted the first Geneva Convention, in
October 1863, in which sixteen countries signed a treaty that defined the
rights of the wounded and limited the horrors of war. The document was based on
in principles taken from the book of Amos, where the concern is revealed
God for the just development of war and the fair treatment of prisoners.
Thus, the reform of Geneva and Switzerland, initiated first by
Calvin and other reformers sprinkled the rest of the world and influenced nations with
the justice and mercy of God.
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You can be a builder of nations

Certainly, in their own way, Calvin, Luther, Hauge, Kuyper, Carey and
Wesley were builders of nations. You can also be a builder.
of nations if he obeys Jesus and applies His Word in any of the seven
spheres that influence society. Are you allowing Jesus to be
Lord of your profession? Are you looking in the Bible for principles and practices related to
to your occupation? If you are a pastor or leader of a ministry, are you encouraging the
Are you going to do the same? Are you bringing the kingdom of God to your workplace?
modeling a pious behavior and exerting a calm influence
powerful?
These examples of nation builders can produce discouragement.
They make my effort seem insignificant compared to them. Maybe
you cannot ski with Bibles or ride a horse hundreds of thousands of
kilometers to preach like Hauge or Wesley. Perhaps I cannot influence the seven
spheres of the society how Carey o to be a
preacher/journalist/educator/politician like Kuyper. But could he not choose
once people to instruct in the ways of Jesus and the Bible... in all their
Life? Certainly, this is a goal we can all work towards.
That is what Jesus did. He taught the crowds, but he only had
five hundred sincere followers, 2
and then, by elimination, one hundred twenty.3

He focused his main effort on instructing the twelve and lost one of them.
But how much did their eleven disciples achieve!
Jesus could have used his power as the Son of God to launch a
massive and ambitious educational plan to instruct millions of followers. But
showed us that discipleship is an intimate and personal task. That is why he invested in
a few, and he left us a model to aspire to. Everyone could instruct
to once personify and embody God's principles before them. To the extent
in which our nations gather the fruit of our fruit, we will be able to
considered builders of nations.
98
 99

Part 3
Transformative truths from the Book of God

Chapter 15

The key: Who is God?

What does the Book of God have that can transform peoples and nations? I
I had the privilege of listening to Professor Francis Schaeffer respond to this.
question when he visited our center in Switzerland in the late sixties. The
 100

Dr. Schaeffer, founder of the L'Abri community, was a brilliant thinker.1He

understood that Christianity is not just a religion, but the truth. The Bible does not
It is true because we create it; it is the truth even if we do not believe it.

From Dr. Schaeffer's teachings, I have gleaned four basic biblical ideas that
they can make a huge difference in our perception of the world and in
our way of living:
Who is God
Who is the man
The existence of an immutable and knowable truth
The responsibility of man to live according to the truth
It doesn't matter what area of life is considered – whether trying to solve big
problems, such as the abuse of human rights and poverty, are addressed
to ensure the universal education of the child, or to seek the just protection of the law
to all individuals-, if you start with these four ideas they
will end up experiencing transformation.
In a lesson given at our center, Professor Schaeffer assured
that these four truths are found in the Bible. But he added that although
if we only had the first six chapters of the Book, they could still be
revisit these ideas.2
We will examine these four concepts separately, as they are the
great ideas that provide blessings to the people of the Book. In this chapter
We will address the first foundational truth: Who is God.
The knowledge of the character and nature of God changes people.
and to the nations. God has extraordinary characteristics about which
we can build our lives and our society. I do not intend in this book
address all aspects of God's being. God is love, and therefore, just,
kind, good, merciful and many, many more things. In the face of such vastness
theme, I will limit myself to two transformative truths about God.

Who is God: Unity and diversity

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The biblical doctrine of the Trinity, God in three persons, is fundamental to

the transformation of nations. In the first chapter of Genesis, God receives the
name of Elohim. This is not a plural or singular name, but a unity
composed, like a bunch of grapes. God is one, but also in three persons.
In Genesis 1:26, God declares: "Let us make mankind in our image and
similarity (italic added).
The theme of God one and in three persons extends throughout the Bible. It gives us
a very important idea, capable of transforming nations. It is the idea of unity and
diversity – the foundation of freedom in the political sphere, of entrepreneurship
in the economic field and the underlying framework for universities in the
academic world. The very word university reflects the notion of unity in the
diversity.
This idea of unity and diversity, as it appears in the Trinity, underpins everything.
class of holy relationships. But it is an idea that I could never have reached the
finite man. God had to reveal Himself in Scripture. And yet, it is not possible.
fully understand the Trinity. The best we can do is turn to the
illustrations, as Saint Patrick did when he preached to the Celts. He showed them
a clover leaf - there are three, but in one-. It is a unit, and yet, it has
an embedded diversity.
The metaphors of the Trinity fill the world. The earth includes land, sea and
sky. Science deals with gases, liquids, and solids. Water can
adopt forms of ice, water, and vapor. The measurements are taken in length, width
and depth. Time includes the past, the present, and the future. Beings
humans are body, soul, and spirit. We could fill many pages with
examples. It could be said that God has left a mark of His tripartite nature throughout the
reality.
Although these illustrations help, they cannot explain.
fully the Trinity - the simultaneous unity and diversity of God - Neither is it
a logic problem. The problem lies in that our minds do not have
ability to explain an infinite God. C.S. Lewis once said that the
 102

The difficulty one has in grasping the Trinity is like trying to imagine a cube.
if I lived in a two-dimensional world.3
Given that countries with ecclesiastical heritage have a certain understanding,
although limited, from the Trinity, they are better equipped to face them
complexities of modern life, and balance freedom and order. They have been
blessed by the concept of unity and diversity. Even those who do not believe in
God or in the Bible benefit from living in a society based on this idea. For
for example, in Europe many have abandoned an active faith in the triune God. But
they continue to enjoy the well-being that was produced by the faith of previous generations.

They enjoy things like democratic governments with separation of powers,

personal freedom, ethnic pluralism, and the productivity of the economy. They continue

benefiting from these blessings thanks to the foundations laid by the

believers centuries ago. That is why Western Europe is so different from the countries
which lack these foundations. However, it is important to note that these
Blessings would erode as people move further away from the
biblical values. They will lose all benefits, including those derived from the
understanding of unity and diversity.
A few years ago, I gave a talk at a mosque in Central Asia to some
Muslim leaders. I befriended the imam of the mosque, who invited me.
to tell his colleagues what I believed about Jesus. Then, those
devout men made their usual objections. One said:
-You believe in three gods!
-No -I immediately replied-, there is only one God, but He is infinite. Any
The explanation I can offer you will be limited. But I can show you the unit and
the diversity of God through my relationships. I am a son. I am also a father and husband.
Am I one or three people? –then I tried hard to explain the mysterious relationship
between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
I was not surprised that the men of the mosque objected to a God in
three persons. Only the God of the Bible is unique and at the same time diverse. The
the majority of Muslims believe in one God in a single person - unity without
diversity-. The Hindus, on the other hand, have a diversity of gods - diversity
 103

maximum-. A modern Hindu could argue that all those forms would be
expressions of a general being, but so impersonal - sometimes defined as mere
state or quality - that has practically no unity. Only the God of the Bible.
It is both unity and diversity.
As human beings, we can experience unity at a finite level, as in
a marriage that loves each other. And yet it is still difficult to describe how two people

they become one. But think of the infinite unity of the three personalities of
God. It is not possible to fully define Him, and yet, that does not mean that He does not...

It is true. Think of an aspect of His unity – His omniscience –. God the infinite;
They know all things. Nothing is hidden from them or from them. Imagine the
potential they have for unity. Also, the three have all the power -
omnipotence-. However, the three are committed to the same
purposes and the three collaborate to achieve their goals, waiting for one to
another in total respect and love. And the three can be present anywhere -
omnipresence-. In this and in any other way, God moves in complete unity
And, at the same time, with such richness of diversity that we can't even
to conceive. The unity and diversity in God are absolute. This combination
allows for the greatest creative capacity.

We are like the God we worship.

If someone wants to understand the Middle East, South Asia, or any other
part of the world, one must first understand the beliefs of those peoples about
to our God. We all tend to resemble the God/god we worship, a little more
every day, every year, every century.

Let's take as an example most people in the Middle East and the North
from Africa. They expect to be governed from above, that their society is
guided by religious legalism and strictly imposed norms by the
government. The corruption of the leaders is their way of life. It is not allowed to
diversity of thought or action. If one worships their god –essential reflection of
the unity without diversity - the spirit of the Middle East and the North will be reproduced
Africa. This way of thinking will even affect the environment. In one of my
 104

visits to Israel, I was able to admire the diligent tree planting that made it flourish.
desert. A foreigner who lived in the country told me that in the times of
Turkish dominion over Palestine, the taxes that the Turks charged
they calculated by the trees that the taxpayer had, so people cut down
its trees and the desert advanced. The harsh aridity of the land soon reflected the
worldview of the people.
If you want to live in a country with great problems of poverty and injustice,
where a majority of people are not free, then I will worship the gods
Hindus. In this case, it will have the tyranny of diversity without unity. The
the freedom of the elite in India is maintained thanks to a strict caste system,
what condemns millions to a miserable life, without opportunities. There is no basis
for unity - its worldview is not shaped by the belief in a God
moral that created all humanity in its image. A great suffering is inflicted or dragged on.

suffering because religious professionals teach the unfortunate

multitudes who are simply reaping the judgment they deserved for their wrongdoings
deeds committed in a past life. The Brahmins, the upper caste, only
they make up 5 percent of the population, but retain 70 percent of the
high-ranking government officials and 78 percent of the judiciary.4Some missionaries who
I know in India they assured me that most of the country's wealth is
controlled by only five families.
These sad worldviews should inspire us, and our children,
the desire to worship the true God of the universe, the God revealed in Scripture.
Only the God of the Bible is worthy of our worship. Only by worshipping him
we will form free and prosperous countries in which the majority will benefit
people.

Chapter 16

What you believe about God matters.

 105

Every nation that ignores the concept of unity and diversity manifested in the
Trinidad lacks the degree of freedom and creativity of the nations that embrace it.
He does not experience the explosion of knowledge and wealth that is unleashed when the
people develop their potential. Leaders need to understand unity and the
diversity. Many types of people are needed to do different kinds of
work that contributes with their ideas and efforts to create a society
productive and prosperous. If leaders do not value the creative differences of the
People, their countries will lose the achievements that this can bring.
Leaders may try to force the people to conform to a common mold,
so that everyone thinks and acts in a united way, as in the dictatorships of the
Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, or of modern totalitarian states,
like Cuba and North Korea. History shows that such nations
they stagnate and finally sink. There must be diversity for there to be a
healthy set, entirely productive, whether it be of nature, government,
family, commerce or any other sphere of life.
Nabil, a friend of mine from Egypt, overheard a conversation between three Arabs that

watched the takeoff of planes at Kuwait airport. One of them

he exclaimed: "How is it that we can pilot those reactors and we are not able to
to make them?
Good question. Why doesn't advanced technology emerge from the countries of
Middle East? Those countries have so many intelligent and talented people.
like any other in the world. But their worldview has tied the hands of the
towns of the region with a monotonous, legalistic thinking, and a hierarchy
rigid -qualities that prevent them from rising to the level of global leadership-. Their
worldview hinders the progress of Middle Eastern culture and prevents the
people develop innovative ideas.

The demolition of foreign towers

Radical terrorists, like those from al-Qaeda or the Taliban, strive to

return to what they consider a 'pure' form of religion, a form that gives them
 106

allows controlling people. One only has to look at their attack on the towers of
World Trade Center and the Pentagon, on September 11, 2001. It
They behaved like small children unable to build a tower of blocks.
For this reason, they tear down what others have built. This kind of extremists
they want to lead the world to a simpler time, like that of the 9th century. A
the period when the despots ruled. Their religion provided strong support to
those rulers, who held absolute power and determined the agenda
of the whole world. If the ruler was benevolent, the people developed in a
limited way. If he was a tyrant, the people suffered greatly. In any case,
it was a source of creativity and innovative ideas that was being cut off.

There was a time, like the era of darkness, when the flourishing of
education and the arts in Muslim cities. But due to the rigidity
inherent to their worldview, they stagnated and lost the vanguard. The
modern development avoided them and continues to avoid them today.

Diversity without unity leads to chaos

Diversity without unity also brings problems. Without unity, it ends

drifting into anarchy. I have visited countries where diversity has
unbridled and all order has collapsed. It's something that causes terror. I remember a

country in Central Africa where soldiers robbed people at gunpoint

gun. In another country I visited, opposing factions controlled different sectors
from the capital. There was complete chaos and no one was safe. These countries
they have diversity but not unity. A combination of both is required to
that countries be free and productive.

The Church in the East

Even the civilizations that have received ecclesiastical inheritance but lack
an understanding of the unity and diversity of the Trinity encounters barriers
 107

that limit its development potential. For example, Russia. This nation went from
strict reign of the tsars to the even more severe rule of the communists. The
the nation developed in a very limited way under the czars. And after
seventy years of communism, the wealth and energy of the nation have been exhausted. A
The hierarchical and oppressive dome ruined the creativity and initiative of the Russian people.

He is still trying to recover.

It is very important to learn from the past. These are not dry and irrelevant.
Historical data. What people think about God affects their lives.
personal and their countries - will determine whether they must fulfill their destiny or not -.

Unleashing the creativity of the East, in the present, requires understanding what happened.

in the past, especially in the realm of ideas.

Fifteen centuries ago, a division occurred in Christianity because of a
issue of "hierarchy" in the Trinity.1This and other issues led to
finally in the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Church in the 11th century.
The Eastern Church affirmed that God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are
subordinate to God the Father. On the other hand, the Western Church maintained that
The three members of the Trinity are equal. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
They are continually subjected to each other in love.2The Western conception
allowed people to understand that the Trinity, in absolute equality, enjoys a
unity and infinite diversity.3

Freedom and creative combination

I know good brothers and sisters in the Lord who worship the Savior in
the Orthodox churches of the East. Many Eastern saints have crowned lives of
humble devotion and incredible fidelity to Christ and have remained steadfast against
all kinds of tyrants. But, in my opinion, the hierarchical notion of the Trinity of the
The Eastern Church has caused serious problems for the Eastern countries.
that they did not have the model of freedom and creative combination: unity and
the diversity in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Since not
the eastern believers hit upon the mutual submission in the Trinity
lacked that model to develop nations with free, diverse peoples, and,
 108

at the same time, unified. They did not have their own Reformation of the Eastern version.
of the 'priesthood of all believers' that would provide social benefits,
political and economic, but their conception of the trinitarian hierarchy suffocated the
development. Instead of giving people freedom and encouraging each other to use
their gifts, duplicated this hierarchical conception of God in all spheres of
society, from home to government. Eastern countries went from tyranny of
absolute rulers to the crushing dominance of Marxism that ended in a
political and economic implosion at the end of the 20th century.

This way of thinking is not, on the other hand, exclusive to the East. I admit
that the temptation to fall into a hierarchical mentality also exists in the West.
Many people in the West embrace this rigidity of leadership, which always mutilates the
personal freedom. I have seen pastors and leaders of organizations who act like
if they were little kings, who lord over subordinates whose gifts
they are never released. We all need to remember and practice the principles of the
mutual submission and servant leadership.4
The orthodox conception of the Trinity caused the Eastern churches to be
more vulnerable to this danger. God wishes to unleash the where and talents of
millions of Russians and Eastern Europeans. Those who have been called to serve those
peoples can help you rebuild your nations and economies
teaching them the unity and diversity modeled in the Trinity, along with the
servant leadership and mutual submission.

They undermine what they came to find.

The West was able to develop on the foundation of a triune God, the best
expression of unity and diversity. This led to freedom and prosperity that
Today we enjoy. The rest of the world wants to share them with us. I do not.
I blame for it. If I were Hindu, I would want my children to come to the West to
looking for a better future for them. We also welcome them in the West because
we understand the value of diversity within unity. However, when the
Hindus, Buddhists, or Muslims build their temples and mosques.
 109

they begin to spread their teachings in the West - since they have legal rights
to do it in a free society - they undermine the very things they came to seek.
God has given us an example by modeling unity and diversity, submission and the
service, in its own being and in a compelling way in the life of Jesus.
We should follow his example. As we develop our
let's unleash potential and free others to do the same, let's submit ourselves to Christ and

one another, let's experience creativity on an unprecedented scale. This

It is perfectly described in 1 Corinthians 12. It is a dynamic creativity in a
an atmosphere where love reigns and people honor each other. Thus they find themselves
responses to chronic problems, an unimaginable development is experienced,
and nations are transformed.

Who is God: Infinite and personal

In the first chapters of Genesis, it is stated that God is infinite.

and personal. And this reality - that God is infinite and personal - belongs only to the
God of the Book.
Just as it is difficult for us to understand the idea of the Trinity, it is very
It is difficult to conceive what it means to be infinite. God had no beginning and will have no end.5No

it is not possible for us to understand it. We cannot wrap our mind around
of his all-powerful and omniscient being, nor to grasp what it means that all the
things are in your presence. We sense some of this in the first chapters of
Genesis when God creates everything that exists with His mere word. It's amazing!
However, upon observing that God relates on a personal level with beings
humans that he created, our heart becomes tender and is moved. As he said the
Professor Schaeffer: "If we only had the first chapters of
Genesis, we would perceive the personal nature of God. God has intellect,
will and emotions. He thought about what he wanted to do, decided to do it and had
emotional reactions - first, joy and satisfaction for everything that was
created, then sadness, when human beings rebelled-. We will see more
about this in the next chapter, when we consider how God perceives man
and the woman in his image. Genesis, the first revelation that God makes of himself,
 110

It shows that he is both personal and infinite – a fundamental truth that he has.
enormous implications regarding how one should live.

Only the God of the Bible

No other religion can proclaim what the Bible proclaims about

God.
In the early 1970s, I met a group of theology students.
diplomas and degrees from Trinity College, University of Cambridge.
Some teachers met with us in a room adjacent to the chapel.
My audience that day was pleasant and clever. Still, I knew that many of
the seminarians did not believe in God or in the Bible. I decided to give a lecture about
how to prove that there is a God.
To begin, I declared: "Only those who worship the God of the Bible have
an infinite and personal God.
So I paused. Some of the listeners were experts in religions.
comparisons. I expected that they would bombard me after doing a
such a bold statement. But no one opened their mouth. There was only silence.
acquiescent. The God of the Bible stands solitary, unique among the deities to which
that humans worship.
Consider this. Muslims pray five times a day. They claim that their
God is great. They claim that He is infinite. But they do not confess that their God came to the

earth and spoke to them. That would be blasphemy because it is too personal. In my
visits to all countries, I have met good and devoted Muslims. But never
I have not met anyone who confesses to having a personal relationship with Allah.

Hinduism also does not have any god that is infinite and personal.
Hindus have Brahma, a limitless and impersonal god. He cannot be
to know. They also have many finite personal gods. Some assert that
there are 36 million gods in India; other sources say there are 330
millions of personal gods.6But Hindus do not have a personal God
infinite like the God of the Bible. They are like the Greeks whom Paul addressed.
on the hill of Mars: religious people with many gods. The unknown God
 111

for the ancient Greeks and modern Hindus, it is the personal and infinite God
from the Bible.7

The same happens with any religion that is named: Buddhism, Taoism,
Shintoism, animism, New Age - it's always the same. Their god is, whether infinite
it is impersonal, either finite and personal, or finite and impersonal. For some, no
Is God really absolute, just the beginning of being, or the universe.
Why is this important? Because people come to resemble the god.
that adores. Only the God of the Bible is worthy of our worship. While he
we love to build a free and prosperous society, formed around love
for God and others. Since the God of the Bible is infinite, we can trust
in that he will grant us creativity, development, and limitless revelation. And given
that the God of the Bible is personal, it is possible to find meaning, relationships and
love in life. The word of God declares that we love because he us
he loved first.8

What we believe about God colors everything we do – in the company, the

government, the media, the arts, the family, the Church and in the
the way we educate young people. This foundation will determine our
destiny as individuals and as nations. And since we were created in the image
of God and that we have His Word to guide us, we can live as He wanted us to
we lived. Let's experience great personal satisfaction and we will help create
a healthy and productive society.
There is much more to say about the God who reveals Himself in Scripture. However,
this book is not an exhaustive treatise on the nature and character of
God. It would not be possible to mention everything that has been revealed to us in the Bible and

show the blessings we have received through these concepts

fundamentals. In this book I would like to offer them to you. I want you to feel
hunger for you to be compelled to scrutinize the word of God for yourselves and
caves to extract their treasures.
Professor Schaeffer showed us three other transformative biblical truths.
nations. We will examine these transformative ideas in the upcoming chapters.
 108

at the same time, unified. They did not have their own Reformation of the Eastern version.
of the 'priesthood of all believers' that would provide social benefits,
political and economic, but their conception of the trinitarian hierarchy suffocated the
development. Instead of giving people freedom and encouraging each other to use
their gifts, duplicated this hierarchical conception of God in all spheres of
society, from home to government. Eastern countries went from tyranny of
absolute rulers to the crushing dominance of Marxism that ended in a
political and economic implosion at the end of the 20th century.

This way of thinking is not, on the other hand, exclusive to the East. I admit
that the temptation to fall into a hierarchical mentality also exists in the West.
Many people in the West embrace this rigidity of leadership, which always mutilates the
personal freedom. I have seen pastors and leaders of organizations who act like
if they were little kings, who lord over subordinates whose gifts
they are never released. We all need to remember and practice the principles of the
mutual submission and servant leadership.4
The orthodox conception of the Trinity caused the Eastern churches to be
more vulnerable to this danger. God wishes to unleash the where and talents of
millions of Russians and Eastern Europeans. Those who have been called to serve those
peoples can help you rebuild your nations and economies
teaching them the unity and diversity modeled in the Trinity, along with the
servant leadership and mutual submission.

The West was able to develop on the foundation of a triune God, the best
expression of unity and diversity. This led to freedom and prosperity that
Today we enjoy. The rest of the world wants to share them with us. I do not.
I blame for it. If I were Hindu, I would want my children to come to the West to
looking for a better future for them. We also welcome them in the West because
we understand the value of diversity within unity. However, when the
Hindus, Buddhists, or Muslims build their temples and mosques.
 113

Nations with a biblical heritage enjoy a better standard of living.

Nations without the Bible stumble and self-destruct. We have verified that
the word of God is the truth, whether we believe it or not. When the ...
truths of the Scripture, one lives according to reality. When it is ignored or
rejects the Word, lives in an unrealistic way - without the wisdom of the Creator and
sustainer of the universe.
This is the global framework. We have already examined the first foundational truth:

Who is God. We will now examine the other three principles that he taught us.
Professor Schaeffer.
Created in the image of God

The first chapters of Genesis show that God decided to create beings
humans in his image.1God is personal and made us personal beings – each
man and each woman is a singular individual.2Like him, we have
the ability to think and feel and the capacity to choose.
Since we are personal beings, each one of us can have a
personal relationship with their Creator. More than six billion individuals can
enjoy at the same time a personal relationship with him, since he is personal and
infinite. What a fantastic privilege! Those who come to know him through the
acceptance of His Son Jesus Christ, will live for all eternity filled with wonder,
to the limit of your capacity, learning more, loving him and receiving his love.
It may seem obvious to state that we are individual and personal beings, but
this idea is strange to some. Eastern religions, such as Buddhism,
they teach that there are no individual people. That we are, rather, part of each other
of the others; part of a great impersonal life force.
After the tsunami that took place in Asia in December 2004, several
Religious leaders tried to help people understand the tragedy. It is said that the
case of a Buddhist leader who tried to comfort those who had lost their
loved ones. The leader reminded them that life is an illusion. They should not have
developed such close ties with the members of his family.
That's not what the Bible teaches. According to the Word of God, each one of
we are unique and have immense value because we have been made to
 114

image of God. Jesus stopped before the tomb of his friend Lazarus and wept.3Why
Who cried when he was about to bring them back from the dead? Maybe Jesus.
I cried for every individual who has died tragically, for every new victim in
a sinful world. Every individual counts. Every person has value
immeasurable. This knowledge makes us treat others with
kindness. It is the foundation of human rights. Given that we are
personally, we can relate to one another in a way
significant. And since God loves us, we have the capacity to love others.
others.
A creation superior to animals

In the creation story, from Genesis 1, observe the clear shift between the
verse 25 and 26. First of all, God creates all of nature: the earth, the
seas, the plants and the animals. Then, in verse 26, God presents a
separate idea, another kind of creation. It declares: 'Let us make humankind to be
our image and likeness.” He creates man and woman. Then he assigns them the
employment of governing over all nature.
This is what we are. A special creation. Biologically, we share
quite a few similarities with animals, but the Word makes it clear that we are
different, separate from them. Because we have been made in the image of God.
When people lack this biblical knowledge, they skip priorities and
it does a lot of harm.

A temple for rats

A few years ago I spoke with the CEO of a company, Fortune

500 who had just returned from India. He wanted to do something for the people of that
country, but he exclaimed: "I don't see how we are going to be able to help them." Why did he say this?

Because of the Hindu worldview.

For example, when I first visited Kolkata, I was amazed to find out about
that no one killed the rats. Instead of killing them, some workers dedicated to
animal control would capture them and release a few.
kilometers from the capital. Its worldview elevates rodents to a state similar to
 115

of humans, despite the fact that rats spread diseases, destroy

crops necessary to feed hungry people and increase suffering.
Moreover, some Hindus seem to have more consideration for rats than
for the people. The Karni Mata Temple, in Deshnok, is dedicated to the worship of
the rats. People offer them bowls of sugar and coconut that they leave on the ground.
Can there be a better example of misplaced priorities than offering delicacies to
the rats while millions of Indians go to bed hungry every night?
Hindus also consider the cow sacred, and they call it 'mother'.
our”. A friend from India told me that in his hometown, during the test of
driving license exam, the question is: 'If you had to choose between
to hit a human and a cow, which one would you hit?
the cow cannot obtain a driver's license in that city.
Strict Hindus fear killing animals due to their belief in the
reincarnation. See animals as creatures that exist on the same plane
of interrelated life that they - as current lives of "souls" that once
they were human but are now reincarnated as rats or cows. If they are killed,
they could kill one of their own deceased relatives, even if they are alive in form
animal. And yet, there is no relief for human suffering because people
He does not know the supreme value of each person created in the image of God.

From false beliefs about the origin and destiny of men arise
cruel negligence. Some Hindu teachers even criticized the work of the
Mother Teresa of Calcutta. They said that she was going against the will of God for not
allowing people to suffer. They believe that suffering has its roots in evil
made in past lives. Therefore, they must atone for their sins in the present.
From her point of view, the kindness of Mother Teresa did nothing but
prolong the suffering of people in future reincarnations.
The biblical worldview could unleash the great potential of the Hindu people. What
Believe people, it is very important because; justice, prosperity, and well-being.
They are won or lost because of beliefs.

Created in the image of God, but limited.

 116

Although we were created in the image of God, we are not gods. We will always be
finite because we were created. We will be finite even in heaven because each one
of us had a beginning. We will not know all things like the
know God. Since the word of God assured: "My ways and my
my thoughts are higher than yours; higher than the heavens above the
land!4We will spend all eternity learning new things.

Man is imperfect but can be redeemed

We also discovered in Genesis that the first human beings were

perfect creation and enjoyed friendship with each other and with God. The Lord had a
daily meetings with them, they walked and conversed intimately and personally. But Adam
and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the tree that God had prohibited them. Despite
All in all, God did not abandon them. He explained to them what they had done and what the consequences would be.

consequences. And before this tragic story concluded in chapter 3,

God promised them a Savior to rescue humanity, and to its
descendants.5
That salvation, briefly glimpsed in Genesis, becomes nothing once again.
evident throughout the Old Testament, until it was finally fulfilled
when Jesus came to earth, lived and died on the cross, and rose again to
regenerate ourselves, cleanse ourselves, forgive ourselves, and prepare ourselves to do the work of God.

Created to do an important work

God designed us to rejoice and find satisfaction in our works. This is

another way in which we have been made in His image. The Creator God made us
to be 'creators with a small 'C'. Our creativity is finite, while the
His is infinite. But he granted us true freedom to create. We can
to conceive new ideas and create things that never existed before.
This was so in the garden, before Adam sinned. God assigned him the creative
task of naming animals. What a fun task! Imagine that
You would be the first human to see an elephant. What name would you give it?
 117

God desires for us to be creative. If we are adopted as children, thanks to

the faith in Christ, he promises us that the Holy Spirit will guide us in all
things.6We should not restrict the work of the Holy Spirit in us,
reserving only the spiritual matters for us. He wants to empower us to be
creatives, as he is, and produce innovation in every area of life.
He has plans that exceed our imagination.8God wants
establish His kingdom on earth through us. Of course, He wants to use us.
to reconcile people with him. But he also wants us to bring out new
products and processes to bless everyone. He wants his people to discover
remedies to combat diseases and create all kinds of art to ennoble
the human spirit. He even desires that his people find new ways to create
riches, employment, and improving life for everyone. Every good gift and every donation.

perfect descend from above.9And there is no limit to what the human being can do
collaboration with its Creator.

Chapter 18

Truth exists and it is possible to know it

The third principle that transforms nations stands out in the first ones.
chapters of Genesis is the existence of absolute truth. The truth
 118

fundamental is found in the very first verse: God, in the beginning. All
Another absolute truth comes from this: God is. And in the beginning, God created. And not

he not only created things, but also laws, principles, and truths. There exists the
truth because God created it.
The "real" facts

In the classic police television series Dragnet, Sergeant Joe Friday used to
stare with an expressionless face: "Ma'am, give me the data. Just the data."
to solve the case, the detective did not need opinions, unnecessary details or
emotional outbursts. He only wanted the facts - exactly what happened and
how it happened-. That is to say, I needed the essential truth.

We have the same need. We need to know the truth.

We are surrounded by countless versions of the 'truth', some
presented in quite pressing ways. You often hear things like:
Everyone knows that this is how things are done or this is how life works.
We see popular examples of successful lives, models that we are supposed to follow.

imitate. Experts and leaders tell us how to solve our problems and it
what our countries should do - they usually contradict each other -.
reality, its messages and opinions vary constantly.
We need to know what is truly real, the truth about which
anchor our life. Professor Schaeffer said that there is such truth - the truth
what is absolute and always constant - and we can know it. Absolute truth is
a fixed point of reference, a "presupposition" that covers the entire Bible.1
How to distinguish what is true? Thanks to whom God is. He is truthful and you
reveals the truth. It does so in various ways: through nature, the law
moral written in our hearts, the Bible and its supreme revelation: Jesus Christ.
We know the truth because God has revealed it in His creation, in the
nature.
Paul announces it to us in the first chapter of Romans.2Looking at the
nature teaches us a lot about the Creator. We see that he loves beauty and
the order and that it is inconceivably large and powerful. We discovered that it is

magnanimous and loves diversity. We can even see compassion, love

 119

selfless and the faithfulness of God reflected in the behavior of certain animals.
For example, I was moved watching a French documentary titled The March of the
penguins. The movie demonstrates the sacrificial love of a penguin father for his
children, in Antarctica. This one almost dies of hunger while sheltering its young.
for months subjected to snowstorms and hurricane winds of a hundred
fifty kilometers per hour and temperatures of sixty degrees below zero.
When examples like this are admired in nature, a little is discovered.
who is God, the Creator of the penguins.
We know the truth because God has written the moral law in our hearts.
hearts and has given us a conscience that convinces us of the good and the bad
bad.
No one had to tell Adam and Eve that they had done wrong when they ate from the
forbidden tree. For the first time they felt shame and guilt. When God
he approached to walk with them, they hid.
Pablo says in Romans 2:14-15, that even those who have never heard the word
From God they have the law of God written in their hearts. Their conscience warns them.
when they do good and when they do evil. I have spoken with people from all the
countries of the earth and I have noticed that the notions of love, responsibility, good and

evil, conscience, and moral law exist in all cultures. All languages have
words to name good and evil, even before having any contact with
the civilization or with the Bible.
We know the truth because God has revealed Himself to man through the
history and decisively through Jesus Christ.
The Bible is a witness to these revelations. Paul declared that all Scripture has
was inspired by God.3This is the external reference point that everyone
we need to know the way. The Bible is the breath of God, given to
to teach us, to exhort us, to correct us, and to instruct us in righteousness.4The Lord us
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Word will not.5
The Bible is not vague or uncertain when it comes to absolute truth. It offers
absolutes. However, not everything that is repeated in the word of God is a
principle of absolute truth. For example, the Bible records the words of
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Satan, with his pride and his evil distortions. Our reference point.
absolute is the same God who inspired the Scriptures. The Bible is true
because its Author is absolutely truthful. In fact, he is the very definition of what
what is real and true.
Jesus declared in John 14:6: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'
truth. Do you remember when Jesus appeared before Pontius Pilate? He told him that he
I had come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Whoever desires the
truth will hear you.6What a sad irony! Pilate looks at Jesus, the incarnation of
the truth, and he asks him: 'What is the truth?' Nothing seems to indicate that Pilate
I could find the answer.

Truth for which to live

The Word of God not only reveals the truth about God, but also the
truth that we need to know about ourselves: "Certainly, the
The word of God is alive and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
Philos. It penetrates to the marrow of the bones, and judges the thoughts and the
intentions of the heart7
His Word shows us how to live. He who meditates on the Word
God will prosper.8
This reminds me of a Mexican boy who visited my parents' church a long time ago.
many years. His name was Frank Yubeta. Frank came from a very
humble. It was during the time of the Great Depression. My parents did everything they could.

possible to establish a church in Somerton, Arizona – a tiny city

at the Mexican border-. When Frank was a teenager, he helped my parents to
to build a church with adobe that they made themselves.
Later, Frank got married and moved with his wife Viola to the West Coast.
They had few possessions, but after World War II, Frank
he began to build houses from recycled wood. In the twilight of their lives
they had set up a good plumbing business in Oxnard, California, at the time
who supported many missionaries and organizations. His son Frank confessed the
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key to their parents' success: They read and reread the book of Proverbs and applied
its principles to the business.

How the Yubeta discovered that the truth is absolute. One can assert
your life about her. The truth does not change. It remains constant. It is valid for
all members of society, rich or poor, leaders or ordinary citizens,
executive directors or street sweepers. And we can know her.
This is very important in a time when postmodernism us
strike with the opposing idea: that there are no absolutes. This mentality penetrated
in the West through the philosophers of the 19th century, but the East has believed it
same for thousands of years. Most Asian religions teach that the
truth changes and cannot be fully known. The Mahayana Buddhists of
Nepal has a saying: "If while it sleeps, it dreams that it is a butterfly, when
If it wakes up, how will it know that it is not a sleeping butterfly dreaming that it is one?

person?
This way of thinking has swept across the West. In universities, the
Social or human sciences teachers teach that truth is relative.
This way of thinking is gaining popularity. Doesn't the following sound familiar?
Declaration? That may be true for you, but not for me. There is no such thing.
as an absolute truth. Everything is relative. We all have a part of the truth,
but it is a different truth.
If this is the case, why teach? Why try to learn? Why
to have universities?
In the dawn of the 21st century, the American economy was shaken by
outrageous like those of Enron, WorldCom, and other large corporations.
Many thousands of people lost everything that people had. Retired people.
he had to go back to work because his pension plans had vanished.
What caused the collapse of Enron and WorldCom? Accounting practices
"ingenious" that made people believe these companies made more money than they
It was to be expected, thus inflating the prices of its shares.
The news shocked the public. The media reacted.
as if the incredible had happened. It should have been anticipated. A survey
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recently conducted by the Barna group, from Ventura, California, has confirmed that
North Americans no longer believe in moral absolutes. By a margin of
three to one (64 percent versus 22 percent), adults claim that
Truth is always relative, depending on the person and their situation.9This
this way of thinking will undermine our societies in many ways, affecting
even financial institutions. After all, if one does not believe in the
immutable principles of what is just and unjust, how will it maintain the
honesty of administrators and accountants?

Science depends on absolute truth

Even when other branches of Western universities teach that the

truth is relative, the teachers of physical sciences still depend on
absolutes. The scientific method ensures that the truth can be discovered
recognizing and defining a problem, creating a hypothesis, collecting all
the available data, conducting experiments, reaching conclusions and
publishing the findings. This method relies on the premise: the truth does not
change and it is possible to know her.

The vast technological advances of the Western world would not have been
possible without a thought based on the biblical principle of absolute truth.
Let's put it simply, to reach the moon, the position of the rocket - towards
up or down - it is very important. A suspension bridge that
extends across the San Francisco Bay can support the weight of thousands of thousands
of cars, trucks, and trains for many years because it was built
about absolute truths that do not change and are predictable. Think about it, do you

Would you board a plane if the laws of physics changed every day?

The evil trinity

The relativity of truth does not work in science nor in matters

of moral. It may take time to verify the results in everyday life,
but does living according to the truth or according to the really have consequences
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lie. Currently, the living standards of Western nations are the

the highest in the world because their leaders, even those who are not disciples of
Christ, they still act according to biblical principles. The echo of God's voice still
resonates in our constitutions, laws, languages, and cultures. Furthermore, the
Western believers control more than 50 percent of the wealth.10Sin
embargo, in a few generations of greed, corruption, and injustice,
Unrestrained, Western countries can sink into poverty.
There is nothing more to see than the many nations confined in poverty today for

cause of the evil trinity of greed, corruption, and injustice. Four years ago
years ago, I visited the Congo, then called Zaire. The dictator Mobutu ruled and
the country was exploding. He had accumulated a fabulous personal wealth based on the
corruption. Mobutu had enough money in his personal accounts, in banks
Swiss, as if to settle the national debt of all African countries and continue
being the richest man on the continent. While visiting the country, the banks
they collapsed. I tried to exchange currencies, but the employee told me that I couldn't.

help me -they had no money in the bank-. And yet, the Congo has
vast amounts of gold, silver, diamonds, copper, oil, and many others
valuable articles. Despite its great resources, it is one of the countries most
poor of the land. Their history is tragic: the colonial powers looted the
Congo for many years; then, greedy dictators and warlords
they continued doing it.

We can lose everything

We are currently witnessing this type of corruption spreading.

through the West. We have had recent examples in Western governments, in
the United Nations and in the business world. Representatives of companies
multinational companies operating in new international markets feel increasingly
a greater pressure that tempts them to conform to local practices of
bribes. They are told that this is the price they have to pay for doing
business in certain parts of the world
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A group of lawyers called Transparency International has worked hard

to fight against the corruption of governments and companies around the world. The
group publishes a Corruption Perception Index to draw attention
international against this entrenched evil.11As believers, we must applaud
the efforts of this organization that seeks to curb the expansion of the
corruption.
Nevertheless, publishing an index and granting a press conference will never be
sufficient. Without a standard for truth, who will be able to establish what is and what
What is corrupt? It is essential to cling to the Bible. Thanks to it, it is possible
to know the absolute truth. In the Word of God we discover the truth that us
will make free.

Chapter 19

We are responsible for living according to the truth.

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The fourth transformative principle of nations is also found in the

first chapters of Genesis: we are responsible for living according to the truth.
God gave Adam and Eve the responsibility to take care of the garden but also gave them
prohibited eating from a certain tree. We all know the tragedy that took place
when they acted irresponsibly and dismissed the truth, preferring
listen to the lies of the serpent.
God continues to show us the truth today and we have the responsibility.
to obey her.1Since it is not possible for us to know the truth, we have the
responsibility to organize our lives according to it and to seek more
truth.2
We cannot escape this reality, even though we try to deny its existence.
of God. A German friend of mine, Friedrich Schock, a retired industrialist, participated in the
politics of your country. He told me that he once attended a meeting in Berlin, in the
days leading up to the fall of the Soviet Union. At the meeting, Mr.
Schock heard the Soviet minister of culture and religion say that no nation
it can be governed unless there is morality in the people. And it could not
there is morality without religion. He then added that he was an atheist, so he did not understand

how this would be true.

The Soviet minister was telling the truth despite himself. The source of the
morality is a just and good God who always chooses to do good. God created
moral beings who distinguish between good and evil and are responsible for choosing between

both. By choosing the good, we opt for the truth and live according to the model
in which God created us. This brings blessing to our countries.
The founders of the United States of America knew that their new
the system of government would only work with honest citizens and
responsible. One of its founders, Samuel Adams, declared: "One dissolution
General principles and modes would undoubtedly undermine the freedoms of the country.
before the full force of the common enemy. As long as the people are virtuous, not
can be subjected; but once it loses its virtue, it is ready to give up its
freedom before the first internal or external invader.3
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Despite what is often heard, the Scriptures and faith affected

deeply to the vast majority of the Founding Fathers.4A review of
fifteen thousand writings of the Founding Fathers of the United States reveals that the
94 percent of his quotes were supported, directly or indirectly, by the Bible.5

Demolished foundations

Have Americans clung to the ideals of their Founding Fathers?

Founders? Has the country where I was born been responsible? Has it used wisely
the blessings he inherited? No. Far from it. My heart saddens when
I realize how far the United States have strayed from their
biblical foundations.
Daniel Webster, great American senator and secretary of state of three
presidents, declared in the 19th century: "Let us not forget the religious character of
our origin. Our parents arrived here thanks to the high esteem in which
they had the Christian religion... They sought to incorporate its principles in every sector
of their society and spread their influence through all their institutions: civil,
political, or literary.6
The United States has received much truth and is responsible for living according to it.

to her. Who can discern what disasters will ravage this country if they continue
abandoned his great inheritance?

Responsibility = Response according to capacity

Justice is called to decisions and responsible behavior.

Irresponsibility is called sin. The Book teaches us through its pages.
that whenever the people obey God, they receive certain blessings. When
disobey, receive curses.
Upon hearing about blessings or curses, one could imagine that God intervenes in
each case to provide them. But I believe rather that the law that acts is the law of faith
sowing and the harvest. Certain actions bring about certain results. Automatically.
Even at the organic level.
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Think of responsibility as "a response in accordance with one's own

capacity to obey the truth." Those who manifest often demand more
rights, more authority. But have you ever seen a crowd of
demonstrations crying out for more responsibility? Normally we want
fruits without good roots.
Imagine that a nation were a tree. Its roots extend throughout the
ground of their worldview – that is, the general perception of reality they have
the nation-. What a nation believes to be true forms its roots. From the roots
the trunk grows -the values of the nation-. The branches of the tree are its laws,
norms and customs. The leaves are their various forms of cultural expansion. The
fruit would be well represented by freedom and prosperity, or by the
slavery and poverty. Finally, the seeds inside the fruit would begin again.
the process and they would fill the land as they were spread by the
sowers.
Can the seeds in a fruit be counted? Yes. But it cannot be done.
count the potential fruit that a seed contains. The fruit of the tree - the
multiplication of blessings or curses - comes from the roots and the trunk - the
value and belief scale of a country - A belief system embraced by
a critical mass or significant sector of the population of a country can produce,
the benefits of truth, or the ruin of lies.
In recent years, I have noticed that many countries wish to become
democracies. But for democracy to function, it must have citizens.
responsible. One cannot enjoy the fruits of democracy without the roots and
the trunk of truth and biblical morality. For democracy to function
in an optimal way, a country must have a significant number of citizens who
have in the word of God your government manual for every sphere of the
society.

The minority governs

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Democracy presupposes the rule of the majority. But the Bible does not speak of
majorities. It speaks of the power of a just remnant, or minority.7The Word of God
shows what the resolution of a few can achieve to change the
the course of an entire country. An example is Gideon. He and a few men
chosen ones crushed a wicked and powerful majority, and led Israel to
a new obedience and faith in God.8
The same has happened throughout history: it is often the minority that
governs. We already saw, in chapter 14, how a minority of believers, in Geneva,
he read the Old Testament, and seeing the mercy that God had with the
refuge cities, extrapolated the idea to help refugees.9One
just minority put this biblical principle into practice in Geneva and built
additional plants in their homes to accommodate refugees. They created a legacy
of mercy in Switzerland towards refugees that has lasted until today
today.
It is important to remember this, or we will feel defeated before we even start.
Perhaps you have thought to yourself: I strive to do what is right,
but I am just one person. There are so many who live wicked lives! How can my
Life to make a difference?
Remember that Jesus said we are the salt of the earth.10Think about it for a
instant. Salt is a simple substance, an extraordinarily unique element.
Ordinary. When added to a dish, it becomes invisible. But a small
the amount is noticeable - it adds flavor and preserves food.
We don't have to be great and powerful. We don't have to show up at all.
The nights on television or being the world's leading expert in our specialty.
The only thing we have to do is maintain our salinity. To be who God
wants us to be and fulfill our part. If we don't, if we lose the
saltiness, as we are warned in Matthew 5, we will be useless and will not serve for
the building of the kingdom of God.
Remember who is in charge of the total project: the all-powerful Creator of
universe. He is the one who has the complete perspective in mind, the one who knows what
we have to do and how it will all end. He is the one who designed you and who has
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power to carry out his plan. He will use her and take advantage of her obedience of the
most appropriate way to help heal a battered world.

Chapter 20
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Why are nations rich or poor?

What destroys a nation? Simply put, the abandonment of the Word of God.
–especially the foundational ideas found in the first chapters of
Genesis-. When a nation abandons these, it begins to self-destruct. There is no
exception. No leadership or power or economic well-being is permanent.
Let's return to glance over the foundational truths of the word of God... but this
times, leveled with the consequences of abandoning this Word:
Who is God: the truth of God is exchanged for a lie.
Who we are: we lose sight of who we are, created to
image of God, man and woman, equal in value.
Immutable and knowable truth: we lose the idea that truth is
real and immutable and that it is possible to know it.

The responsibility of man to live according to the truth: we deny.

the responsibility for our actions, both individual and
corporately.
If a nation loses these foundations, it may be reduced to
underdevelopment. And it can occur in three or four generations.

What makes the difference?

Accompany me to a scene that I have had the opportunity to witness.

frequently. One can be seen at the doors of any embassy
Western in a developing country. A tropical sun wounds heads and
backs of people standing in a long queue. They wear their best clothes, almost
as if they were attending a wedding or a church.
Occasionally, the door opens and a breeze gets away.
conditioned: one more person is allowed to enter. The rest stay outside,
standing, balancing their weight, wiping the sweat. Mothers try to calm the
those irritated children. Many carry hope from before dawn. To
As noon approaches, the line grows, twisting outside the building, but
 131

nobody gives up. People patiently wait for their turn to request a
visa, driven by the hope of moving to a better country. Those who do not
They can come in today, return tomorrow and the day after and the day after that. None

the annoyance is too great.

People want a better future for their children and for themselves, they stand in line.
in the embassies of all Western nations. But no one is lining up at the
door of the embassies of Cuba, or Sudan, or India Why not? Why not
Millions of people are trying to obtain permanent residency in those nations?
What differentiates nations? Why are some rich and others not?
they are very poor, forcing their citizens to leave their country in search of
a better life?

Impediments to human potential

In more than fifty years of continuous travel, I have observed that there are three

causes that lead to the impoverishment of countries and prevent their people from developing

its full human potential. These three things, which we call the evil trinity
In chapter 18, it is unrestrained greed, corruption, and injustice.
three oppose the character of God, the way he designed us and to the
responsibility to live according to the truth.
I have seen the effects of these three evils in one poor country after another. This does not

it means that all the citizens of those countries are greedy, corrupt or
unjust. But those characteristics prevail. If a significant amount or mass
criticism of people in influential positions who are dominated by greed
unbridled, corruption will continue - they will practice and accept bribery and
extortion-. Great injustices will inevitably occur.
What do I mean by 'critical mass'? It is not a defined percentage, although
we could say between 25 and 35 percent. It's not even about a
majority. It is known that an event has reached a critical mass when it
It perceives the change in the cultural tone of a society. It is a bit of an inflection.
A few years ago, while traveling in a taxi, a Filipino driver complained about
corruption in the person of President Marcos. I asked him:
 132

-How do you know he is corrupt?

-Because he bribed people to vote for him -the man replied.
-How do you know? -I insisted.

Well, they gave me money and I voted for him.

That taxi driver didn't realize that Marcos wasn't the only corrupt one.
dishonest government officials can only act if they find people
dishonest that is willing to collaborate with them.
All countries have citizens sold to greed, corruption, and the
injustice. But when such people become a dominant influence, they
they destroy the country.

Similarly, although not the whole country follows God, the country can begin to
getting up. We have been looking at ways in which nations destroy themselves
the same. But the same principles act in the opposite direction in any country that
keeps greed at bay with a spirit of generosity, any country that
Practice justice and honesty in government, and you can see your economy grow.
and their freedoms.

Why are we so poor?

Why are we so poor? –This question was posed to me at a meeting.

with the cabinet and the highest authorities of a West African country. In
September 1996, I received a phone call asking me if I accepted
interview me with President Mathieu Kérékou of Benin.
President Kérékou was a former dictator. In the past, he had been
communist and atheist. He was a close friend of Kim Il Sung from North Korea. He visited

even this country, which has the sad reputation of having the regime
the strictest communist in the world, in order to imitate his model.
In 1990, President Kérékou saw that communism was sinking in
everyone. And he decided that democracy was better than communism, because
that announced to the people that they could soon choose their next president. Called
free elections and the people deprived him of power.
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Four years later, Mathieu Kérékou met Christ and envisioned his
habitual enthusiasm for his new faith. Although he had been a communist and a radical atheist, he

he became a fervent follower of Jesus. He immediately began to bear witness to the

Mr. to his people. In 1996, he was elected president.
President Kérékou had read my books. I suppose he thought he could
trust me. So he invited me to show him how to be a leader according to the
word of God. Many inhabitants of the country are Muslims or practitioners of
Voodoo, but he believed that things could change.
After meeting with him privately, President Kérékou asked me to
I would address his cabinet of ministers and deputies, about thirty in total.
After speaking to the group, the leaders of Benin raised some questions to me.
questions. One of the cabinet members asked me: "Why are we so
Poor? We are one of the fifteen poorest countries on earth." Then he tried
answer your own question: "Benin only has five natural resources." And the
named.
I replied that they were not poor because they lacked natural resources.
“Look at Switzerland! They have very few resources and yet they are rich.” I added.
that the prosperity of Switzerland was due to the demand for its products. They manufacture

a chocolate bar or a watch, everyone knows that the Swiss work with
precision. Moreover, one cannot have precision without integrity. The Swiss have
integrity. They also hold a high regard for justice and generosity - each
the population has some kind of charitable project, especially for
refugees.
You need a significant mass of people with integrity and with
character," I told President Kérékou and his cabinet. "Benin will prosper when
"You can find quite a few people who display this kind of character." I looked around.
I noticed they were really listening to me. When I left there, I left.
convinced that I had told them the truth - that he is capable of changing his country.
A real change will come for Benin and other countries when they abandon practices.
like voodoo and how many people are transformed into submission to the word of
God. It takes more than one generation. No nation is built overnight.
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in the morning. The building of character takes time, both in individuals

like in the nations.
Integrity is very important for a country's economy. It cannot be
trusting people who deceive to occupy crucial positions, such as engineering or
the construction of skyscrapers or the manufacturing of airplanes. Integrity
It is also very important when it comes to managing investments, banking or
any type of transactions. If a person lies, they will lie both in the
great things like in small ones. No one wants dishonest people
build your bridges, because they will not hold. Nor can it be allowed that
dishonest people manipulate their pension funds.

Those who have and those who do not have

It is not enough for a country to have a small group of honest people. It makes
It lacks a critical mass or significant number. There has to be some level of
percentage in a population that is honest and upright for a country to enjoy
a good economy. Think of the countries where excellent works are carried out
of engineering. Consider the places where people invest their savings. Notice that
the countries where automobiles or other precision instruments are manufactured
countries will always have a healthy percentage of citizens of solid integrity
People, not just physical resources, are the true resources of
a country. Consider this: how much is a handful of sand worth? Two pennies? A
penny? Not even that. However, it is possible to turn a handful of sand
in microchips. Someone became a millionaire and created jobs for millions of
people taking advantage of that idea.
The people who use the gifts that God has granted them in a society
Freedom produces wealth. It is not a matter of resources. Some of the countries
the poorest have incredible natural wealth: like Sierra Leone, the Congo
and Mozambique. Some very rich countries, such as Switzerland, Singapore, and Japan have

Few resources. What is it due to? Why do some countries become rich?
while others remain poor?
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God bless America... and every other country on earth!

Has God blessed some countries more than others? No, I believe that God
it is impartial and fair. The most quoted verse in the Bible, John 3:16, declares even to
What point God loved the world. God has granted gifts to everyone. The use
what is done with those gifts is what determines the success of individuals and the
nations.
The greatest gift of God is His Son Jesus, who was given to us to save us from
our sins. He has given us another invaluable gift, which is for everyone
peoples: the Bible. What adjectives can be given to a book that contains a
fundamental understanding of all human problems, the steps to
obtain health and happiness and the foundational blocks to achieve greatness in
every area of society? That book is a priceless gem. A true treasure
national.
The Book is the greatest blessing a person can receive, after the
redemption that is in Christ this Book is the greatest blessing that one can receive
person, after the redemption that is in Christ. This Book is not just
instructions to reach heaven, even though that is wonderful and essential. Show
also valid principles for people and nations to face
any problem that arises regarding the earth. Having the Bible and the
applying its truth in every sphere of society is what makes a nation
be big and free.
You may be thinking of some exception to what was said. What would we say about
Japan? If applying the Bible were the reason a country prospers, why
Japan - a country with few believers - has developed so much? We will discuss Japan
and some special cases in part 4.
Note that it is not enough to have the Bible to receive blessings, but one must
to study it and apply it. Every treasure must be used. Jesus taught us, in the
parable of the talents, what is expected of us is to invest our treasure,
not that we keep it and bury it.1
Maybe you have heard cases of some people who seemed poor, and they
they sustained themselves on miserable diets, lived in run-down places, and wore tattered clothes
 136

ragged. But after his death, to everyone's surprise, it was found that
Those beggars had a pile of money hidden under the mattress.
We could do the same with the Bible. It is a treasure that we have to put in
circulation. It must be applied, invested in our lives and in those of others.
Rodean. Only by extracting the substance that the Bible contains is power obtained to
transform our person and our nation.
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Part 4
Are there exceptions to the rule?

Chapter 21

Japan: Partial obedience, partial blessing

 138

Throughout this book we have considered a basic idea: whenever there is

a significant number of people who put into practice the truths
contained in the word of God, their lives and their nations are transformed.
Let's now look at the apparent contradictions that aim to deny validity to
this idea. What to say about the advances made by the Egyptians, the Chinese,
the Arabs and other great cultures of the past? People who did not know the
They built pyramids, employed embalming techniques that even today
we do not know, they invented gunpowder and paper, the concept of zero in
mathematics and achieved other milestones throughout history.
Knowledge is always available to be discovered when the
people apply the talents that God has granted them to seek Him. We are
talking about the level at which knowledge and wealth are generalized. While
that cultures without the Book were able to discover truths that God had
hidden in creation –as mathematical formulas and methods for building
pyramids - knowledge did not transform their societies for most people
remained poor and ignorant. The explosion of wealth and knowledge only
it occurred when the Bible was put into the hands of a greater number of people.

What about Japan?

What can be said about the modern success story of Japan, a country in which only
Does 6 percent still follow Christ?1Japan is rich and productive, yet its culture is not
It is based on the Bible. How can this be? Is this exception perhaps
Does it disauthorize our thinking? Japan has one of the most
strongest in the world. Dominates the electronics industry and manufactures reliable watches
like Seiko and valued cars like Honda and Toyota. The bridge in the
Outside of Kobe is a triumph of engineering, one of the most complicated bridges.
and precise ones that have been built in the world.
Why have the Japanese achieved excellence? Because their culture upholds
a biblical truth: honesty in relation to material possessions and the
companies. Part of that honesty comes from old cultural practices. Others
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influences are due to pious people who acted behind the scenes, in
critical moments in the history of Japan.
In the early 1970s, I arrived at the central station of Osaka and visited a wide ...
underground area full of shops. I was there with Jonathan, son of a missionary
who had been raised in Japan. A crowd of people passed in front of us,
part of the million people who pass through that station every day.
I was surprised to note that my young colleague had left his wallet on
his suitcase leaning on the floor. He was not paying any attention, so
I stayed vigilant to prevent someone from taking her away.
-Loren, come here for a moment. I want to show you something -said Jonathan, walking away.

towards one of the reins-. I protested:

-But Jonathan! What about the wallet and the suitcase?
Well, that's fine. This is Japan.
Despite my distrust, we left his suitcase with his wallet on top and
We went to see the store. The crowd of people did not allow us to see the suitcase from
where we were. After about ten minutes we returned. His things
were intact. Later, I told a missionary in Tokyo about my experience. He
he declared: 'They could have left a lot of money on top of the suitcase all day and
No one would have taken it, unless a foreigner passed by.
Of course, Japan has changed in recent years due to consumption of
drugs and other problems. But many people remain very honest in
relationship with personal belongings.

Partial obedience, partial blessing

I told these cases to some Japanese shepherds of souls and one of them said to me
he said:
Wait a moment! We are not that honest. We lie to each other quite often.
the others. We do it to maintain the reputation.
Yes, and although they occupy the second place in the world economy, they have a
high rates of suicides, alcoholism, and dysfunctional families are blessed in their
economy, but not in its relationships.2
 140

The Japanese pastor revealed an important fact. When one obeys

partially the Book of God, partial blessings are obtained. The Japanese
they have been financially blessed thanks to their honesty regarding
to material things. But they have suffered a plague of social problems due to
his dishonesty in personal matters.

Hidden yeast in Japan

There is another factor that has contributed to Japan's economic success: the

rarely known influence of a specific person that provoked a

tremendous impact on the country.
Jesus used the metaphor of yeast to refer to his kingdom, a kingdom that
It exists within people, but it affects the whole society.3When I was
little, I used to watch my mother make homemade rolls. She would show me a
little piece of yeast that I hid in the dough, which was enough for the whole
raising mixture.
Who can ensure at what precise moment the yeast causes the dough to rise?
and does it transform? It is not surprising that Jesus used this example to explain
the kingdom of God, showing how a few people can quietly but
effectively, affect a nation.

William Merrell Vories

Here is a good example of what happened in Japan in the twentieth century. A

a man withdrawn from the world was one of the most important agents of change
the country. I recently learned its history, despite having visited Japan in
numerous occasions. A few years ago, in Switzerland, my wife Darlene and I
We stayed at some friends' house while they were away. From their
crowded bookstore, an old book titled "Adventurers for" caught my attention.
God. How interesting! I said to myself, and I took it off the shelf. It opened up by the

Chapter about Japan, dedicated to the history of William Merrell Vories. Next,
I started reading. Her love, Clarence Hall, was the editor-in-chief of Reader's Digest.
in the days that followed World War II.4
 141

Hall reports that Vories arrived in Japan in 1905. Although he studied

architecture, Vories established himself in Japan determined to win souls for Christ. Not
he was a missionary in the classical sense, but he decided to live for Christ in front of the
Japanese. He moved to one of the most remote parts of the interior of Japan.
because I wanted to find a little inconspicuous place that wouldn't draw attention to
other missionaries.5
Vories obtained a job as an English teacher in OmiHachiman (currently
Shiga Prefecture call). In his spare time, he offered Bible studies. Many
young people were getting converted and their families were throwing them out of the house. After a while,

many ended up living with the missionary in his small home. Vories
I needed more space, so I raised money to build a facility.
wider, with bedrooms and a room for Bible study and breaks.
The problems pursued Vories in the inland lands. He defeated so many.
youths for Christ that the Buddhist priests were alarmed. The priests
they incited scoundrels to attack the new converts with bats of
baseball and they managed to get the provincial newspaper to write a series of articles
denouncing Vories and Christianity. Finally, they pressured a school.
so that they could remove Vories from his teaching position.
After two years of work, Vories found himself alone in a distant land.
without means of subsistence, in a community of young people who were waiting to receive

your address.

A radical experiment

As I was keeping vigil in prayer one night and asking God what I could do,
Vories remembered his architecture studies. Why not create a
company? Founding an architecture firm in such a remote place was beyond
all commercial sense. But he did it, and started teaching the trade to his young ones.
conversos.
In a short time, Vories and his group of architect brothers directed a
influential Japanese design firm. Vories discovered how to build buildings
able to withstand the frequent earthquakes of the country. In the 1950s, the
 142

the company designed and built 2,800 structures, spread throughout the country. Without
embargo, it was his radical style, which reflected Christ in their personal lives and
professionals, what really left a mark in the country.
The men formed 'companies with a mission,' which later
they were called the Omi Brotherhood even though they made quite a bit of money like

architects only earned enough to cover their basic needs.

Vories and the other members of the brotherhood survived with an average of
sixty-two dollars a month, regardless of the role of each one
exercised.6
Men devoted the rest to a whole range of humanitarian initiatives and
of evangelization: establishment of churches, other preaching points and
Sunday schools. The Omi brothers funded the studies of many.
pastors, and then they supported them in their ministry. The brotherhood also founded
a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients and many schools. On weekends and during the
nights, they left their drafting tables to preach and teach in the villages.
Their Sunday schools and Bible study groups gave rise to new
churches. The brotherhood also sent postcards with the message
virtually all homes in the country.

Mentholatum, the 'Jesus medicine'

Over time, the Omi Brotherhood diversified and opened

departments: educational, industrial, religious, and philanthropic. Vories was also
able to obtain the manufacturing rights of Mentholatum ointment in the
Japan. After designing a model factory, I hire hundreds of
workers. In a short time, they distributed eight million jars of Mentolatum
throughout Japan each year. The Omi Brotherhood printed a special label for
each jar, inviting people to learn more about Christ in a course
biblical by correspondence this led to thousands of new believers throughout the
country. In fact, in rural areas, people began to call Mentholatum the
Jesus' medicine.
 143

In all the companies of the brotherhood, Vories sought a "demonstration

practice of a Christianized economy in today's world.7
Closure due to regret

Perhaps the greatest contribution of the brotherhood was to teach the country a new
way to manage a corruption until then, corruption and bribery were
they consider normal - the way of doing business -. Vories made it clear that
Christian principles had to be in all workplaces, from the
drawing board to the complete structure.8This ruled out offering or accepting
bribes. Offering a bribe to the significant brotherhood means losing them as
architects – or for the contractors, to miss the opportunity to work on the
buildings.
The Omi brothers also established humanitarian working conditions.
They established a forty-eight hour workweek and did not allow any
I work on my day off. They defended the value of taking care of the workers,
they discarded swollen salaries for the highest-ranking employees and
they focused on serving the country by producing necessary quality goods
at reasonable prices consequently, no strike was organized nor
it produced abandonment of some of its plants.

It's no surprise that many industrialists approached from all points of the
country to marvel at the modern factories of Vories and study their principles
of administration. When the industrialists asked him to give a lecture about
his successes. Vories took the opportunity to teach biblical principles of
economics, management and business.
The brotherhood also reinforced personal integrity within its ranks.
When four young members were caught committing a moral offense,
In 1918, Vories made a public penitence by closing its offices and suspending everything.
I have been working at your company for three days. He declared: "Only an organization that is

willing to die for love of her principles is capable of living.9

Vories married the daughter of a noble in 1919. Some feared that that
delicate aristocrat, named Maki, committed her life to discipline and
devotion. Instead, both moved to a humble little house and dedicated
 144

its energies to develop a modern system of schools, playgrounds,

night nursing schools and continue with the educational programs of
its workers.
In 1940, an important Tokyo newspaper honored Vories as 'first citizen'
from OmiHachiman, and one of the first in Japan.10Vories finally obtained the
Japanese citizenship in January 1941. Eleven months later, the Japanese attack.
about Pearl Harbor plunged him into deep despair.

Chapter 22

The great transformation of Japan

 145

During the war, the industries of the Omi Brotherhood halted their
production, their schools were confiscated and their religious work was hindered.
The youngest members were recruited by the army and many died.
The military took over most of their facilities. Only the
the Japanese army's need for Mentholatum prevented the brotherhood
will close permanently.
Then the military chiefs spread the rumor that Vories was a
American spy. Emperor Hirohito sent his brother to OmiHachiman.
to show his support and divert the attack against him
architect/missionary.
During the last seven months of war, Vories and his wife took refuge in
the mountains. They walked through the hills searching for edible leaves and herbs
to avoid starving to death. However, their deplorable situation experienced a
rapid change when the Allies defeated Japan and the occupation began
the United States. Vories found himself in a unique situation: he was American from
birth but he had become a completely business man
well-versed in Japanese customs, and enjoyed a great reputation throughout the
country. I became a liaison officer between the new government and the forces of
North American occupation, and he divided his time between the Imperial Palace and the
Allied headquarters in Japan.

Help an old enemy

During the reconstruction period, Vories extended the yeast again.

gospel and biblical principles. General Douglas MacArthur, commander
supreme of the allied powers, set out to rebuild the former enemy country,
instituting a wide range of benevolent reforms. MacArthur made a
famous call for ten thousand missionaries to go teach the Japanese to
to live a new lifestyle –although only a few hundred responded to the
called.1
The other allies pressured General MacArthur to punish the
Japanese people and all their leaders. The Russians threatened to invade the country.
 146

and occupy the part that corresponded to them to ensure that justice was served.
But MacArthur prevailed. The general wrote to the Secretary of the Treasury of the
United States, Henry Morgenthau, telling him that he wanted to 'take to the land of
our defeated enemy solace, the hope and faith of Christian ethics.2
General MacArthur established ambitious reform projects for the country.
He lifted all the restrictions that weighed on political activities,
civilians and religious figures. He brought the worst Japanese war criminals to justice.
justice. Released political prisoners. Launched food programs for
help the peasants who had been forced to fight and pay taxes
exorbitant during the war. He ordered the American troops not to
they would eat no food that the people needed the people and begged the government for
the United States will send more food.

Future tycoons in the class photo

In view of such good faith efforts, the Japanese people began to believe
that the United States would help their country.3General MacArthur sponsored the
new constitution of Japan based on the model of the United States. Women
they obtained the right to vote, and the first democratically elected assembly
guaranteed the equality of women and men before the law. Soon opened
universities for women and they held official positions. MacArthur
established a new education system. Also attracted entrepreneurs
carefully chosen Americans to help the Japanese to
lay the foundations of a new economy. Years later, I saw a photo in a
Forbes magazine, taken during that time. Several young Japanese were posing.
with her American teacher. I read the names of the students and recognized
some who are today linked to famous firms in the global economy.
The Japanese took action in the critical years that followed the Second World War.
World a deep self-examination. They waged war for reasons
religious as well as nationalistic. The Japanese believed that their emperor
he was a god and that his race was superior to the others. When his crushing defeat
discredited such beliefs, they opened up to new ideas.
 147

A man who had earned their trust along the way cleared the path for them.
from the years: Vories. In Adventurers for God, Clarence Hall states: 'Under the
benevolent reforms of MacArthur, strongly accentuated by religious faith,
Vories discovered that the Japanese longed for greater knowledge of
Christianity.4
Vories received invitations to give lectures at universities, celebrate
evangelization meetings and interviewing government officials to address
the "spiritual aspects of democracy". The imperial palace called him several times.
times to debate "Christian democracy" with the emperor.5
There was another important change. The new constitution stipulated equality in the
Japanese town. Thanks to Vories' effort, this equality included Eta, which
it was a "filthy class" that had been marginalized for many centuries, of a
similar to the 'untouchables' of India. It was another way in which God
he blessed after the evil of the years of war. He forged a new beginning for
Japan using a missionary, a general, and an open and needy people.
When the Americans helped the Japanese rebuild their country, it
which included a new constitution, they accepted aspects of the culture
American based on the Book. However, Japanese honesty in
As for material possessions, a basic principle of their culture was coming.
much further than what the North Americans could teach them. This value
cultural, plus the effect of the hidden yeast, like William Vories and the
Omi brotherhood helped make the economic resurgence of Japan possible.
Everyone is responsible for obeying the truth of God, every person and everyone.
nation. In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 28 assures us that if
we obey the principles of the Book, we will be blessed; if we disobey them,
We will be cursed. If we do what God has commanded, we will be blessed.
here on earth, even if we do not have a Bible or know Jesus, the
the greatest blessing of all. God's statutes are relevant, even if they are
observed by non-believers, as in Japan. On the other hand, if we do not obey
the principles of the Word of God, we will taste failure and defeat. That is
 148

true for every nation on earth, regardless of how great it may be

was his inheritance.

Chapter 23

Africa: Great challenges, great hopes

 149

I have ministered in all the countries of Africa and have visited that continent year.
three years since 1961. I love being present in large gatherings
of African believers, participating in their exuberant praise and celebration.
In December 2002, I had the privilege of participating in an outdoor gathering.
free and address more than a million Nigerians gathered. My friend Reinhard
Bonnke often preaches before audiences of up to two million people, in
Africa, where a great number of conversions and spectaculars occur.
miracles of healing.
I marvel at the energetic evangelization of the Africans and of the
growth of the Church in 1900, less than 10 percent of Africans were
followers of Christ. In 2000, the proportion of individuals who considered themselves
part of the Church exceeded 45 percent.1The proportion rises to almost the
70 percent in some sub-Saharan regions.2
African believers are also extending beyond their
national and regional borders. Many Africans have arrived in Europe as
missionaries, to seek to revive a faith that is languishing. In the year 2000, it
I estimated about thirteen thousand African missionaries serving in cultures different from the.

suyas.3
Despite everything, Africa breaks my heart.

Stalked by tragedy

Across the African continent, its peoples suffer great hardships.

personal and economic. Many countries struggle in extreme poverty,
famine, drought, corruption, civil wars, and diseases.4
AIDS has wiped out an entire generation and sown more hunger and more
poverty. In some countries, the rate of people infected with the HIV virus reaches 40
percent - more than seven times the global average.5With only 10 percent of the
world population, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for nearly two-thirds of all
victims of AIDS.6
Almost twenty-three million Africans suffer from it.
 150

One drowns in figures of this kind - they are too much to assimilate -.
relief agencies are announcing to us that there are entire villages populated only by children,

where girls and boys cultivate the land and search for food for their siblings
younger sisters. Twelve million African children have lost one or
the two parents due to AIDS.7Twelve million! Think of a city of
the size of New York multiplied by one and a half, populated only by orphans.
It's hard to understand this, but there's more. Its inhabitants have
six million neighbors sacrificed in the civil wars of Sierra Leone, Angola,
Liberia, Congo and Sudan.8The Rwandans killed a million of their
fellow citizens during a hundred chilling days in 1994.9
However, civil wars and the AIDS pandemic are just two of the
calamities threatening Africa. There are many more. We grieve and
God is saddened.

Tribalism, animism, and colonialism

What has the Church failed in? How can we justify these tragedies in a
continent with so many believers? First of all, one must question how many
of the millions of believers are truly loyal to Christ. Animism,
particularly the worship of ancestors and the insistence on fetishes continues.
making many of those attending the church useless.10These pagan paths are
they are firmly rooted by an even greater African loyalty: the
loyalty to the tribes. Tribalism is at the root of the civil wars that so many
they have exterminated.

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with tribes. Acts 17:26 assures that
God made all nations. The word 'ethné' is translated here as 'nation', and
equates to the word tribe. In Scripture, God blessed the tribes when they
they aligned with His Word and broke the influence of animistic religions,
or others based on nature.11Currently, the tribes of Africa must
breaking centuries of slavery due to false beliefs. As long as loyalty
the tribal traditions come into conflict with the truth of the Word of God,
The paths of God must prevail. These will free Africa.
 151

We are also guilty

I believe that part of the blame for the troubles that Africa suffers lies with the
Western Church. We have been more faithful in obeying the mandate of Christ,
expressed in Mark 16:15, to preach the good news of salvation to all
creature, that obeying his command in Matthew 28:19-20, to teach all the
nations. Generations of faithful missionaries led many Africans to
Christ. But, were they taught the principles of the Word of God about how
form their families, manage their businesses and govern their countries?
Colonialism also contaminated the missionary work in Africa for more than a hundred years.

years. The same countries that sent missionaries also sent the
colonial explorers. The West laid the foundations for the distressing wars
civil wars that have occurred recently. The European colonial powers
they tore apart some ethnic groups and grouped others, drawing the borders
that suited their own interests. Sometimes, foreigners, with little
understanding of local dynamics, placed minority tribes in positions
advantageous over larger tribes.
Perhaps the greatest offense inflicted upon them was the paternalistic treatment.
too long, the missionaries relegated the converts to a kind of
perpetual childhood, without instruction for leadership. In East Africa, a young man me
he confessed: "The missionaries taught us to read, but the communists gave us
Something to read: I remember a story I heard in 1961, when the dominance
colonialism was coming to an end everywhere. A group of people sat down in the
riverbank of the Congo to patiently await the arrival of "freedom". They thought
that it was something, something that would arrive on a barge along the river.

Where would Africa be today if there had been a John Calvin or a Hans?
Nielsen Hauge, in the 19th century, who scrutinized the Scriptures and taught the people.
to build pious countries?
One Bible, one race
 152

The paternalism of the past is deeply rooted. After

preach at a gathering in Nigeria in 1961, and to encourage the local youth to
enrolling in the missions, a veteran missionary scolded me: "Don't you know that
Does God not intend for Africans to be missionaries? We are.
They are natives.
I was surprised by his reaction and I replied: "Your Bibles say the same as the
mine
That racism still exists today. Here is the other side of the coin.
Recently, I witnessed a televised debate. Prominent clerics
Americans were discussing a sexual scandal that had drawn attention.
a lot of media attention. One of the participants is a
evangelical pastor, implied that our ideas about sexual immorality are
cultural, suggesting that the norms of morality are different for African-
Americans compared to whites. This means that the Ten Commandments do not
they would force the blacks just like they force the whites.

These two examples - from Nigeria and the United States - actually reflect,
racism. I respond that there is only one race: the human race. Everyone
we descend from Adam and Eve. And we have only one Bible for this unique race. The
The truths of the Book are valid for everyone. We have all been created in the image.
Through God, we can all know the truth. And we are all responsible for living.
according to the truth in all areas.
Character is developed one decision at a time. Personal salvation
it can come instantly, but character must be cultivated over time
Time. We must teach the principles of the word of God to all the
nations and peoples. As Hans Nielsen Hauge said to his followers: 'This is the
Book of God, useful for all spheres of life.” Hauge believed it and applied it. The
the history of Norway stands out as a monument to the speed with which the Book
it can change a nation.
I have high hopes for Africa. I believe we can see it heal and give.
a radical turnaround. I perceive several glimpses of hope.
African heroes
 153

In recent years, I have noticed that some Africans, both inside and outside
from the continent, they are climbing to positions of prominence. For example:
Until 2007, the African Kofi Annan was Secretary-General of the
United Nations. One of the most influential people in the world is the Secretary.
U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, an African American. His predecessor,
Colin Powell is also African American. The highest paid woman in the world
the show is black: the millionaire and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, who leads a
powerful publishing and media company. And what would it be the
world of sports without Africans, scattered across the planet? Basketball,
baseball, soccer, football, athletics, tennis, boxing – the blacks dominate so much
Olympic sports like the professionals - Pele, Michael Jordan, Tiger
Woods, the Williams sisters... many of the best athletes are
descendants of Africans.
The descendants of Africans have triumphed in the entertainment world, the
television and cinema. Talented comedians like Bill Cosby and many, many
more, they have made millions of viewers laugh. Halle Berry, Denzel Washington,
Jamie Foxx and Morgan Freeman are just some of those who have received Oscars for
his/her great dramatic performances.
Sons and daughters of Africa have enriched the arts and created new styles of
music: jazz, gospel, blues, rock, reggae, hip-hop, and rap. The rhythms and melodies of
These musical forms have spread throughout America and the rest of the world.
In all of them, I hear the distinctive heartbeat with which I went to bed many nights in.

Africa.
These are just a few examples, but I think they represent a trend.
God is showing us that He has great things reserved for Africans -
inside and outside the continent-. When I travel through countries in Africa, I glimpse the

God's dreams for those people. He has poured out so much beauty and treasures.
about this continent...!

What plans does God have for Africa?

 154

Join me on a quick visit to Africa. The largest desert in

world, the Sahara, delights with rolling dunes, golden in the sun. Go to a zoo
it will be a civilized activity after visiting the Kalahari or seeing clouds of dust
And or the roar of thousands of zebras galloping across the Serengeti. Come on,
I climbed a mountain in Kenya and spotted a blue lake in the distance, surrounded by a
belt of soft pink color, due to the number of flamingos splashing around
on its shores. Descend to the plain and watch the elephants and giraffes roam,
stopping to peck at the treetops. The skin bristles at the sound of the roaring of
lions mating or the murmur of crocodiles sliding in the
waters.
If you visit the vast emerald-colored jungles of the west, or the great Rift Valley
In the east, you will believe you are in the Garden of Eden.
Stop in the plains and admire the high peak of Kilimanjaro. Your eyes
they will scrutinize the horizon, admire gigantic rocks and two-story anthills.
The shimmering lakes are large enough to hold
populated islands. If you have time, you can get closer to see large rivers such as the
Nile, which flows north from Lake Victoria in Uganda and crosses all
Egypt to flow into the Mediterranean. The Congo River cascades downwards towards
the west until reaching the Atlantic. The Zambezi, with almost 2,600 kilometers of
journey, flows eastward, and rushes over Victoria Falls, one of the
beautiful in the world, to reach the Indian Ocean after crossing
Mozambique.

The greatest riches of the world

Our great artist and Creator has displayed these and other wonders in
Africa. What plans do you have for this continent and its inhabitants? He made more gold.

here, more diamonds, plutonium, and copper than anywhere else on Earth.
Africa has enough arable land to feed a large portion of the
world population. The continent has greater hydroelectric potential than all
the rest of the world, as well as an abundance of coal and oil.12
 155

Wisely used by and for the Africans, the resources of the continent
they can significantly contribute to generating health and prosperity.
Unfortunately, for too long the African peoples have been
enslaved, violated, abused, discarded by prejudice, hated or
simply ignored. Their rich resources have often been exploited and
used by others –or even plundered–, with little or no benefit for the
African own. On the contrary, their wealth attracted foreign exploitation, enriched
dictators and warlords, shed blood and caused famine, and even
modern forms of slavery of some blacks over others.
But God has not forgotten them. During the 20th century, the number of believers in
Africa grew from 8 to 351 million.13Currently, the African congregations
They are sending missionaries and spiritual leaders to all continents. A pastor
Nigerian, Sunday Adelaja, leads the largest church in Europe. I preached in
its church, in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, which has thousands of members in its base, and
branches in various countries.

In Nigeria, Dr. E. A. Adeboye has gathered the largest gathering of believers.

the history of the Church in one place - about seven million people for one
prayer meeting from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM, for three nights, in
1998-.14Pastor Adeboye told me that his church has founded thousands of
congregations in fifty-nine countries.
An African American, Dr. T. D. Jakes, pastors one of the churches most
Greats of the United States, The Potter's House, in Dallas, with 35,000
members.15
I recently visited the waiting room of the Zanzibar prison, where the
Arab merchants sold thousands of African slaves to other Arabs, Europeans
and Americans. I saw the auction stone under a tree, where they were waiting
standing up the slaves –humiliated, beaten, and sold like cattle-. I could only
to admire the swift shift towards greatness that Africans have achieved.
I have great hopes for Africa. One of those that gives me the most hope...
This is George Kinoti, a professor of zoology at the University of Nairobi. The
Mr. Kinoti is like an African Hauge or Carey. He strives to
 156

transform Kenya.16While he, and others like him, rise up in the countries
Africans, to disciple the millions who are coming to Jesus, who
Do you know what could happen? I believe that Africa can be the continent of the
great light, an example for the whole world of God's redeeming power and its
Word. When a significant number of Africans not only read the Bible or the
They cite, but if they don't practice it, Africa will change. It will change radically.

Chapter 24

Latin America: Delayed Hope

 157

I have held Latin America in high regard for a long time. Some of my
early childhood memories evoke sunbaked places along
the Mexican border with Arizona and California, where I made my first friends
Mexicans. When I was a teenager, already in Los Angeles, I liked to listen.
Spanish radio stations and practice my new language. My first trip
missionary, at the age of seventeen, went to Mexico. And when I was already an adult, I visited all

the countries of the continent.

What perspective do we have of Latin America in relation to the Book?

At first glance, it is a region that appears to have been predominantly Christian.
for several centuries. And God has granted this part of the world abundance of all
key to natural resources. But throughout much of its history,
Latin America has been plagued by corrupt and unstable governments. Large
differences divide the peoples into two groups: a handful of rich hold the
power and a mass of poor people remain sunk in the pit, barely existing
middle class among them. How is it possible that Latin American countries have
had Church for so long and have not known the blessings that are here
have we described?
Various important factors have weakened the effect of the Bible on
Latin America: the spirit of the Middle East and the problem of syncretism - mixture
of Christianity and paganism.

The Spirit of the Middle East in Latin America

Firstly, the spirit and worldview of the Middle East permeated the
Latin culture. Remember that the Arabs, a Muslim people, controlled the majority
part of the Iberian Peninsula, later Spain and Portugal, for a few
centuries they arrived 'Islamizing' with the sword in the 8th century. The Arabs did not
they were expelled until the end of the 15th century, when the kings Isabel and Fernando
they conquered the kingdom of Granada, the last Arab stronghold in Spain, in 1492.
When the Spaniards arrived in the New World, the government of Spain, dominated
for Christians, it was still quite new.
 158

There are several symptoms that reflect the influence of the Middle East on Spain and
Portugal. It is noticeable in the Spanish language. For example, the following words in
jewel, knocker, aljife, alcuza, algebra, pillow and others are loans
from Arabic. The typical Spanish exclamation ¡ojalá! comes from inshallah, or 'may it be so.'

what Allah wills.

By observing connections between words, bonds between ideas can be distinguished.
and worldviews. In this way, it can be discerned that Spain and Portugal
they embraced the spirit of the Middle East. They share the same fatalism. The
the belief of 'whatever Allah wants' corresponds to the Spanish expression
What has to be will be. These phrases reveal the common belief that our
decisions do not matter: the future is predetermined.
Another similarity is the machismo idea of masculinity in Latin culture, which
corresponds to the concept that prevails in the Middle East. For example, a
sufficient majority in both cultures assumes that men must
to dominate women. Women have no value in themselves. They only have it
for the contribution made by men. And both cultures have a double
moral regarding the acceptable conduct of each gender. By law
religious, a Muslim can have four wives. In Latin customs, one
accept that a man can have several lovers in addition to a wife.

As cruel as their masters

Another similarity is the story of the conversion from behind. It is known that the
Muslims spread their religion through the cruelest means. They used the sword to
to convert the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula. Some historians assure
that Muslims learned the method of conversion by the sword from the
Christians regressing to Constantine. But in any case, this brutality was
absorbed and transmitted, which caused a lot of bloodshed in the
name of God. Once the peoples of Iberia expelled the Moors,
they themselves continued conquering new lands and repeating the same
behavior. In reality, they were even more oppressive and less tolerant than what
the Arabs would have been in Iberia.
 159

When the conquerors arrived in America, they found a continent bathed

in blood. Many civilizations, such as the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas, had
considerable progress has been made in architecture, medicine, hydraulic engineering,
mathematics, music, and literature. These empires were also warriors at the same time,
conquistadores and slavers. Human sacrifices offered to were common
their gods to appease their anger. Upon the arrival of the conquerors, some of
these empires were immersed in civil wars and deep moral degradation.
So the conquerors displayed the same violent spirit that they already
was quite widespread throughout Latin America.
Queen Isabel demanded that the conquerors with sword in hand were
accompanied by missionaries.1His excuse for proceeding with the conquest is that
they brought the gospel to the pagans. But the conquerors violated the
women and they stole the gold. One story recounts that Balboa's men cut
to the Indians like "butchers cut the beef and lamb for the market."2
The Spaniards normally used dogs to fight against these 'people.
naked,” to tear her apart.3
Imagine what it would be like to hear the gospel in such a context. According to Spanish law, the

catholics could not be enslaved. Therefore, the natives could choose. They were given
asked through an interpreter:
Do you want to be a Christian?

No.
Take him away - he can be a slave in the silver mines.
Then they asked the next one.
Do you want to be a Christian?

Of course. I always wanted to be it.

Then the 'convert' was asked to kneel and was handed over to the
missionary for him to be baptized.
This is how many indigenous peoples were "evangelized" in his article
How did Native Americans respond to Christianity?, Thomas S. Giles
It tells that in 1514, in Central America, a Spanish official was going from village to village.

Before entering it, he and his declared: "Princes and Indians, there is only one
 160

God, a Pope, and a king of Castile who is lord of this country. Come immediately and
Render obedience to him or we will come to wage war against you and we will kill you.
(o) we will make them slaves4
The Bible was missing.

Indigenous peoples may have 'converted', but what Latin America

What was needed was a reform movement. This lack hindered its development.
for centuries. The greatest impediment to the blessing and freedom in
Latin America was the absence of the word of God. Unlike the
European reformers, the first missionaries in the New World did not encourage
the people to read the Bible for themselves. They followed the dictates of the Council of
Trento, which officially removed the Bible from the people, claiming that they should
rely on the Church and its representatives to discern the 'true meaning and
interpretation of the Holy Scriptures5
Of course, many good missionaries sought to serve the people, like
those depicted in the movie The Mission. The Franciscans, the Dominicans, and men.
Like Bartolomé de Las Casas, they sacrificed themselves for the love of the indigenous peoples.

But the predominant cruelty of the early conquerors sowed a

detestable legacy throughout Latin America. Las Casas tells of a native chief in
Cuba, whose name was Hatuey, was asked if he wanted to accept Christianity.
before dying. Hatuey answered with another question: "Did I meet the man
"white in the sky?" When they replied yes, the chief replied: "Then
I prefer not to be a Christian, because I don't want to go to a place where I meet
such cruel men.6

The mixture of Christianity with paganism

Given such heartbreaking stories, it is not surprising that the people

submitted will find ways to cling to their old beliefs. But this is the
second major impediment to the development of Latin America: syncretism, the
mix of the gospel with pagan practices. Many Latinos do not practice at all.
 161

the truth of Jesus Christ, but rather Christopaganism, a mixture of things taken from
from the Bible and from his own past.
There is a cult to the ancient gods and to the Christian saints, a mix of a
ancient god and a familiar figure of the Church. For many, shamans and the
spiritual healers perform a function equal to or greater than that of the clergy. The
New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro is a clear example. Thousands of Christians
nominals gather on the beaches to offer sacrifices of fruits, breaths,
expensive perfumes, liquor, and coins to the spirits, placing their offerings in
small boats that are cast adrift.
I have even heard of clergy who have one foot in each world,
trying to combine Christianity with Macumba or other spiritualist practices.
For some Brazilians, it is common to attend a nighttime ritual, inviting spirits.
demonic beings to take possession of them and then go to mass the next morning.
I know that this behavior saddens many priests and nuns. The
The Bible forbids this type of practices. They are works of darkness. The truth makes
free the people, but lies always lead to slavery. It also leads
to a perpetual poverty, fear, and ignorance.
Despite these things, which have drowned progress for centuries, the good
The news is that Latin America is changing rapidly. The ties are
giving way to the freedom of the Spirit of God in these countries.

Chapter 25
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Winds of the Spirit in Latin America

In recent decades, part of the most spectacular growth of the biblical faith
in the world has taken place in Latin America. If you take a look at the
eloquent figures are not easy to believe. But I have seen growth in a country
after another throughout the region.

Let's take Brazil as an example. In the early 20th century, Gunnar Vingren and
Daniel Berg arrived in Belem, a city located at the mouth of the river.
Amazon. These two young Swedes had been deeply influenced
for the movement of Azuza street.1When they began to preach to the poor
illiterates of the city, thousands began to respond. In a single day, the 19 of
November 1910, Vingren and Berg, under a blazing sun, at 37 degrees of
temperature and with humidity over 95 percent, helped to name
more than fifty thousand converts.2Think about it! It's more than sixteen times the number
of baptisms on Pentecost.3
This inaugurated a movement that has grown to reach more than seventeen
millions in a single denomination, the Assemblies of God of Brazil,4and several
millions more in other Pentecostal denominations and charismatic churches no
non-charismatic evangelical denominations and churches. Or consider Chile. Travel to
this country for the first time in 1961 to visit the Pentecostal Methodist Church of
Santiago. I was told it was the largest evangelical congregation in the world by
At that time, with 160,000 members. One day I was amazed to see in their great
auditorium six hundred guitars, against the wall, arranged for the next
religious service.
Throughout Latin America, the number of evangelicals, Pentecostals and
charismatic ones has not ceased to grow, reaching 151 million in 1990. In the
In 2000, they amounted to 181 million.5

A book they had never seen

 163

How has this spectacular rise been possible? It has come about
mainly as leaders have turned to the word of God, and have
taught his people. For example, I was recently in Mexico City to
give a talk in a large church founded by Pastor Vega. After
teaching eight hundred leaders, I prepared to enter their large auditorium to
attend the Sunday service. While we were waiting with Pastor Vega, I asked him to
he will tell me his story.
-Very simple -he said- I was a layperson, a leader in my church. I have always been a
avid reader, sometimes I read several books a week. Someone gave me a Bible.
I had never seen one in my life! -He added- I started reading it. When I finished it

reading it, I realized that I hadn't understood it, so I read it again.

once, carefully. Then it started to make sense to me.
Later he met with some friends. Eight began to read the Bible.
they studied it and applied it to their lives.

-We keep doing it- said Pastor Vega-. Currently, we are eleven thousand in
our church.
The growth of Pastor Vega's church, and thousands like it, is happening
overflowing to other continents as they send missionaries. In the
Ibero-American Missionary Cooperation Latin American Conference (COMIBAN),
in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1987, Latin leaders declared: "we are no longer a
mission field; now we are a missionary power.6When they made this
declaration, in 1987, there were 1,635 Latin American missionaries working
in other cultures. That figure currently amounts to 8,000, spread across 150
countries.7
The journey to the most difficult places

We have had several thousand young volunteers in our mission.

Latin Americans. They also head to the most difficult places. They are
willing to live in primitive and dangerous conditions. They are bold and fearless.
and they love Jesus with all their heart.
 164

Does all this growth and vitality influence the social fabric of their countries? Yes.
It is clear that for some time now, Latin America is changing. David
Martin, retired sociology professor from the London School of Economics, I have
written about the explosive growth of evangelicals in Latin America,
especially among charismatics and Pentecostals, and of the transformation
that is accompanied.8A complete transformation has not yet occurred,
but a different society is emerging.

Change before our eyes

Martin shows how the message of the gospel is empowering the

social outcasts. The same as the peasant movement of Hauge in
Norway, the poor in South America are learning to abandon habits
harmful, to communicate effectively, and sometimes even, to read. They are
learning to support each other and to discipline their energies and resources.
Martin attributes his economic and social achievements to his biblical beliefs.9
They are slowly raising the middle class, improving themselves as they go.
who apply the principles of the word of God.
Tom Wheaton, a missionary in Brazil, retired, tells about an individual, a member
of your church, which illustrates the transformation that is taking place throughout
Latin America. The man and his family live in Belo Horizonte, the third city.
the largest in Brazil. In the past, they could barely survive. The father had
many difficulties in finding stable work, and his family sometimes went through
hunger. Every week, he spent the little he earned on football pools,
drinking and socializing with women. But when the father converted to Christ,
everything changed. He began to know the word of God and to practice it, and he became a
hardworking employee. Although he still didn't earn much money, his salary was useful.
now to meet the needs of the family: food, clothing, and shoes for the
children. The family moved to a better house. As the father learned to
living according to the Book, the whole family was blessed.
Wheaton states that the same thing has happened to several men of his...
congregation. It is a snapshot of what is happening all over America.
 165

Central and South. Loyalty and integrity are rewarding many thousands.
believers who are carving out a better life. These believers, in
As a consequence, they are also creating a better society.
I have seen Latin America change with my own eyes, as I have done
multiple visits for over fifty years. I used to see unstable governments. A
a pretentious dictator was overthrown by another, who after a long time
was being replaced by another. Corruption was the norm; the politicians
they began their mandate with scarce resources, but ended up being rich. Despite
of oil, metal, and precious stone resources, the economy of countries
Latin Americans were always fragile, a few privileged ones dominated
poor multitudes. But the situation is changing.
In 1992, Something truly remarkable happened: the presidents Fernando
Collor de Melo, from Brazil, and Carlos Andrés Pérez, from Venezuela, were accused
of corruption and removed from their positions. How could this be when such
practices had always been considered normal in the countries
Latin Americans? The word of God was being discovered and applied to the
daily life. Let's consider the example of Chile. Anyone trying today
bribing a police officer is arrested. This does not mean that there is
the corruption of Latin America has disappeared. But things are changing.
public expectations. The same as in South Korea, a law currently applies
superior to that of the country's leaders.
And I have noticed another thing. For

By 1993, Latin American dictators had disappeared. While writing this

lines, all countries, with the exception of Cuba, have freely chosen their
president. There are great challenges ahead - not all leaders
Latin Americans are fair and honest. We have witnessed some setbacks.
recent in stability and freedom, like when the president of Venezuela
he expelled many missionaries.10We may lose some battles like this one,
but total victory is approaching by leaps and bounds. The increase of biblical faith in
Latin America continues at a pace that no one can stop. The transformation of
Latin America is far from being complete, but it is underway.
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Part 5
Let us take the Book of God to the whole world
 167

Chapter 26

Set your gaze on the world

When I was little, back in the '40s, I heard that we should carry the
Gospel to every nation and I stopped to think about how this could be carried out.
So I had an idea. What if we could travel to the moon and find some
how many black rocks, we should write a Bible verse up there for
so that everyone would read it!
But which verse to choose? John 3:16 would be too long. I imagined.
that those rocks would be very heavy and that the less they moved, the better.
So I found a quite short verse: 'God is love.'1I was sure that
if they wrote these letters on black lunar stones all the inhabitants of the
land they could read
Today I smile when I remember my childish naivety of trying to write about the moon.
Although it were possible, not everyone understands English and many millions of people
they can't read. But I have never given up the goal of reaching everyone
with the gospel.
I'm still thinking about the same idea. How to get everyone
Do you listen to the Good News? How can an impact be made on everyone?
countries of the world, for example, Japan and the countries of Africa and Latin America?

How can we transform entire societies, ours and those that are farthest away?
Jesus called his followers to be builders of nations. He commanded us to go.
everyone and make disciples of all nations.2the builders of
nations have before them the option to depart as missionaries, in the traditional style, or,
without ceasing to be guided by the Lord, to work there in certain
occupations to apply the word of God, as Vories did in Japan.
Many nation builders do not leave their countries of origin, but
who apply the Word of God to their vocations - economy, government, education,
media, or some other sphere of society-. Others pray and
they provide support to those who leave. And since family is the essential brick.
to build a society, the most important builders may be
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nations should be the parents who raise their children according to biblical principles. The

the final balance is this: everyone who commits to obey Jesus by praying,
giving, going and communicating - anyone who strives to fulfill their will
on earth as it is in heaven - is part of the global effort to
discipleship of nations.
However, people willing to go to others are especially needed.
countries like missionaries, that is, as sent ones.3Missionaries are needed
because the density of darkness is usually deep. People are needed to go
and brought the light. We have already probed the darkness that existed in India at the end of the

eighteenth century, when William Carey arrived in the country. The darkness was also very
when John Wesley began to preach in England or when Calvin did it
was done in Geneva. And in the world of the 21st century, there are still areas of profound

darkness.
A fair change, on a global scale

Jesus came to save all peoples and transform all nations.

It doesn't matter what our country of origin is, we must aim for the whole world. In
In these times, many talk about globalization. But the principle that emphasized the
globalization was God Himself when He told Abraham that his descendants
I would bless all the nations of the earth.4Jesus commanded his followers to
they went throughout the world and made disciples of all nations, that
they will reach the far corners of the earth.5He hopes that his people will establish principles

righteous, biblical, on a global level.

Starting in 1974, when Billy Graham called together the leaders of the body of
Christ in Lausanne, Switzerland, to celebrate a Congress on Evangelization of
World, the Church has intensified its effort to carry out the Great Commission,
leaders of certain missionary organizations have made various attempts to
quantify the task - to discover where the least evangelized are - But
After more than three decades, no one really knows how much longer it will take to finish.

the assigned task. As Dr. Ralph Winter from the Center has said,
American for the Mission in the World: 'We need to know what is
passing by there.6
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Omega 4K zones

David Hamilton, assistant to the rector of the University of Nations

JUCUM has designed a better description to date of what is still lacking
to do. A team of leaders and researchers, with the technical expertise of groups
as Global Mapping Internacional,7has created a framework to evaluate the
world needs. It is called 4K and divides the world into omega zones. The 4K
includes a global demographic collected by Christian researchers, based on
the Encyclopedia Britannica, the World Christian Encyclopedia, the United Nations and
census data of countries. As David assures: "It will help organizations
missionaries and to the church to see where we are not, to focus on the areas
of greater need.
Why do we call it 4K? Because it divides the world into about 4,000 units of
similar population size. Each unit is called 'omega zone'
because we want every person in every omega zone in the world to know
fully to Jesus, "the Alpha and the Omega." And like the omega in the last letter of
Greek alphabet, we trust that this new framework will mobilize believers to give
the final impetus in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
4K divides the world according to known geopolitical borders.
Out of 238 sovereign and dependent countries in the world, 103 have less than
three million inhabitants. Each of these smaller countries, such as
Jamaica represents an omega zone. But the larger countries are
divided into smaller units, such as states or provinces and their
subdivisions, forming many omega zones. India, for example, is
divided into 653 omega zones.
The purpose of the omega zones is to draw attention to the regions of
world with the least presence of the gospel -the most spiritually dark-.
So areas with easy access to the word of God, such as certain
urban sections of Brazil have a larger population within their area
omega –up to nine million-. A region with moderate access to the gospel,
like Kenya, it will have up to six million. Places with minimal access to the
 170

Word, like Iran, will not have more than three million for each omega zone. This
will help focus missionary efforts in the places that need it the most.
Each omega zone file includes maps, a variety of data
demographic, and shows their physical and spiritual needs in a way
integrated. Specific data can be found in them, such as indices of
literacy, availability of drinking water, unevangelized ethnic groups and
much more. This data allows leaders to pray and plan strategies for
show the character of God in each omega zone. The 4K team will control the
progress and will provide updated information to any group that requests it
and dedicate itself to the discipleship of the nations. Everything points to a single thing:

to discover where there are people who still wait to hear the word of God.8

Let's put the Bible in their hands

We have already seen the effect that has occurred in countries like Norway and
South Korea, as believers have distributed the Book to more
people. We must do whatever it takes to bring the Bible to
each omega zone. According to the Wycliffe Bible Translators, 93 percent of the
the world already has the Bible translated into its native languages.9But that does not mean
that the missionaries have arrived and distributed the word of God to that 93 percent
one hundred. The mere fact that the Scriptures exist in a certain language, in some
warehouse does not mean that people have it on hand or that they have been instructed in the
truth.
A disturbing question

It has been a long time since I dreamed of putting the Bible in the hands of everyone.

world, since I was a child and thought about writing the word of God on the moon. I know
that it is possible to bring your Book to everyone.
When I was young, God gave me an extraordinary example of how to place
his Word in the hands of the people. It was the year 1967 and I was traveling in a convoy of

JUCUM, descending into Central America through Mexico. We stopped

in a dusty town to fix a flat tire. While some were doing
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this work, the rest of us deliver in the gospel of John in each home
and then we preached outdoors.
After that spontaneous meeting, a woman in a red dress
faded, they approached me. I didn't speak good Spanish, but I understood that they
"There is nowhere to get a Bible in this locality, nor anywhere else."
Nearby cities. Do you have a Bible in my language?
We managed to find a Bible in Spanish and delivered it to her.
She hugged her tightly against her chest, saying: "Thank you very much, sir!"
As we walked away, the woman's question continued to roll around in my mind. Do you have a

Bible in my language? Then, suddenly, an image came to my eyes -

I believe it was what the Bible calls a 'vision'-. I saw a kind of
large van on whose side was written: Only the dishonest fear the
truth. Holy Bible, free.
I didn't know Spanish well enough to think in the language,
so that when I saw those phrases I was greatly surprised. I translated them.
Little by little in my mind. What an interesting idea! The phrase 'Only the
"Dishonest people fear the truth" was completely new to me, and its echo resonated.
in my head. It was particularly relevant at that time, since the
Communists were spreading their cause throughout Latin America.
The vision extended and I saw young people who, from the back of the van,
they distributed Bibles to longing hands as quickly as they could.
Although the exact fulfillment of that vision has not yet taken place, we have
participated in several Bible distribution projects. Immediately
after our experience in that locality, when we arrived in the City
from Mexico, I went to the Bible Society and asked them how many copies I needed
they could facilitate. Then I called several friends and raised the necessary money
to acquire fifty thousand New Testaments. Our groups the
They distributed across several university campuses in the city. In the years
subsequently, our workers placed New Testaments in many
homes, in cities and towns of various states in Mexico. That made us feel
Well, but God had bigger challenges -and emotions- for us.
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Chapter 27

The distribution of Bibles

Another Bible distribution project, carried out at a speed

Amazing, it would yield excellent results in the long term. Everything happened from
a simple way.
We were in Europe in the '70s. It was a time of restlessness.
social, there were protests against the Vietnam War and drugs were consumed, even
among the American soldiers stationed at military bases. Our
teams had been invited by the army chaplains of the United States
Together, to evangelize the American troops in Germany.
One day, in 1972, during a JUCUM course in Lausanne, Switzerland, we divided into

small groups to intercede. In mine, we asked the Lord why He wanted

that we should pray, as was our custom. Several of us had the same impression:
intercede for the American troops stationed in Germany. We could
I have simply prayed: 'Lord, bless these young soldiers. Save them!'
But we ask the Lord to show us specific topics to pray for.
I had an idea: ask for 100,000 Bibles to distribute among the soldiers. This
The request seemed implausible, but I made it aloud: I asked the Lord for the 100,000.
Bibles and their distribution.
I knew Colonel Jim Ammerman, chief chaplain of the V army corps,
that is to say, of all the American troops in Germany. By the way, he and his
my wife had just visited us in Lausanne. I thought he could be
part of the answer to our prayers. So that our small group
I ask God to prepare the Ammerman marriage, in case they have
part in this plan.
I had another thought during prayer time: contact Kenneth Taylor.
I had talked about him. He was one of the editors of God speaks today. He was also
founder of Tyndale House Publishers. I wondered how I could
get in touch with him. I had another idea: ask Brother Andrés. This is
A good idea, I thought. Brother Andrés was a friend of mine and a bold believer.
 173

Dutch who had distributed Bibles in closed countries. I was preparing to

to contact him/her.
But before, the time had come for us to come together again; each subgroup
I should have said what I had felt during my time of prayer. When we tell the
the other colleagues the issues we had prayed for –for 100,000 Bibles
to distribute among the American soldiers in Germany - a rumor of
Emotion filled the room. How could this happen?

An airlift of Bibles

That same day I called Brother Andrés. I asked him where I could
locate Kenneth Taylor. Brother Andrew helped me locate you, who at the
Sazón was in Europe. I called him in Athens. He was going to return to the States.
Together, but agreed to interview with me the next day, during a brief
stopover in Germany.
I traveled to Frankfurt and interviewed him at the airport. I talked to him about our
intercession meeting and the impression that we were going to donate 100,000 Bibles to the
troops in Germany. He nodded with a smile. "Well, it turns out that I have
100,000 Bibles that have been left over from a Billy Graham campaign. I will give them away.

for the soldiers as long as you take care of the freight from the
United States.
Wow! One hundred thousand free Bibles! But, where are we going to get the money?
to transport them? I knew that God was in the matter, so I limited myself to
go step by step. In my mind, I saw a convoy of trucks delivering the Bibles to the
North American military bases in Germany. Yes. It would be possible.
That afternoon I went to Colonel Ammerman's house on the outskirts of Frankfurt.
He and his wife Charlene greeted me and kindly invited me to stay.
dinner and spend the night at her house while Charlene prepared an exquisite
Cena, I brought up the topic.
Sir, we have been praying for Bibles for your soldiers - I took a breath - In
the Spirit, I saw a convoy of trucks delivering Bibles to the troops
North Americans stationed in Germany.
 174

I paused. The colonel received these strange words with quite calm.
but her eyes were shining.
Wonderful. Continue.
They were complete Bibles.
The colonel nodded.
One hundred thousand Bibles in simple and modern language - and I proceeded to refer to the offer of

Kenneth Taylor.
Colonel Ammerman leaned forward.
Loren, you have heard God, exactly, in all detail. I have
I have been praying for Bibles for our troops – the complete Bible in one version
easy to understand.
But who was going to take care of the shipping? He said he would take care of it.
Colonel Ammerman ordered the army to transport the load divided into
two planes with Bibles for Germany. When the project was presented to the
editors of Tyndale Publishing, one of them, Wendell Hawley, acknowledged the
name of Jim Ammerman. It turned out that Hawley had been a supervisory chaplain to
Ammerman's orders in Vietnam. Tyndale ended up covering the freight of
part of the Bibles. The trucks arrived at the bases of the V army corps, in
where they delivered their precious cargo, as the Lord had shown me in the
vision.
Any soldier who wished to obtain a copy could do so. And given that
Thousands of soldiers passed through there every month before flying to Vietnam,
Korea, or other destinations, did not take long to put those Bibles in the hands of
soldiers scattered all over the world. Colonel Ammerman organized readings
Biblical through the sound systems to offer free copies.
Years later, Colonel Ammerman and his wife attended my funeral.
father. After the ceremony, I sat down to chat with them. Ammerman said
that the distribution of the Bibles had led to a great move of God.
Many soldiers became believers by reading the Bible. Some came to be
missionaries. Mrs. Ammerman added that they had not known before.
 175

high-ranking officials who were committed followers of Jesus. "Now there are

Only eternity will reveal the full impact of what began with a handful.
young people praying that day in a small classroom of a YWAM course in
Switzerland.
Saturate Hawaii with the Word

The Bible is certainly the Book that transforms nations –but only if its
inhabitants have access to it and apply it to their lives-. The believers in the
The gospel of Jesus Christ is responsible for bringing it to those who lack it.
We also need to restore the Book to those places where it has been lost.
People must have the opportunity to hear and obey the Word of God.
In 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the year of the Bible in the
United States of America. Dr. Bill Bright, from Campus Crusade for Christ,
in charge of directing the national program, asked me to lead the initiative in
Hawaii, the state in which I lived at that time.
But before this, the Lord had indicated to me that I should not leave the islands.
Hawaii in 1983. I had traveled extensively for ministry reasons all
the years starting from 1954, but I had to stay in the islands during 1983. I knew
why when Bill Bright invited me to lead this stimulating effort in the islands.
Hawaii has a lower percentage of believers than most states.
from the Union. One in ten households is Buddhist. And many people whose
mother tongue is not English they live on the islands. This posed a formidable
challenge.
We decided on a strategy to relate the distribution of the Bible to a
historical theme. We printed a commemorative edition of the New Testament
illustrated with a painting by Steve Regas on the cover. The painting showed the
Thaddeus, a ship that transported the first missionaries to Kona in 1820. In a
in the background appeared the church of Mokuaikauna, the first congregation that
was established in Hawaii. A twelve-page section at the end of the volume told
the arrival of the first missionaries and the history of the Church in Hawaii. This
 176

true history helped to counteract certain works of fiction that defamed

the first missionaries and distorted the true history of the islands.

Preachers, priest and a rabbi

The hierarchies of the Protestant and Catholic Churches supported the distribution.
of these New Testaments to every home in Hawaii. Under the direction of a
Rabbis distributed Old Testaments to Jewish families. The residents
In the state, they speak fifteen languages. So, we researched to find out how many.
testaments in each language had to be distributed by each neighborhood.
Almost all denominations participated in the project. More than six thousand
volunteers helped distribute the New Testament in the appropriate language to
each house of the islands. We saturate the whole state with the Word of God. And almost
Everyone was happy to receive their New Testaments.
What results followed the year of the Bible? I can't prove it.
scientifically, but more than twenty years later, I notice the difference in Hawaii.
When we arrived there, in the seventies, there were no large churches. The most
great was a congregation of several hundred members in Honolulu. In
in our island, only some churches preached the gospel, and recorded a
poor attendance. In the early 19th century, a significant revival took place
extended through the Hawaiian Islands. The largest church in the world at that time was
I found myself on the Big Island of Hawaii. But it had been a long time since those fires of

revivals had been extinguished in indifference.

Currently, there are several island congregations, full of vitality, with
thousands of members. A few years after the year of the Bible, the number of
churches that preach the gospel in the Kona area, where I reside,
increased to twenty-three. Thousands of short-term missionaries, and hundreds of
long season, they are prepared and sent, from Kona, throughout Asia and the rest
of the world. Hawaii has become a beacon of the Pacific. And I believe that the
Bible saturation, in 1983, played a key role.
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Chapter 28

At the forefront

The Bible, in collaboration with the Spirit of God, can transform anyone
nation of the earth. It is necessary to put this action into belief. Did you know that
if every person who believes in the Bible gave a little less than 10 dollars, they would

Could they provide Bibles for all the households in the world?1The believers already
they have the manpower and the money to distribute the Bible in the language
appropriate for every home on earth. What are we waiting for?
Of course, such a project requires cultural sensitivity. It will be necessary to design
methods of distributing the Bible suited to the needs of the
populations that are intended to be reached, as was done in the year of the Bible, in
Hawaii. And the distribution of the Bible should be preceded by the announcement of what we
we propose to do. We could declare: 'we are offering a very special gift'
important to all households in our community - a copy of the Book that
bless nations.
After distributing the Bibles, we could offer programs to teach.
people to read it and understand it. It would be necessary to adjust plans to the needs
specific to each population. Bible teachers could prepare to
offering free classes to those who want to learn more. Bruce Wilkinson, author of
The prayer of Jabez, founder of Walk Through the Bible, aims to establish
WorldTeach, the largest biblical teaching faculty in the world. Its goal is
to instruct 120,000 biblical teachers - one for every 50,000 people about the
earth.2
What could be more important? We must offer the world methods
relevant cultural studies and understanding of the Book. Doing this
we will transform lives and lift up builders of nations.
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The Bible, in a nearby café

The people of God have carried out massive distributions with excellence.
results. Another way to spread the word of God is to hold public readings of
the same. I will give you a recent example.
On a Saturday afternoon, in a café in Perth, Australia, three students
they were sitting in a private room, having a soda. After raising
a silent prayer, a young woman begins to read the Bible in a tone of
normal conversation.
The Spirit of the Lord Almighty is upon me, for he has anointed me
to announce good news to the poor...
She continues her reading immersed in a soft sound that perfumes the whole
cafeteria. The locals or the tourists raise their eyes from their drinks or
foods, at first perplexed, but then they listen attentively.
...To console all those who are in mourning, and to comfort the mourners of
Sion...
Excuse me, miss - says a man in an adjoining booth - What are
doing?
Well, we are students of a biblical institute. Part of our assignment
It consists of reading the Bible aloud. And since we love doing it, we want to
read it with others – explains, and then resumes reading.
Some may consider this activity as instruction. But in almost
In all cases, the public reacted positively. According to the Australian Debbie
Hicks, this is done every week. Debbie has led more than fifty courses.
biblical teachings given by YWAM in Sweden, Nepal, India, Switzerland, Barbados, Japan,
Australia, Inglaterra, Francia, Sudáfrica, Malaysia, Ucrania y los Estados Unidos.
Every Saturday, she asks her students to find a place to read the
Bible in public.
Students have read it in cafes, bars, parks, and even the
zoo. It is advised to keep a moderate volume of voice, but they should not interrupt.
teeth. They read in clinics, to the homeless, and on buses and maritime lines. They have
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even read the Bible aloud while riding a camel, touring through
the interior of Australia.
Some passersby ignore the reading; others may believe that
there are people willing to read the Bible in public. In some cases, people
they sit to listen and even take turns to read it themselves. In rare
In cases people react negatively - it usually happens in universities - I
it is shocking that universities are precisely one of the places
less tolerant of the earth, with little freedom for speech and the
thought.
Most of the time individuals respond positively. Maybe
be the power of the word of God. When students finish reading a
biblical passage, questions to his listeners: 'Do you have any questions about the
text we just read?" Often, listeners have questions and, in
Sometimes, they give their heart to the Lord.

Bible reading marathons

Another way to bring Scripture closer to people is to organize a marathon of

Bible reading. It is important to obtain permission to use this method in a
public place. A public address system will also be useful. Also, it is advisable
notify the media in advance. It only takes seventy-two.
hours to read the entire Bible, aloud, from beginning to end. Can it be read the
Bible during the daytime hours. This way it would take a week to read it.
if the reading takes place in a park, people can come closer at the time of the
lunch and listen to the Word. Such marathons awaken interest in the
Writing.

In ancient times...

In the Scripture, there are precedents for public reading of the Bible. At one time
crucial to Jewish history, Ezra read the Word from beginning to end in a
public gathering. The case is recounted in Nehemiah, chapter 8. A group of
The Israelites had returned from captivity in Babylon to rebuild the temple.
 180

and the city of Jerusalem but their personal lives were ruined. Ezra
read aloud from dawn until noon on the first day. The reading
The public continued for another six. The people repented and a revival broke out.
spiritual.
The New Testament also mentions the public reading of the Bible. Paul
he told Timothy to pay attention to the public reading of Scripture.3

...And in front of a department store

Such examples are not limited to biblical times. Recently, more than
fifty teenagers in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, asked for permission to celebrate
a Bible reading marathon in front of a department store.
They started at 3 PM and were reading until midnight.
next. The teenagers and the church volunteers read without interruption,
helped by a sound system. No one complained. On the contrary, several
customers asked the shopping center management if young people could
do it again the following year.4

The smuggling of a million Bibles

Our task is to take the Bible to the whole world. Operation

Mobilization (OM),5The Bible Union, the6 United Bible Societies, and the 7

Open Doors of Brother Andrew8they have undertaken many activities to

distribute the Bible. Just in one night, in 1981, the volunteers of Open Doors
They smuggled a million Bibles into China, in what they called the
Project Pearl.9Running a tremendous personal risk, the church leaders
They received the books submerged and distributed them throughout all the provinces of the country.

The local police in a region of southern China captured some men with
a shipment of a thousand Bibles belonging to the Pearl Project. The messengers
they were arrested, and the Word of God, thrown into a dark pit. The men
They left prison a few days later. They waited until nightfall,
they arrived at the black well and recovered the scented Bibles. They cleaned them.
They patiently sprayed them with perfume and distributed them among the believers.
 181

This was twenty-five years ago. The Book of God remains "a great pearl".
price
new ways to bring Bibles to people, especially in countries whose laws
they prohibit the Word of God. We must ask God for a burst of thought
fresco.

The exploitation of the new technology

There are a multitude of ways to spread the Word of God. Our creative
God always reveals innovative methods. New technologies, combined
with the Scriptures, they can change the world. A few years ago I noticed something

while studying the history of the people of God. New technologies often
preceding the spreading of the message of God. For example:
The invention of the first alphabet arrived in time for the word of
God will be stored in Scripture.
The printing technology arrived just in time to allow the
reformers put the Bible and its teachings in the hands of the people.
Mass electronic communication means were discovered – the radio
And cinema - when the evangelical movement was born, which allowed for the
believers use these means to spread the Word.
Television and communication satellites were developed
precisely when the charismatic revivals and that of Jesus began
People, what allowed the expansion of Christian television throughout the
world.
And the Internet has entered the scene today and has affected all of us.
Of course, some people are using it in a terrible way: pornography,
gambling, racist ideologies, and even terrorist activities are
poisoning millions through the Internet. But I believe that God allowed that
this tool was invented so that its people could use it in the definitive
impulse for the evangelization of the whole world.
With the generalization of the Internet and the technologies that accompany it,
we can do things we had not imagined until now. I do not know
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how many possibilities the Internet encompasses to spread the Word of God, but
I have seen new things arise.
In the summer Olympic games, from Sydney 2000, and in the Olympic games
in winter 2002, in Salt Lake City, the jucumeros (members of JUCUM)
They distributed Bibles in CDs. Imagine the whole Bible is more than forty
languages on a single CD!
Why don't we go a little further? We could use the Internet to
provide a digital version of all the translations of the Bible to the
Different languages. How many technicians would be needed to digitize all of those?
versions, so that several billion have the Bible in their own
languages?
Do you realize the immense possibilities?

Downloading thousands of Bibles in Arabic

There are at least eighty-five ministries that use the Internet in a way
innovative to evangelize the peoples of the Middle East, North Africa, and
the Arabian Peninsula, according to the Strategic Resources Group.10Despite the
attempts by some governments to block those web pages, certain organization
it has forty-two thousand Bibles in Arabic. 11Certain group claims that some
Twenty people a month come to Christ through the network.12Since more than the
half of the population of the Middle East are under twenty-five years old, and that the
young people are more skilled in computers than their elders, many of the
new Arab converts are young.13
We live in times of extraordinary opportunity!
As followers of Jesus, we have the responsibility to carry the message
from God to all ethnic groups of the earth and to teach them all things that
we have learned from him. Faithful men and women have carried out this work
for centuries. Countless lives have been changed, as well as entire societies.
Think of everything our predecessors accomplished with so few tools.
at your disposal. Think about what it means to preserve and share the Word of
God when one had to painstakingly copy every word by hand –in all and
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each one of the copies!-, and imagine taking the gospel to every corner when
it had to be done on foot (or, if one was lucky, on the back of a horse or mule), to
for thousands of kilometers along rough and dangerous roads to the place of
destination. Throughout the centuries, there has been a need to learn new languages, sometimes

new forms of written language have had to be created and a lot of translation that
do. Those who came before us had to pay a high price and achieved
a lot.
A wide range of tools makes our task easier today. Some
Places are still isolated. It is difficult and still dangerous to travel to certain regions. Still

We have to overcome imposing linguistic challenges. But it is possible to reach the

most people who need the Word of God in a quite
quick and simple aided by modern transportation. We have at our disposal
many new communication technologies. And instead of the written Bible to
dude, they were bulky, expensive, and scarce, we can produce them massively
Word of God in a compact and easy-to-handle form. In most of the
in cases, the only real limitation is our fragile willingness to obey the Lord and
leave to the destination point.

If we face this challenge, countless people will find new life and
they will reach the destination that God has entrusted to them. As more people become
evangelized, each nation will experience a turning point, and these criticisms
minorities will begin to influence their respective countries. This will extend the
God's kingdom over all the earth. We can see it with our own eyes.
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Chapter 29

Let's evangelize the 7 percent

One Sunday morning, before Christmas, a shepherd who was preaching in

a certain country where the gospel is restricted1he said he was going to read seven verses
of the second chapter of Luke.
When it began, something like electric buzzing resonated in the midst of his

small congregation. It was the first time that it heard the verses in its
mother tongue! The Wycliffe Bible Translators - also known as
Summer Linguistic Institute ILV - helped by a group of natives ended
to provide that part of the Bible to a certain people.
The pastor paused and looked up, with a heart full of joy. Not
He could end the Christmas passage as usual. He said: 'What a delight!'
What a wonder!” and continued reading. The translation team members,
sitting in front, on rustic wooden benches, they began to sob. In another
corner of the congregation, a group of teenage girls looked at each other
others and they shared a great collective hug. When the pastor finished, the people
She applauded and shouted "Amen!, Hallelujah!"

Let the words fall upon you

Later, a doctor who was in the congregation stated that she had
I closed my eyes while the pastor read: 'I let the words fall upon me.'
For the first time in my life, I felt washed in the Word. I felt like I was hearing the story.
from Christmas for the first time.2
Shouldn't everyone have the opportunity to let the words fall?
about himself to be washed by the Word? Nevertheless, for the 7 percent of the
world population this is not possible. They still do not have the Bible translated into
their mother tongue. According to Wycliffe, there are 2,644 communities whose languages and dialects

They are still waiting for her.3Although some speak and read a second language that yes
having the Bible is important for them to have the Word in their language
mother tongue. This is the 'language of their heart'. The one they understand best.
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And of course, those who are counted among this 7 percent do not speak a
second language. They do not have the Bible at all.

The Word of God in every language

A few years ago, I attended a meeting of executives from missionary agencies.

One of them was in charge of qualified personnel in advanced linguistics dedicated to
the translation of the Bible. He asked me: 'How could we get more
young people will get involved?

I told him what had happened at the University of the Nations, in

Kona, Hawaii. Three members of a small tribe of about twenty thousand,
Nagaland, a state in northwest India, was studying at our university. A
One day they told the JUCUM professor, Ron Smith: "We do not have a Bible in our
language –the Khoibu dialect-. Could you help us?
Dr. Smith and the three students, along with two computer experts,
they took on the challenge. It took them three years to produce a translation of the New

Will in Khoibu. Dr. Smith estimates that the computer experts ...
They saved about ten years of work. They dedicated the finished work to a service.
religious in Nagaland and ended up distributing the New Testament to all the
Khoibu speaking families.

The acceleration of the process

In order to produce the New Testament in Khoibu, we resort to technologies.

IT and native students to help accelerate the process of
This is just an example – it is necessary to discover new ways to
shorten the wait of 2,644 ethnic groups that still lack the Bible
Wycliffe turns to linguists with meticulous training. But even the laypeople
They can participate in the translation of the Bible. It is necessary that people

entrepreneur put your mind into this business. What solutions can be
find? How to get more people involved? How can it be done
dynamize the process of translating the Bible? There have been laypeople who have
provided creative solutions in recent years - in such diverse projects
 186

like Habitat for Humanity, building houses for the homeless and creating
food banks to distribute to those in need. What can we do to
to take on the challenge of translating the Bible?

Your church can do this

It would only be necessary for 2,644 local churches to adopt an ethnogroup each.
linguistics to complete this part of the Great Commission.4The volunteers of
each church could raise funds and go to meet one of those 2,644 groups -
where you can usually find at least a couple of people who speak English.
Representatives - perhaps two or three - from the linguistic group could hear tapes of the
Bible in English, in a suitable modern version. The native representatives
They could listen verse by verse, comment on them, and record an oral version, phrase by phrase.

by phrase, in the native language. The volunteers from the adopting church could
being present to facilitate the process, helping, praying, and even offering
water glasses. If local missionaries cannot find believers that
work on this process, you will find non-believers. After all, the
Translation of the Bible, verse by verse, would probably win over many.
them for Christ.
Once the volunteers from the tribes exhausted their ideas about the text,
another group that spoke the same language or dialect could intervene. The members
The second group will listen to the recording made by the first group. Then they would translate.

the text into English. This would help the adoptive church volunteers to perceive
any confusing or wrong translation. It would probably only be necessary to repeat two or
three times the entire process to ensure that the translation is accurate. The
adoptive church volunteers could even take turns and stay at the place
a few weeks at a time for the project to develop.
Then, these oral translations could be presented to groups such as
Wycliffe to carry out the ministry of providing written versions of the
Bible. This type of work should never replace the work of missionaries.
linguists. But I could complement what they do, cover the gaps and
help speed up the process.
 187

Could your church do this? YWAM and Global Recordings are already doing it.
making, similarly, oral translations in the Amazon. It is a process
tedious, but it works. It can be done anywhere to produce Bibles
recorded for other linguistic groups. Instead of having to invest quite a few
years, as happens when translators have to create an alphabet and write
the texts to produce a written Bible, these oral Bibles can be
produced in a matter of months. We may not prefer that.
Bible. But listeners from oral tradition cultures, without written language, are very
skilled at retaining what they hear. Many are illiterate and can only receive the
Bible read and what is more important, they will have the Word of God in the
language of his heart.

School in the jungle

Another way to speed up the process of translating the Bible is to instruct the
translators in the workplace. Bráulia Ribeiro, Brazilian, Jucumera leader, is
an educated and experienced linguist. She works with fifteen tribal groups of
Amazon women who speak many languages. She teaches a course in phonetics and
introduction to linguistics at our JUCUM center in the jungle. Anyone
Anyone who wishes can come and receive instruction.5Of course, they can also be
take introductory studies in these subjects at the university. But
imagine acquiring that knowledge in missionary change, specifically
designed to meet the need for Bible translation, with a
demonstration and immediate application to real life. The students could do
his first oral translations of the Book. Translation experts could
to later make use of those recordings to develop a written form.

Anointed gadgets

How would people listen to those versions? An oral translation can be...
massively produce durable and reliable CDs or DVDs. Or also, with a
quite inferior technology. Global Recordings has invented several devices
that operate without electricity, including manually operated recorders.6
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Ken Crowell, executive director of Galtronics, in Israel, has developed the

MegaVoice, a series of manual audio devices that do not require tape or CD.
They have the size and thickness of several credit cards and lack parts.
mobile and autonomous, water-resistant and strong. This unique system
only the programmed message is played on a microchip embedded in the
device that cannot erase or change without modifying the security system
to manipulate messages from the Mega-Voice. The device, powered by solar batteries
Rechargeable, it can work or be recharged with a 9-volt adapter. It
can be used individually or in a small group. One of the devices in the range
Mega-Voice, the Ambassador, has the capacity to store everything
Bible. Other applications in the series are currently being developed.7

Let's tell the story

In addition to speeding up the translation of the Bible, oral teaching is also

important for several reasons. This is a 'new' evangelization strategy
as ancient as Adam and Eve. Since the dawn of humanity, people
it transmits its legends, its values, and its information based on the stories
It is estimated that 93 percent of the global population learned orally.
when Jesus lived on earth. That's why he relied on stories to show them how
is God and how he wanted them to live.
The current missionaries who support the 'oral' movement follow the
example of Jesus to evangelize the lost. Most of those who never
They have heard the gospel -70 percent- are functionally or totally illiterate.8The
New Tribes Mission was the first to develop a chronological method of
narration of biblical stories in Papua New Guinea in the 1970s.
Currently JUCUM, Student Crusade for Christ, Wycliffe/ILV, Trans World
Radio (Trans-World Radio) and the International Missions Board of the
Southern Baptist Convention resorts to this type of narration to evangelize
entire communities that are more accustomed to learning by listening.9
The best way to explain how missionaries who rely on the ...
Oral message is to tell what is happening today in one of the teams. One of
 189

our Jucumeras, called Sara and five young recruits from other agencies
Missionaries are preparing thoroughly in a European capital. They will depart soon.
to a country with restricted access to live with a non-evangelized people.
Young people have already learned between sixty and eighty stories that cover the
Bible from Genesis to Revelation. These stories present the basic teachings.
from the word of God and are designed to guide people to Christ and
to teach them the principles that transform individuals and cultures. Sara and her
Collaborators have prepared in advance to ensure that the stories
they will be culturally appropriate and understandable, and once there, they will look for someone

Let him speak English so that he can serve as an interpreter.

The group will recount their stories over a period of time, normally during the
community meetings.10Since many unevangelized peoples take
decisions together, not so much individually, they can be guided
together to a point of faith and understanding. The group will integrate into the
un evangelized village for an entire year. Its objective is the formation of a
brotherhood of believers. These believers will memorize the stories so that, at their
sometimes, they can evangelize others.

This example gives an idea of what is happening in many places. I am

sure that we are going to witness an amazing number of conversions in
the coming years. As Avery Willis, president of International Orality says
Stories serve as a bridge, they break down barriers and fill gaps to
make the gospel fully alive and relevant to the listeners.11
However important oral missions are for evangelizing
towns for Christ and to transform their communities, we also know that the
People need to learn to read in order to reach their full potential.
One sixth of the world's population is illiterate.12If one takes into account the
functional illiteracy, the number of illiterates is even greater. What else
it can be done to help these people know the word of God for themselves
same?
 190

An astonishing shortcut for reading

I see the hand of God in all kinds of technological advances and developments.
I feel that he is encouraging us by allowing certain discoveries to be made.
to pave the way we have ahead of us, to bring His Word to all
person on the face of the earth. One of the most exhilarating victories is a
simple writing system that can teach anyone to read their own
language in just two weeks
I know it's hard to believe. How can a person be taught
completely illiterate to reading in two weeks? But it's true. It's as if to
a phonetic system will be injected with steroids, so that it will result much more
easy and quick to understand. This new technique was invented by Dr. Sek Yen
KimCho, a Korean professor and linguist, who guides doctoral candidates in the
State University of New York, in Buffalo.13
More than thirty years ago, KimCho prayed all night and asked the Lord what
he should do with his life. The Lord responded that he wished to show him a
writing system to help missionaries teach people to read the
Bible.
After thirty years of work on this program, Dr. KimCho invented
a global writing system. They called it nurigeul, something like the alphabet
simplified that King Sejong would create in Korea in the 15th century.14His study of
King Sejong inspired a system of symbols for all the sounds they produce.
humans in the five sections of the throat and mouth. These sounds
they constitute the basis of all the languages of the earth. Dr. KimCho assures that
your tests confirm that people can learn to read their own language in
only two weeks of instruction using their system made up of symbols very
easy to learn.15
When Dr. KimCho presented the nurigeulen in the organization of the
United Nations for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO), the
delegates gave a notable ovation. They captured the tremendous potential
for the development of nations, to which the funding will be allocated. Dr.
KimCho declared at UNESCO that its writing system would be primarily
 191

dedicated to the service of missionaries to teach all illiterates

to read the Bible from the world.

The two Mongols

For those of us who grew up in countries where attendance is mandatory

universal to the school, it is difficult to understand how the writing system of the
Dr. KimCho will free the people. Let's take China, for example. According to the Dr.

KimCho, experts claim that 70 percent of Chinese people are illiterate.

Although the authorities deny it, claiming that it is only 10 percent.
KimCho explains the discrepancy: the Chinese government considers everyone literate.
those who have attended school until the second grade, whether they can read or not
writing. However, it is very difficult to learn Chinese characters. Most of
the students do not manage to master them by the time they reach second grade. It takes them many

years for Chinese children to learn to read and write.

The problem is appreciated when comparing the two Mongolias. Russia controlled
many years in the old Outer Mongolia, so the people learned to
write your language in Cyrillic characters. But on the other side of the border, the
Chinese taught the people of Inner Mongolia to write their language in characters.
Currently, although they speak the same language, Outer Mongolia is
literate at 80 percent, while Inner Mongolia is only at
ten percent.16
Why is it another important one? It is fundamental for a country that its people
know how to read and write. A country can never develop if illiteracy
mutilates the people. And more importantly, the people will not be able to read the Bible if they do not know

read absolutely.

Powerful tools in our hands

One day I received a phone call in Kona. It was Dr. Kun Mo Cheng, a
Good friend of mine, rector of a university in Seoul, who was calling me from Korea.
He told me about Dr. KimCho and her universal writing system, so
We invite you to visit Kona. She presented her teaching system to the leaders of the
 192

University of the Nations of JUCUM. It showed us a Chinese New Testament.

ENNURIGEUL, with the symbols of the global writing system, alongside the characters.
chinos. We looked at them with admiration. Dr. KimCho wore them to
teach illiterate Chinese to read in their own mother tongue
weeks. Currently she offers her system to missionaries to help them to
fulfill the Great Commission.
We have the tremendous privilege of living in these times. We are about to
to witness the culmination of what believers have pursued for thousands of
years. Those who preceded us long ago and those who have worked recently
They have not delivered powerful tools. Now it depends on us. We must
keep our hearts and minds open, hear the call of God to
to receive your guidance and your strength and to take advantage of opportunities. God always calls us.

to use imagination as much as will. We cannot remain stuck in the

old methodologies of doing things. God wants us to see the possibilities,
that we are willing to think of new things and that we carry them out in
His strength. Because with Him we can do all things.17
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Part 6
Let's keep our eyes on the Lord
 194

Chapter 30

The Spirit and the Word

A great movement of prayer has swept the earth in the last thirty years.
Intercession for nations and ethnic groups is increasing, it constitutes
an important avenue of God's movement in our time. The Church is
also evangelizing on an unprecedented scale and doing works of
mercy for the benefit of the poor and the needy. Besides these things
Good, the people of God are rediscovering worship to the Lord.
However, while traveling through various countries in recent decades, we have
noted what is missing. We are not instructing believers as we should in
the word of God. In many churches, it is already about small congregations or
In mega-churches, an hour - sometimes an hour and a half - is dedicated to singing songs.

of praise, which we enjoy. It's very good. But if a preacher goes on too long
more than twenty minutes to teach the Word, or at most thirty,
parishioners complain. And for many, those twenty minutes represent the only
Bible portion received throughout the week!
It reminds me of a saying from an old friend of mine: 'Mini-sermons make
"Cristianetes." It is necessary to restore balance. A biblical teaching is needed.
solid accompanied by prayer and life in the Spirit. If time is spent in
praise, worship, and intercessory prayer but the truth is not sought in the Bible,
Our minds and habits will remain the same: they will not be renewed.
The same happens with the way of thinking and acting of countries.

Soaked in Writing, but lost

Another danger looms at the opposite end of the spectrum. For some people
they love to spend time reading the Bible, scrutinizing its treasures. But if it
they do so without submitting to the Holy Spirit, falling into another kind of trap. The letter of

the Word is not only inadequate: the Bible assures that the land of the Word
eye.1There is something known as 'bibliolatry', which threatens those who...
are situated on this side of the scale. Bibliolatry consists of placing all faith and
 195

hope in the Bible before in the Author of its pages. They are known for their
theological purity, and in the long run, due to its rigidity, legalism, and intolerance. They are not

willing to change their minds even when the Lord himself tries to call them
attention.
The Pharisees were a good example of this. The religious leaders of the days
of Jesus were men of the Word. They revered Scripture in ways
in ways we could not even imagine. Every Jewish child was required to
memorize the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Bible - when
they reached twelve years of age. The Pharisees knew the Scripture line by line,
sign by sign, from head to tail, just like the rabbinical teachings of centuries that
they complemented each other. They were soaked in Scripture, but Jesus said they were
blind leading blind.2When they made converts, they doubled their own
spiritual bankruptcy.3The Pharisees take pride in their knowledge of the
Writing, but they had no idea they were rejecting their Author, who was right there.
in front of them.
How can we avoid this danger? How can we love the Bible and seek
his truth without falling into the trap of religious pride, deception, the letter of the law and
Death? We must ask God for His Spirit to open His Word to us. The Spirit
and the Word united are those who give life.4

Fiji: a dramatic return to life

Sometimes, the life infused by the Spirit and the Word can be literal and
absolutely amazing. Recently, we received the unusual visit of three
representatives from Fiji at the University of the Nations of JUCUM, in Kona,
Hawaii. The men were sent to fulfill an important task from the
government, the great council of chiefs and the pastors of Fiji.
We present our distinguished visitors before an assembly of
eight hundred jucumeros, between staff and students. The men were dressed in sultans.
Fijians - tailored sarong, combined with a casual style shirt -.
With great dignity, they sat cross-legged on the ground of
our great pavilion and began to deliver solemn speeches in a style
 196

typically islander. First of all, they honored me with a whale tooth.

Later I found out that very few of these are given away. The whale teeth.
pass from one generation to another in the families of the chiefs and royalty. The most
the highest honor that the Fijians can bestow is to make this gift. When it
they create, establish a deep bond and a commitment between their history and the
receptor.
When the speeches of those men were interpreted, we discovered
the purpose of their trip. They had come to formally request our help.
organization to fulfill God's destiny for His nation. Were we
Are you willing to go to Fiji to teach them more deeply the Scriptures?
In recent years, Fiji has experienced the beginning of a national revival.
The class of transformation that we have been discovering in this book is
taking place there. It all started when Fidji suffered two violent blows from
state in the year 2000. Although the authorities suppressed the rebellion and
the instigators were imprisoned, the leaders of Fiji felt that their country had
lost prestige in the world. Its economy was in trouble. Its
young people were getting lost. The country was losing direction in everything
senses.

A unique meeting for foot washing

For those who are not familiar with this country, Fiji is the main center
of communications, educational and commercial of the South Pacific (Polynesia and Melanesia).

More than half of its population is indigenous (mostly Christian) and almost half.
Indo-Fijians (mostly Hindus and Muslims), whose ancestors arrived
to Fiji to work, in the times of the British colonial era.
In recent years, some natives began to feel offended by the
economic and political success of the Indo-Fijians. In an outbreak of violence
In 2000, the Fijians looted and burned Hindu shops.
The insurgents raped Indo-Fijian women and injured many. The violence
it claimed eight lives.5
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At that time of difficulty, the new Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase

he directed the pastors and pious leaders and asked them to cease the disputes between
denominations. He felt that the bitterness in the body of Christ had
contributed to the deep divisions in the country. The spiritual leaders
they came together and asked each other for forgiveness for the wickedness and the slanders.

Then Prime Minister Qarase asked the pastors to seek God.

to discern what his will for the country was. The leaders of the Church
they began to fast and pray. The prime minister and the president joined them and
they invited the people to fasting and prayer.
Once political stability was restored, Prime Minister Qarase organized
a meeting in Albert Park, in Suva, the capital of Fiji. They practically had
cited all the leaders of the Church, as well as the political leaders. They asked
publicly apologize to the Indo-Fijian community. And in an astonishing act of
public contrition, the prime minister knelt before the opposition leader, the
Hindu Mahendra Chaudhry, and asked for forgiveness. Afterwards, the prime minister took

a basin and a towel and washed the feet of his political opponent6Hundreds of
Fijians imitated the example of the prime minister that day in Albert Park, and they
They approached one another, crying and asking for forgiveness.

Health for the earth

The remorse and restitution did not cease that day at Albert Park. The
Pastors continued to gather, asking God to heal their land and for guidance.
for the leaders of the government.
The shepherds sought the Lord and came up with a concrete plan. This plan,
put into practice, includes a mobile team of pastors and lay volunteers
called Health for the Earth. This team is ready to visit
any village whose chief requests it. There they pray and fast for a week. Then
they visit people and go from house to house. They impart biblical teachings all the
nights. They develop a broad and structured program, they offer teaching
about basic topics and opportunities for people to respond in
repentance and spiritual warfare.
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Bill Efinger and a group from JUCUM Kona recently accompanied the team
Health for the earth on one of their visits. They traveled to the village of Saunauka,
whose population is five hundred inhabitants.

Regret under a blazing sun

Bill declared: "The whole town would come every night to listen to the teaching.
biblical.” Once the team established the conditions clearly for the
repentance and reconciliation gave people the opportunity to respond.
The entire town made a pact to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Absolutely everyone.
the neighbors gathered on a Saturday for a formal ceremony of
repentance and reconciliation. They sat all day long.
on the ground, under the sun, with crossed legs. The chiefs of the clans and sub-
clanes, their leader and the town took turns to publicly confess their
sins against the community.
It was a solemn ceremony, according to the island protocol, but one could
“perceive their passion,” said Bill. “The information that the interpreters provided to us
left us stunned. The Fijians opened up with total transparency and asked
sorry. A widow confessed that she had been living off the money of her deceased
the husband had stolen from the church over several years. The athletes of the town -
the football team, the rugby players, and the volleyball team appeared
in front of the community. The lanky young people remained silent with
heads down while their spokesperson apologized for their rebellion, their drunkenness
and their disobedience to parents.
George Otis Jr. refers in his documentary 'Let the Seas Resound' encounters
similar events celebrated in fourteen towns in the Fiji Islands.7In a locality
where the ancestors had killed and eaten a missionary, in the
19th century, the Fijians were afflicted by guilt. They paid for the plane trip to
the descendants of the victim, from England, to ask them for forgiveness in
person.
In other acts of repentance, marijuana growers uprooted and
they burned 13,864 plants in the highlands of Fiji, with an estimated value of
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once millions of dollars. A leader of the reconciliation movement, Savenaca

Nakauyaca declared: "They realized that they were guilty of tarnishing the
land and that they were under the curse of God, which is why they abandoned the
cultivation of narcotics and offered their hearts to God.8
Others abandoned the witchcraft rituals inherited from their ancestors. Bill
Efinger reports that he was a witness to the burning of idols and objects of witchcraft from the

neighbors of Saunaka in a field.

The entire process was filled with biblical teaching. The team of
Health for the Earth conducts intensive Bible studies in villages with
converts and teaches them how to conduct themselves in their personal and corporate life

As the people repent and begin to live a righteous life, God

you give life to your land.

The health of the environment

Something incredible happened in the fishing town of Rukua. The coral reef
Near this locality, it had started to disappear a few years ago.
Because their livelihood depended on the fish that fed on it.
coral reef, the neighbors lacked food. After humiliating themselves in front of
By God, the reef recovered and the fish returned.9Think about it! You have
It takes centuries for a coral reef to grow. But God restored it.
overnight literally. The exact same thing has happened.
from night to morning. Exactly the same has happened in the village of
On the shelf.
In the village of Nuku, in the interior of Naitasiri, the main source of
the water supply had been contaminated with acid for more than forty
years. Three days after the neighbors repent, Nakauyaca states: 'God
The stream healed. The water became clean and pure again.10
Fijians tell similar stories throughout the country. In some places,
the fish has returned to marine areas that had become depopulated, in another
In the place, the wild boars were destroying the crops. Suddenly they disappeared.
As these stories have accumulated, the bosses and other leaders are
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inviting the Health team to the land to their respective localities. In

many places where the team has ministered, have witnessed repentance
of 100 percent of the population and their declaration of loyalty to Jesus Christ.

The rewriting of scripts

The word of God is not only affecting the inside. Vini Guanavinaka, leader
from JUCUM and director of the biblical counseling course in Kona, speaks of her native

Fiji: "There is a much greater response to evangelization... and a desire to

integrate Christianity into daily life." He assures that the indofidjians,
mostly Hindus, are also turning to the Lord. The number of believers
It has doubled. The revival is also producing fruit at a personal level.11
In the business world, Fijian Kalara Vusoniwailala declares: 'In the
capital of Suva, in almost all companies, a Bible study is taught by
week. There is a revival happening and the natives want to understand the
implications of their faith.12

Similarly, groups of communication professionals meet

regularly to delve into the Scripture and ask God to teach them how
they must conduct themselves in their industries. Vini considers the case of a prominent

television character who rewrites his scripts to ensure that his

presentations are fair.13
I don't believe I have seen a more literal demonstration of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
in my life. We promised the Fijian delegates who sought our help
what we would do about everything that was happening. We will provide more
teaching in Fiji. Our goal is to help the people to extend this
transformation to other countries.
This is not just for Fiji. God promises each one of us: 'If my
people, who bears my name, humbles themselves and prays, and seeks me and abandons their evil

conduct, I will listen to him from heaven, I will forgive his sin and restore his
land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14). I eagerly await what is to come. We will see the
what God will do in Fiji and in the countries where Fijians go as missionaries.
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Chapter 31

Jesus, the living Word

For anything that needs to be faced, in any country, God has the
response. It doesn't matter how hardened, or incredulous, or morally corrupt or
the country is oppressed, he wants to offer life and restoration, but something is lacking
more than plans or strategies. As we have seen in the example of Fiji, they will
The power of the Holy Spirit and the Word is missing to inject healing.1
Jesus himself is the source of all life and health. We need to know him.
through His Word, to see Jesus on every page. The Bible was not written as
the other books, but by people whose minds were inspired
supernaturally by the Holy Spirit.2It should be read in the same way.
The more time you spend reading the Scripture with your mind anointed by the
Holy Spirit, you will discover Jesus more in the Word of God.
The first chapter of John declares: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the '
The Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

between us3It is built on a good foundation, useful for transformation

people and nations, when one understands who God is and learns to love Him and to
to know their ways.
When I was seven years old, I memorized the names of the sixty-six books.
from the Bible. Many years later, a pastor friend of mine in South Africa told me about a
sermon that I had heard pronounced by Oral Roberts. The great evangelist of the
health claimed that it is possible to find Jesus in all the books of the Bible.
As soon as my friend told me this, I began to mention them from memory, and
I started thinking of immediate examples, then I delved deeper and searched in Scripture.
I encourage you to do the same. Look for Jesus in all the books. In the meantime, I
I anticipate something of what I discovered.
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Jesus through the Book

Jesus, the living Word, is the Creator in Genesis, the liberator in Exodus,
high priest in Leviticus, the good spy in Numbers, the giver of the law in
Deuteronomy, the conqueror in Joshua, the just judge in Judges and the relative
redeemer in the book of Ruth. Jesus is the second David in 1 and 2 Samuel, the King
of kings in 1 and 2 Kings; and in 1 and 2 Chronicles, he is the keeper of
memories. He is the reconstructor of the temple in Ezra, Jesus is the builder of
our wall of protection in Nehemiah. He is the king who saves his people in
Ester.
In Job, he is the living Redeemer, who imparts double blessing afterward.
Satan has robbed us. He is the object of our praise and worship in the book.
of the Psalms. It is wisdom in Proverbs, the great preacher in Ecclesiastes,
who loves our soul in the Song of Songs.
Jesus is the tall and sublime king in Isaiah, upon whose shoulders rests the
government; however, he is also the suffering servant, beaten and killed by
We. He is the weeping prophet in Jeremiah, broken by the sins of his.
people; the tears of God in Lamentations. In Ezekiel, the prophet falls
motionless before Jesus, he whose appearance is like polished bronze. In
Daniel is the fourth man in the blazing fire and the uncut stone.
that destroys the foundations of the kingdoms of the world.

Jesus is the broken husband in the book of Hosea, the promised late rain
In Joel. It is the justice that flows from above in Amos. In Obadiah, he is the governor.
and the judge of the nations. He is the God of second chances in the book of
Jonah. He acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with his God.
in Micah. In Nahum, it is the wrath of God he writes the vision and makes it stand out
clearly in Habakkuk, and He has promised us that the knowledge of Jesus and the
the glory of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
He rejoices over us with singing in Zephaniah. It is the latter glory in
Haggai and the shaker of the nations. In Zechariah, he is the one who cleans the robe of the

High priest says: 'It will not be by force nor by any power, but by my'
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"Spirit." In Malachi, Jesus reconciles the generations, parents with children and
children with parents.

In Matthew, he is the Messiah; in Mark, the Supreme Commander; in Luke, the Son
of man; and in John, the Son of God. He is the builder and the head of the Church in
Facts. He is the second Adam who leads us to Abba Father in Romans.
making our adoption possible to be co-heirs with him. In 1 Corinthians,
Jesus is love, greater than faith and hope. In 2 Corinthians, he is the
true apostle. He embodies all the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians; he is the one who
who there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. We are all one in Him.
unifier of the Body.
Ephesians reveals Jesus as the cornerstone and the complete armor of God
that we must put on: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness,
belt of truth fastened around our waists, the shoes of the gospel of peace,
the shield of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. In Philippians, it is
who voluntarily humbled himself, stripped himself of heavenly glory, died and
descended to the depths of hell to be resurrected by his Father. He will be
exalted above all names. Every knee will bow before him and confess that
He is the Lord, for the glory of the Father, and through Jesus Christ we can do
all things. In Colossians, he is the one who created the world and sustains all
things, including our lives, families, and ministries.
First Thessalonians shows the care that Jesus has for us,
like a nursing mother takes care of her child and how a father takes care of his own.
Second Thessalonians reveals the King returning in great glory and majesty.
In 1 Timothy, he is the mediator between God and man and the true model of
firstborn. Jesus lives on through the generations, in 2 Timothy, he unites the faith of the
grandmother Loida, the mother of Eunice and the mother of her son Timothy.

He is the purifier of the Church in Titus and the one who grants freedom to the slaves.
in Philemon. In Hebrews, Jesus is the true rest of faith, the high
priest according to the order of Melchizedek, the author and finisher of our faith.
It is the good works that accompany living faith in James. In 1 Peter,
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In times of persecution and martyrdom, Jesus says to his people: 'Cast your cares'
about me, well I take care of you." He is precious in 2 Peter.
He assures in 1 John that if we confess our sins, he will forgive us.
and He will cleanse us. If we know Him, we will love Him and keep His commandments.
In 2 John, he is the perfect shepherd who tends to his own, and in 3 John, he is the
pioneering leader who takes care of the unknown pioneers, especially of
those who perform traveling ministries. In Jude, he warns us about the
false prophets –like Cain, who killed his brother; Balaam, who cursed the
people of God; and Korah, who divided his brothers.
He is the glory, the majesty, the dominion, and the authority, before all times,
now and forever. In the book of Revelation, Jesus reveals himself to John, who falls
like dead. It is too wonderful, too imposing, for Juan to.
contemplate in His glory. Peoples of every nation, tribe, ethnic group, and language worship Him.

they will honor and praise him with songs in their own languages and dances of their

cultures.
He is the one who rides the white horse and defeats the dragon and the beast.
Every person who has lived will appear before him, before the great white throne.
He will judge everyone and separate the righteous from the unrighteous. Revelation 21
reveals that the nations will come and present their glory at their feet, the glory
what they learned through Jesus, in the word of God. And he is, as informs
the final chapter, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, who was and is and is to come

come, the Almighty. Jesus is the Word in the Word, made real by the Spirit
Holy. He will be the Word in our lives, our societies, and in every nation.
about the earth.

Let's do it!

As one studies the Bible, the ways of God are discovered. One
discover how he led the peoples in the past. This provides a pattern
of work to face the problems of current times. The more
let's study the Scripture, for we will have answers to the great questions of
our time.
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Sometimes the problems of the world seem unsolvable. How can someone
transform people deeply rooted in bad habits and bitter fruits?
God had the same problem when he freed his people from slavery in
Egypt. After four hundred years, the Hebrews had a mindset of
slaves. Although they had experienced salvation and liberation through the
Easter blood they did not know how to behave, they and their families,
their social groups and nation.
God used Moses to disciple millions of exiled slaves and make of
they a nation. In later centuries, that tribe, rather small, blessed the
the whole world, just as God had promised Abraham. They did it
giving us the Bible and Jesus, the Son of God, today we can carry the Word and the
Living Verb to all those who are still waiting for it, we can change everything
world. We can build and rebuild nations –those that have lost the Book by
millennia, those that have recently discarded it, and those that have never had it
opportunity to hear it or see it.

An opening is approaching!

In 1985, something unusual happened while I was giving a message in Tuscula,

Finland, at a national conference held in a large tent. Suddenly,
I began to discern what God was preparing to do in the east, in the Soviet Union.
I told the Finns: "God is showing me that the Soviet Union is "}
opening.” Then I saw the image of some believers preaching freely in the
streets of Russian cities. I saw that Bibles were being distributed without hindrance and that

Many Russian missionaries departed for various corners of the world. I shared
all this with the people who had gathered, as God showed me.
I remember well how they reacted when I declared it. Their faces seemed
Wow, listen to that crazy preacher!
The following year, in 1986, Gorbachev announced that glasnost, a Russian word
what denotes "openness", had arrived in the Soviet Union. After the tragedy
of Chernobyl, which exposed the enormity of the deception of the Marxist regime,
The Soviet Union began to open up. There were, of course, many other factors
 206

that contributed to precipitating the end of the communist era, too much to
to explain them here. But seeing how quickly events unfolded in Russia and
Eastern Europe, I remembered that the Lord had spoken to me that afternoon in the tent,
in Finland. God revealed to me that the opening was approaching. And He wanted me to

we would have been prepared.

Shortly after, I was able to preach in the Russian streets without obstruction, such
as God had predicted. Moreover, on one occasion, I preached in the square of a
city, the police approached and discreetly asked us for Bibles.
Boris Yeltsin, president of the Russian Federation at that time, asked for the
Church that will send 125 million Bibles so that all students can have one.
They had a copy. Many missionary organizations took action to the
work, in 1990, and sent about 25 million Bibles. But we were not ready
to provide all those that the government requested. What a missed opportunity!
Today we find ourselves on the brink of another historic challenge.

We must prepare ourselves

Years ago, Brother Andrew organized a clandestine distribution of Bibles.

in China. Among other remarkable achievements, the volunteers who carried out the
they managed to introduce a million Bibles into the country, on barges,
from Hong Kong.4Later, some entrepreneurs from Beijing challenged the
Chinese government to allow the printing of Bibles. 'Why do they fear the
"Bible?" they asked.
The government accepted their impression. Some jucumeros were part of the team.
of printers. Every year, since printing began, it is printed in China.
between one and three million Bibles. With the government's permission, others have carried out

The book to China for distribution. So far, no one has registered a

excessive opposition. Of course, the Chinese population currently amounts to
1.281 million inhabitants. And with the increase of thousands of believers per day,
There are still not enough Bibles in the country.
We must not waste another opportunity. We must take His Word to the
People. He counts on us, longs to walk with us to carry His Book.
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throughout the earth. He desires that we scrutinize the Scriptures in prayer to find
answers to all the problems that humanity has to face. He has
put this invaluable treasure in our hands. It is time to use it.
 208

A parable for the nations

 209

I thank Bob Moffitt for allowing me to include the following parable from his book.
If Jesus were mayor.1It summarizes well the spirit of what I have tried.
express in this book.
 210

The parable of Juan

Juan felt a calling from God to move to a very needy area.

his city, in a phase of expansion, to establish a church. Every time he went and
I was coming to work by bus, passing through the miserable community of LS Pavas.
Juan felt a strange attraction to the people who lived there. He wasn't very
prepared, I had only taken a biblical course by extension. But I felt passion
for the people; I longed for them to come to the knowledge of Jesus.
Juan consulted with his wife and they both decided to move to Las Pavas.
with their little daughters. They rented a tiny wooden shack.
dwelling. In Las Pavas there was no water, no electricity, no school, no center of
health. The streets were unpaved. The people were poor. They lived in cabins.
made of tar paper, brass, old tires, cardboard, used planks, and
anything that could serve to shelter oneself. It was a hard life, but Juan and
His wife and he believed that God had called them to live and minister in that place.
Juan worked during the day, but he went out at night to visit his neighbors and
he invited them to his home to do Bible studies. He dedicated the weekends.
to the work of pastor. After a few months, a small group of women and
children gathered on Sundays at their home. A few months later
They could rent a meeting room where Juan received about twenty women and many others.
children in their congregation, but there were no men. The men of the
the community appreciated him, but they thought that religion was a women's thing and
children.
Juan was a faithful and kind shepherd. He would wake up every dawn to pray for
his people and studying the Bible. After the first year, they enjoyed a good
fraternity, but they had experienced little growth. Juan and his wife
they discovered that the living conditions were physically weakening them.
sick, his little daughters would get sick. Juan did not earn enough money to
provide adequate medical attention. He became discouraged.
One early morning, around four in the morning, Juan got up.
Silently. He had hung a plastic curtain to divide the space.
the night, separated the bedroom and the dining room, which was furnished with a
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table and four chairs. Juan seated sixty at the table and lit the wick inserted in a
old milk container. It was filled with paraffin and served as a lamp. He opened his
Bible and started to read. That particular morning he read Isaiah 58, about the
God's concern for the hungry, the naked, the homeless,
oppressed.
Juan's heart cried out in silence: "Lord, I see your interest in the poor in
the Bible. Why don't I see in Las Pavas?” Juan was deeply affected.
for the needs of the people, and while he was praying, a tear ran down his
. While he meditated on the disparity between his experience and what he was reading, he heard

that they knocked softly on the door.

Juan approached immediately, but he did not open it. It was dangerous to open the door to

a stranger in the dark.

-Who is it? -whispered Juan. A soft voice replied:
I am Jesus.
Who is it? Tell the truth
The voice repeated again:
I am Jesús, Juan.
The voice was so gentle that Juan almost believed it was Jesus. He turned slowly the

he unlocked the lock and carefully opened a small crack. He could see the
Silhouette of a man in the darkness. He did not seem threatening. Juan opened the
door a little more.
"Pass" he said. But Jesus replied:
-No, Juan, I heard your cry this morning. I have come so that I can...
show the things that trouble you in La Pavas" –Juan quickly and quietly.
he left his hut, somewhat surprised by his obedience to this invitation. Closed.
the door behind him, and said:
It's okay, Juan -Jesus replied- I will follow you.
They started their walk along a winding path. Along the way, Juan warned him to
Jesus:
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In that cabin lives a single mother. She sells her body in her home and
in front of their small children to get money to eat - they walked a bit
more.
- And in that hut made of tar paper lives a family. The man is
alcoholic. He usually comes home drunk and hits his wife and children. All the
the neighborhood hears them shouting. It's very hard to endure the screams, but I can't do anything.

nothing to avoid it.

They moved a little further and Juan said:

Cover your nose when passing by here. This is where everyone throws their trash and
use the latrine. The scurrying of rats could be heard among the waste. Then
Juan pointed out another shelter. It was larger than the rest. And he said:

Here is where the president of Las Pavas lives. He thinks he is 'someone'. He raises
money and tells people that he is going to bring them water and electricity. But everyone
You know that he spends the money on drinks and women.
Then Juan turned a corner, went down a slope, and set off on the
return path. I point to a small one located at the end of the slope.
-Jesus- said-, this is one of the saddest cases I have seen in Las Pavas.
The woman who lives there was abandoned by the father of her three small children.
They sleep on the ground. When it rains, a dark water floods their shack.
Sometimes, she sits all night with the children in her arms, so that
I couldn't reach the water.
Juan heard a soft crying. He looked around. Upon seeing the shoulders tremble
Jesus knew that it was the Lord who was crying. He saw that the same things that had
broken their heart also broke that of Jesus. With a choked voice,
Jesus turned to him and said:
-Juan, I want to show you what my will is for Las Pavas.
Juan didn't know how it happened, but suddenly, he and Jesús saw all the
community from above. Jesus started by speaking of a dignified housing.
Suddenly, the huts became small but pleasant shelters. No
they were luxurious, but indeed beautiful. Jesus spoke about jobs, and Juan could see that the
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inhabitants of Las Pavas were going to work. Juan assumed that they were not very good jobs.

well paid. But the salary was enough to support their families.
Jesus spoke about water. Suddenly, fountains appeared well distributed throughout the
neighborhood and everyone had access to drinking water. Jesús spoke about education and
of health. And before Juan's eyes appeared a school and a clinic. Jesus
he talked about beauty. And Juan saw all the dirt disappear. The children played in
a land with trees and flowers. Jesus spoke of healthy families in which the
men, women, and children respected and loved each other. Then
Jesus spoke of spiritual healing. John saw his small church filled with families -
men included-. Overflowed with enthusiasm and thought: "This is the kind of
community that I would like to have.
Of course, Jesus read his thoughts and said to him:
-Juan, this is my wish for Las Pavas. I want you to talk to the people about me.
plan and that you start to lead them.
-But Jesus- protested Juan-, I can't do this. How can one
small congregation of women and children doing such a thing? We have difficulties
to survive.
-Juan, listen to me. I want to share with you my plans for these people and
I want you to teach your congregation to serve their neighbors. Visit the
sick. Visit single mothers. Share with the neighbors. Everyone can
carry a cup of rice, a bar of soap, a little sugar or salt, some
vegetables or clothes to the church on Sundays. Collect it in baskets and distribute it among the

more in need. They must do this every week. Then, cultivate

relationships with city authorities. Explore what is needed to carry out
water and electricity to the neighborhood.

-Jesus -John said-, we have to be realistic. These little things do not

they will change the situation a lot.

-Juan, who created the world?

You, Sir, but...
Who divided the Red Sea for the children of Israel to cross?
You, Sir, but...
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Who fed the five thousand with five loaves and two fish?
You, Sir, but...
-Juan, I am the same yesterday, today and forever. You do your part and I will do mine.

I will take care of the rest. Some things will not be fulfilled until I return, but
I want you to start the process. You and your little flock are my ambassadors,
my representatives. If you obey me, I will begin to heal Las Pavas.
Juan started to think about what Jesus had said. Suddenly, he heard a rooster.
to sing. He heard his wife starting to stretch out on the other side of the curtain.
He looked around him. He was still sitting at the table. The oil in the lamp had
extinguished. It was beginning to dawn.

Juan looked around him, but he saw no one. What had happened? He
He asked: Have I had a vision? Was it a dream? I didn't know. But I did know that
I had had an encounter with Jesus and I adored that it had a purpose for the church.
and for the community of Las Pavas.
What would happen if you walked through your neighborhood with Jesus? What if you told him the

details of his ministry, his business, or his country? Would he hear the desires of his
heart? Would it capture the sobs of its lament? Would it dare to do something
Impossible? Do you think that the one who multiplied the loaves and the fish can multiply
His efforts? Does he trust that he is going to change his world?

If we listen to him and do what he tells us, we will instruct nations.

whole. We will change the world. We will discover that your knowledge covers the
land, as the waters cover the sea.
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Notes

All the URLs have been visited in the last few months and that
we know are updated Web pages. Over time,
Some web pages may only be accessible through certain files. In
other cases, for example, when only the main page has been made available, such
sometimes it is necessary to pay an access fee to visit the attached pages of
certain portal.

Chapter 1 – The loss and the finding of the Book

See 2 Kings 21 and 2 Chronicles 33.

2 Chronicles 33:4-5

2 Kings 23:7.

4. Winkie Pratney, Devil Take the Youngest (Lafayette, La.: Huntington House,

1985), 63-65.

5. 2 Chronicles 33:6.

2 Kings 21:16.

2 Kings 21:23

2 Kings 22:2

2 Kings 22:8

10.2 of Kings 23:2.

2 Kings 23:4-6

12.2 of Kings 23:25.

Chapter 2 - What will it require?

1. World Christian Database, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon

Conwell Theological Seminary,www.worldchristiandatabase.org.

 216

2. Ibid.

3.According to a classification of countries by population, made in July 2005,

according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population.

4. From the interview that the author had with David Aikman in a meeting

public celebrated at the University of the Nations, Kona, Hawaii, on the 25th of

May 2006.

5. Although the Chinese government continues to persecute members of churches.

(in the unregistered houses) some government leaders are believers

secrets, according to credible sources. They are like Nicodemus, who came to

Jesus of the night.

6. See Matt. 22:37-40 and Mark 12:28-31.

7.Americans for Divorce Reform,www.divorcereform.org/rates.html.

8.US Prison Population Peakshttp://

Invalid input. Please provide a text to translate.

9.To consult data about drug use in the United States,

refer to: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse,

www.nida.nih.gov/Infofax/nationtrends.html; see also

www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/costs.html

To consult data about alcohol consumption in the United States,

refer to: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse

and Alcoholism,

www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/default.htm.

To inquire about data regarding the economic consequences of abuse of

alcohol, refer to: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol

 217

Abuse and Alcoholism, Updating Estimates of the Economic Costs of Alcohol

Abuse in the United States: Estimates, Update Methods, and Data,

The provided text appears to be a URL and does not contain translatable content.

To obtain information about gambling addiction, or compulsive gambling, in the

United States, see: National Gambling Impact Study Commission

Report, 'Problem and Pathological Gambling,' North Carolina Family Policy

Council, http://ncfamily.org/NGISC%20Final%20Report/4.pdf; see also:

The National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, www.ncalg.org.

To consult data on pornography in the United States, see: Dick

Thornburgh and Herbert S. Lin, Youth, Pornography, and the Internet

(Washington D.C.: National Academy Press, 2002). Computer Science and

Telecommunications Board, National Research Council,

www.nap.edu/books/0309082749/html/R2.hetml; see also: Protecting

Children in Cyberspace, 'Recent Statistics on Internet Dangers,'

www.protectkids.com/darngers/stats.htm; see also: Be Broken Ministries,

Statistics on Porn & Sex Addiction,

www.bebroken.com/bbm/resources/articles/stats.shtml.

10. David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian

Encyclopedia, 2nded., vol. 1 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 772.

11. David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian

Encyclopedia, 2nd ed., vol. 1 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 224.

Notice that the WCE uses the expression Great Commission Christians.

of the grand commission (GCC) - instead of including those who claim to be 'born'

of New" or "evangelicals". The GCC are defined on page 28, vol. 1 of the
 218

WCE as "believers in Jesus Christ, aware of what the Great

Commission of Christ, who have accepted His personal challenge in their lives and

ministries, seek to obey their mandates and commandments, and influence the

body of Christ to carry them out.

12.The Barna Group, 'Americans Are Most Likely to Base Truth on Feelings,' 12

of February 2002 www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?

Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=106, used with permission.

13.Ibid.

14. Study of European Values, The Joint Information Systems Committee

www.jisc.ac.uk/coll_eurovaluesurverys.html

15.Peter Ford, “What Place for God in Europe?” Christian Science Monitor, USA

Today, February 22, 2005, www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-02-21

godeurope_x.htm?POE=clickrefer, August 3, 2006. According to Ford, while the

The Study of European Values found that only 21 percent of

Europeans believed that religion was 'very important', a similar survey

discovered that 59 percent of Americans, nearly three times more,

They believed that their faith was 'very important' to them.

16. Brian C. Anderson, 'Secular Europe, Religious America,' Public Interest,

Spring 2004, 143.

17. Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, Operation World (William Carey Library)

Publisher, 2009.

18.Ibid., 651.
 219

19. Noelle Knox, 'Nordic Family Ties Don’t Mean Tying the Knot,' USA Today

World, December 15, 2004, www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-12-

15marriage-x.htm.

20. Johnstone and Mandryk, Operation World in Spanish.

21.Ibid., 270-71.

22.Ibid., 53, 271, 365-66, 651.

23.The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 'An Uncertain Road: Muslims and '

the Future of Europe,"http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=60

24.Ibid.

Chapter 3 - The tide can be turned

1. 1 Matt. 6:10.

Matthew 28:19-20.

Romans 5:20

4. Col. 1:16-17.

Colossians 1:19-20

6. John 20:21.

1 John 4:4.

Colossians 2:10.

9. "This light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not been able to

to extinguish it" (John 1:5).

10. John 8:12; Matthew 5:14.

11. Many will know that JUCUM inaugurated a ministry called Ships of

Hope in 1978. But not many know that David Cowie started in 1990.
 220

another ministry of YWAM called Marine Reach. The ships of

Marine Reach does not exceed 300 tons.

Isaiah 9:2.

13. According to David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World

Christian Encyclopedia, 2nded., vol. 1 (New York: Oxford University Press,

2001), 849, the "World A" is not "evangelized", and it amounted to 1,600

millions, or 26.9 percent, in 2000.

Colossians 1:12-14

15. See Luke 10.

Matthew 13:33.

17.Lincoln College, University of Oxford, 'John Wesley (1703-1791)'

www.lincoln.ox.ac.uk/content/view/128/125/; see also: Rejeus, The

Story: Famous Followers, www.rejesus.co.uk/the_story/saint4/quotes.html.

Philippians 4:13.

Matthew 22:34-40

Chapter 4 - Revival or Transformation?

1.For more information about the revival in Wales, see: Rev. Oliver

W. Price, “The Welsh Revival of 1904-1905”, Bible Prayer Fellowship,http://

bpf.gospelcom.net//welsh.html.

2. For more information about the revival in the Hebrides, see:

Duncan Campbell, The Price and Power of Revival: Lessons from the

Hebrides Awakening (Fort Washington, Pa.: Christian Literature Crusade,

sold out.
 221

3.For more information about the revival in Pensacola, see:

Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, 'Brownsville Assembly of God Church', 2

June 2000, www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week340/cover.html;

see also: Steve Beard, 'Shake, Rattle, and Repent: The Pensacola'

Outpouring

first published in Good News, July/August 1996.

Romans 12:2

5.Shapes of Our Modern Age

The provided text is a URL which cannot be translated.

6. Fountain, “Shapers”, 3.

7.John Wesley, The Journal of John Wesley (Grand Rapids: Christian)

Classics Ethereal Library 2000),

The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable text.

I felt my heart strangely warmed

8. Fountain, “Shapers”, 9.

9. Ibid.

10.Ibid., 13

11.Ibid., 9.

12. Ibid.

13.Ibid., 11.

14.Ibid.

15.Ibid., 12.

16.Ibid.

17.Ibid., 11.
 222

18.Edward Coleson, 'English Social Reform from Wesley to the Victorian Era'

Wesley Center for Applied Theology

Unable to access the content from the provided URL.

Chapter 6 - A True Builder of Nations: William Carey

Ruth and Vishal Mangalwadi, The Legacy of William Carey: A Model for the

Transformation of a Culture (Wheaton, III.: Crossway, 1999).

2. Gen. 1 and 1 Tim. 4:4.

Psalm 145:10.

Genesis 1:28.

5. Mangalwadi and Mangalwadi, Legacy, 22.

Vishal Mangalwadi, Missionary Conspiracy: Letters to a Postmodern Hindu

(Mussoorie, India: Nivetit Good Books, 1996), and Vishal Mangalwadi, India:

The Grand Experiment (Farnham, U.K.: Pippa Rann, 1997).

7. Mangalwadi and Mangalwadi, Legacy, 72.

8. Ibid., 23.

9.NCDHR (National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights)

www.dalits.org/default.htm

10.For more information, see: Barbara Crossette, 'Caste May Be India's

Moral Achilles' Heel New York Times, October 20, 1996, Mount Holyoke

College,www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/caste.htm; see also: Eric

Margolis, 'India's Hidden Apartheid', Sikh Spectrum, November 2002,

www.sikhspectrum.com/112002./eric_caste.htm; and Gopal Guru with

Shiraz Sidhva, 'India's Hidden Apartheid,' The Courier, September 2001,

 223

11. According to Rev. Dr. J.N Manokaran, of Global Resources Development, in

Chennai (Madras), India, over 300,000 pastors, missionaries and

Indian evangelists are guiding many thousands of people to Christ.

despite the tenacious opposition in certain stock exchanges in the country.

Patrick Johnstone and Jason Madryk, Operation World (William Carey)

Library Publisher USA, 2009.

13.Ibid., 6 Note that, with regard to missionaries within the

same country, India holds the second position in the total number of missionaries

sent, although not per capita.

Chapter 7 – A man you should know: Abraham Kuyper

This chapter is a summary of Jeff Fountain's 'Shapers of Our Modern

Age, 'www.hfe.org/cms-images/docs/shapers.pdf, used with permission from

author.

2. Abraham Kuyper distinguished between spheres of authority, which he called

"domains of sovereignty", such as the family and government, and spheres of

influence, like the arts. God grants part of his authority

establishing pacts with people - all spheres of authority are

consequence of the pact of man with God or one with another. Israel was

blessed because it was a covenant nation. The individuals who make a covenant

with God attract blessing upon their country.

Free UniversityInvalid request; provided text is a URL and cannot be translated.. See History

and Mission.

4. Fountain, “Shapers”, 33-34

5. See 2 Kings 20:12-19.

 224

6. 'Visual Faith: A Christian Recovery of the Arts, A Conversation with Dr.'

William Dynerss”, Cutting Edge vol. 6, no.1 (winter 2002), 9-11;

confirmed with a personal letter from a former student present in the

assembly when the rector gave his response to the producer.

7.Luke 19:13.

Chapter 8 - Skiing with Bibles: Hans Nielsen Hauge

1. The author obtained quite a bit of information about Hans Nielsen Hauge

talking to Alv Magnus, whose thesis is not available yet. The source

the most documented work in English is Joseph M. Shaw's work,

Pulpit under the Sky: A Life of Hans Nielsen Hauge (Minneapolis: Augsburg,

1955). Other sources: Jeff Fountain, “Shapers of Our Modern Age”,

www.hfe.org/cms_images/docs/shapers.pdf; Winkie Pratney, 'Hans Nielsen'

Hauge, The New Testament Church Planting Digest 2, no. 98 (June 4,

2002), www.worldmissions.org/digests; “The Life of Hans Nielsen Hauge”

Augsburg Now 60, no. 1 (autumn, 1997), Augsburg College

The provided text does not contain any translatable content. y Lutheran

Calendar March 29 (1824), Hans Nielsen Hauge, Renewer of the

Church, Anglican. Org/resources/bio/index.html.

2. Pratney, 'Han Nielsen Hauge'.

3. Shaw, Pulpit, 4.

4. Hauge quoted by Shaw, Pulpit, 162. Pulpit also includes the full text.

from the two brief writings of Hauge, 221-34.

5. Fountain, “Shapers”, 21.

6. Shaw, Pulpit, 74.

 225

7. Ibid., 43.

8. Ibid., 10.

Exodus 20:5-6.

Chapter 9 - The Miraculous Success of a Country

1.Omniglot: A Guide to Written Language s.v. Korean

Invalid input for translation.

2.Dr. H. Vinson Synan, The Yoido Gospel Church, Pentecostal Charismatic

Theological Inquiry International Cyberjournal for Pentecostal Charismatic

Research,www.pctii.org.org/cyberj/cyberj2/synan.html.

3. Ibid.

4.Reformed Online, Information about the Republic of Korea

www.reformierton.net/worldwide/75-eng.php.

5. David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian

Encyclopedia, 2nded. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 682.

6.According to an article published on June 20, 2000, in the Korea Herald,

www.koreaherald.co.kr, the war left a toll of 5 million

dead, injured or missing more than half of them civilians. Also

I tore more than 10 million people from their families, and left 300,000.

widows and 100,000 war orphans; see also: Phil de Hann, 50

Years and Counting: The Impact of the Korean War on the People of the

Peninsula May, 2002, Calvin College

Unable to access the content of the provided URL.

 226

7.Dr. Cho's church currently has 800,000 members, according to Yoido.

Full Gospel Church, Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoido_Full_Gospel_Church

8.According to the (CIA) Central Intelligence Agency, The 2005 World Factbook,

www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2001rak.html, Korea del

Sur ranks sixteenth in the purchasing power parity ranking.

(PPP). This is the measure that most economists prefer to use.

to compare the living conditions of one country with those of another. If only you

it takes into account the nominal gross domestic product - the value of all

goods and services produced by a country in a year - South Korea occupies a

ranked even higher - the tenth. According to the list of countries by GDP

(nominal) Wikipedia,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomial).

9. Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, Operation World: 21st Century Edition

(Waynesboro, Ga: Paternoster USA, 2001), 388. See the latest

operation World edition in Spanish.

10.Norimitsu Onishi, Korean Missionaries Carry Word to Hard Places, Seoul

Times, October 19, 2005, www.theseoultimes.com/ST/db/read.php?

idx=1193.

11.Ibid.

12.Although the Church is growing in India, the percentage of Christians is only

reaches 6 percent, according to World Christian Database, Center for the

Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary,

www.worldchristiandatabase.org. As this percentage grows, and

 227

that a critical mass or large minority of Hindus practice the

truths of the Word of God, as has happened in South Korea, the

India will develop its potential.

13.The estimates they vary. The World Christian Database,

www.worldchristiandatabase.org estimates that 41 percent of the

the population of South Korea is Christian. Operation World (William Carey)

Library Publisher, 2009). 216, estimates that it is 31.67 percent.

14. Johnstone and Mandryk, Operation World (William Carey Library Publisher,

2009). 217.

15. The former presidents of South Korea Noh (Roh) Tae Woo and Chun Doo

Hwan were found guilty of treason, rebellion, and corruption. Noh

(Roh) Tae Woo was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison, and Chun Doo

Hwan was sentenced to death. After appealing, the convictions were

reduced to 17 years in prison and life imprisonment, respectively.

16.Learning Enrichment, South Korea Shaping a New Era,

www.learningenrichment.org/wc_sou_three.html; see also John

Borland and Michael Kanellos, Broadband: South Korea Leads the Way

CNET News.com 28 of Julio, 2004,

South Korea leads the way

Html; and Joel Strauch Greetings from the Most Connected Place on Earth - South

Korea: Where Broadband Is Cheap, and the Gaming Is Easy, PC World, 21

February 2005, http://pcworld.com/resource/article/0,aid,119741,pg,1

RSS, RSS,00.asp.

Chapter 10 - Revolution in a Tiny Country

 228

The summary of the history of Pitcairn was made from the conversations.

that the author maintained with Professor Herbet Ford, from the Center for the

Study of the Pitcairn Islands by Pacific Union College in California

interviews with island natives in 1991, (New York: Viking Penguin,

2003).

2. Alexander, Bounty, 335.

3. Ibid., 365.

4. Sir Charles Lucas, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., introduction to The Pitcairn Island

Register Book, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (London, 1929)

15. The Register is a record of births, deaths, marriages and

notable family events that occurred in Pitcairn following the arrival of the Bounty,

January 23, 1790, and until 1853.

5. Alexander, Bounty, 348.

6. From the author's preface to the Bounty Trilogy, Charles Nordhoff and James

Norman Hall (Boston: Little, Brown, 1936), vii.

7. Alexander, Bounty, 354.

8. Recently, the courts are deliberating a case that has attracted attention about

Pitcairn, where seven men were tried under British law for

having had sex when they were much younger with teenagers

minors. The acts were committed forty-five years ago.

According to the Center for Pitcairn Island Studies, some natives were

convicts and filed an appeal before the Privy Council

English. The outcome of the appeal is still unknown at the time of writing this.

lines. The moral failure, if this is what happened, is always

 229

lamentable. See: British Foreign Office minister's rhetoric signals UK

government plans to end habitation of Pitcairn says academic, Pacif Union

College Pitcairn Islands Study Center

Unable to translate URL content.

9. According to Professor Ford, after the investigation by Mrs. Pauline

Ernst, the Connecticut Historical Society and others, experts believe that the

The Bible kept in the urn, in Pitcairn, is the one from the Bounty, and not the one that a

once belonged to Fletcher Christian. This Bible is currently in the

New York Public Library. The Bible that was left in Pitcairn was the

Bible of the ship, used by Captain Bligh.

Chapter 11 - The greatest revolution of all times: Martin Luther

1.Paul Mizz, 'A BIOGRAPHY OF THE German Reformer, Martin Luther' Truth

for Today: Biblical Essays Trinity Evangelical Church,

www.tecmalta.org/tft345.htm

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.; also Rom. 1:17.

4.Steven Kreis, The History Guide: Lectures on Early Modern European

History, Lecture3: The Protestant Reformation

www.historyguide.org/earlymod/lecture3c.html also Encyclopedia

Britannica Concise,

Unable to access external content or URLs.

5. Mizzi, A Biography.
 230

6.Dr. Martin Luther, Disputation of Doctor Martin Luther on the Power and

Efficacy of Indulgences, 1517,

Unable to access content from the provided URL.

7. Mizzi, A Biography

8. Ibid

9. See Exod. 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:9-10

10. Mizzi, A Biography.

Chapter 12 – The Key to Wealth

How Much Information? School of Information Management and Systems,

U.C. Berkeley, October 27, 2003, http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/research/

projects/howmuchinfo-2003/;also, Bob Herbert, Miracles at Warp Speed,

New York Times, December 31, 1999, A 21.

2. Mariano Grondona, A Cultural Typology of Economic Development, in

Culture Matters, ed. Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington (New

York: Basic Books, 2000), 54-55.

Chapter 13 - John Calvin and the most stinking city in Europe

Much of this information comes from a message delivered by

Tom Bloomer during a sightseeing tour in Geneva, Switzerland, in July

1996. Jim Stier includes a chapter by Tom Bloomer, in which it recounts the

surprising story of Geneva, in her upcoming book Transformation for the

Nations. Contact: contagem"jocum.org.br.

Colossians 3:23

3.Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (New York:

Scribner Library, 1958). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
 231

Weber wrote: We take, therefore, as our

starting point in the research of the relationships between ancient ethics

Protestantism and the spirit of capitalism, the works of Calvin, of Calvinism

and the other Puritan sects (89). Weber asserts this after quoting

Montesquieu (45), who said in his Esprit des Lois, book XX, chapter 7, that

English was the nation that had progressed the most in the world in three

important things: piety, commerce, and freedom. Weber continues

saying: Is it not possible that their commercial superiority and their adaptation to

free political institutions are somehow related to

this element of piety that Montesquieu assigns to them? (45). See also:

Charles W. Morre, Soci-Economic Consequences of the Protestant

Reformation 6 January 1998, Canadian Conservative Forum,

www.conservativeforum.org/EssaysForm.asp?ID=6062; Roger B. Hill,

History of Work Ethic, University of Georgia, College of Education

www.coe.uga.edu/-rhill/workethic/hist.htm; and Stanley L. Engerman,

Review Economic History Services, 1 of March 2000

http://eh.net/bookreviews/library/engerman.shtml.

Chapter 14 - The Laying of the Foundations of Freedom

1.Henry Dunant, Wikipedia,Unable to access or translate the content from the provided URL..

1 Corinthians 15:6.

Acts 1:15.

Chapter 15 – The Key: Who is God?

 232

For more information about Francis Schaeffer, see: Francis

Schaeffer, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Schaeffer.

2. Dr. Schaeffer designated the implicit truths with the term

basic budgets. A declared truth presupposes another idea

fundamental - a presupposition -. That is, when carefully considering a

declared truth leads to the fundamental truth that supports it. These four

ideas are not explicitly stated in the first chapters of the

Genesis. They are basic truths on which ideas are based.

clearly stated in these chapters.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1952), 142.

Spanish Mere Christianity, Rialp Editions, Madrid, 1995.

4.Manu Tandon, Indian Politics of Caste, December 21, 2005, The World

Forum,www.theworldforum.org/story/2005/12/20/14636/189.

Chapter 16 – What You Believe About God Matters

A hierarchy means that individuals are organized in ranks, and

that each of these is subordinate to the higher rank.

2. See John 17; Phil. 2:9-10; Col. 1:13-20.

3. See John 5:18-24; Phil. 2:6-7.

Ephesians

Revelation 1:8.

6. What Is Hinduism, and What Do Hindus Believe? Got Questions.org

www.gotquestions.org/hinduism.html

Acts 17:22-28.

1 John 4:19.
 233

Chapter 17 – Essential truths about us

Gen. 1:27.

Psalm 139: 13-16.

John 11:35.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Genesis 3:15.

6. John 14:26; 1 John 2:27.

1 Timothy 4:4.

1 Corinthians 2:9.

9. James 1:17.

Chapter 18 - The truth exists and it is possible to know it

See the explanation of basic budgets in note 2, chapter 15.

Romans 1:19-20

2 Timothy 3:16

4. Ibid., NIV.

Matthew 24:35.

6. John 18:37.

7. Heb. 4:12.

8. Ps. 1:1-3; see also: Ps. 119:97-105, 128.

9.The Barna Group, Americans Are Most Likely to Base Truth on Feelings,

February 12, 2002

Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=106, used with permission.

10. David B. Barrett and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian Trends (Pasadena,

Calif.: William Carey Library, 2001), Global Diagram 34.

 234

11.The 2005 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index,

Infoplease,http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781359.HTML.

Chapter 19 – We are responsible for living according to the truth

1. Jer. 21:8; Eze. 33:11.

2. Lucas 12:48; 2 de Ped. 1:5-8.

3.Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, ed.

(New York: G.P. Putnam's 1905) 4:124,

www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/detail.php?ResourceID=20#25

11.

4.David Barton, Quotations University, Wall Builders,www.wallbuilders.com/

resoruces/search/detail.php?ResoruceID=29.

5. John Eidsmoe, Christiany and the Constitution (Grand Rapids: Baker,

1987), 51, 53, cited in America’s God and Country: Encyclopedia of

Quotations, William J. Federer (Coppell, Tex.: Fame Publishing, 1994), 48-

49.

6. Daniel Webster, The Works of Daniel Webster (Boston: Little, Brown, 1853)

1:48.

7. Isaiah 11:10-12; Romans 11:3-5.

Judges 7:7.

9. See Joshua 20.

Matthew 5:13.

Chapter 20 - Why are nations rich or poor?

Matthew 25:14-30

Chapter 21 - Japan: Partial Obedience, Partial Blessing

 235

1. Michael Ireland, Gallup Poll of Japan Finds Christianity on the Upswing, 17

of March 2006, Assist News Service

www.assis-news.net/Stories/s06030105.htm. This Gallup poll showed

that faith in Jesus is currently on the rise in Japan, especially among

youth.

2.The Japanese economy is the third largest in the world, after those of the

United States and China, and the second market economy, measured on

the basis of purchasing power parity, with a gross domestic product

estimated at 4.018 trillion dollars in 2005, The World Factbook,

However, the

Japan's social issues are numerous and sometimes extreme. Alcoholism

is increasing. A survey conducted in 2001 by the Ministry of

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan estimated that there were more than two

millions of alcoholics in the country, according to Japan Faces Growing Alcohol

Problems, July 31, 2003, http://alcoholism.about.com/b/a/013857.htm

Japan ranks tenth in the world in terms of the number of

suicides, according to the classification of countries by suicide rate, Wikipedia,

According to Michael

Ireland, Gallup Poll of Japan, in a recent survey conducted by Gallup in

Japan discovered that 85% of Japanese teenagers were wondering about

teenagers why they existed (22 percent of American teenagers)

it was done according to a similar Gallup survey). Another troubling trend is the

hikikomori; a million teenagers have fallen into it. It is a kind of

suicide in life; they lock themselves in their rooms and do not go out for years,
 236

according to Maggie Jones, For Some in Japan, a Room Is Their World; The New

York Times, January 15, 2006, International Herald Tribune,

Unable to translate URL.

Divorce, which was once rare in Japan, has doubled since 1975,

according to Natalie Obiko Perarson, More Japanese Untie the Hno, January 19

2004 CBS News

mistreatment

domestic was not known until very recently due to the feeling of

shame, but a recent study claims that 1 in 20 women

fears for her life, according to Hiromi Ikeuchi, Domestic Violence, Japanese

Women Now, http://womipjp.org/e/JWOMEN/dv.html. The concealment of the

shame, missed call from the face, has also contributed to denial

the general state of mental illness until recently, even though Japan

it has the highest per capita rate of hospitalized mental patients

In the world, according to Hiroshi Matsubara, in Japan, psychiatric care still

Mired in Dark Ages, The Japan Times, September 12, 2001, World

Health News Harvand School of Public Health,

www.worldhealdnews.harvand.edu/gallery/mental.html; see also:

Kazuko Hirota, Better Services Needed for People with Mental Illness:

Message to Prime Minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi, the Mass Media

and the People of Japan, Disability World 12 (January-March, 2002),

www.disabilityworld.org/0103_02/il/japan.shtml

3. Matthew 13:33
 237

4. Clarence W. Hall, Adventures for God (New York: Harper, 1959), 81-105.

Hall personally visited Vories in Japan and observed his work. The

information about Vories that appears in this chapter has been taken

the Adventures for God.

5. Hall, Adventures, 83.

6. Ibid., 90. The brotherhood survived on meager wages, although they could

resort to a common fund in emergency cases.

7. Vories cited in Hall, Adventures, 90.

8. Ibid., 88.

9. Ibid., 92.

10. Ibid., 97.

Chapter 22 – The Great Transformation of Japan

1.The Rising Son

Resource Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ,

www.thejapannet.com/prod01.htm

2. Janet and Geoff Benge, Douglas MacArthur: What Greater Honor (Lynnwood,

Wash. Emerald Books, 2005), 170.

3. Ibid., 170-71.

4. Clarence W. Hall, Adventures for God (New York: Harper, 1959), 100.

5. Ibid.

Chapter 23 – Africa: Great Challenges, Great Hopes.

David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian

Encyclopedia, 2and., vol.1 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 13,
 238

the percentage of Christians in Africa in 1900 was 9.2 percent; and in

45.9 percent in 2000.

The figure of 69 percent of Christians was obtained by adding the populations.

Christians from Sub-Saharan countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina

Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Guinea

Ecuatorial, Gabón, Guinea, GuineaBissau, Costa de Marfil, Mauricio,

Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sao ToméPrincipe, Senegal, Seychelles,

Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe,

dividing the total by the sum of its populations. Figures taken from

Barrett, Kurian and Johnson, World Christian Encyclopedia, 827-35.

3. Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk, Operation World (William Carey)

Library Publisher, 2009.

4.The United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) classifies the

countries according to their level of poverty, life expectancy, illiteracy

and other indicators. Thirty of the thirty-two countries with the lowest HDI are

they are found in Africa, according to Human Development Index, Wikipedia.

The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatableNo

content.
however,

some countries were either unwilling or unable to be

included in the HDI classification, among them Afghanistan, Iraq, Liberia,

North Korea, Serbia, Montenegro, and Somalia.

5. United Nations Department of Public Information, Strategic

Communications Division, Tragedy and Hope: Africa's Struggle against HIV/

AIDS, Africa Recovery, August 2005, 3.

 239

6. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), AIDS

Epidemic Update 2004 and UNAIDS, www.Unaids.org/en/Regions_Countries/

Regions/SubSaharanAfrica.asp.

7.World Vision, Bringing a New Perspective to the International AIDS Crisis

The provided text is a URL and cannot be translated. Please provide a different text for translation.

index_print2004.

8.The figure of almost 6 million deaths comes from several articles from the

BBC on the web. Sierra Leone: 50,000,http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/

countryprofiles/1063073.stm; Liberia: 200,000

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/countryprofiles/1043500.stm; DR of the

Congo: 3,000,000

Sudan 1.5

millions, y the continuous genocide,

The provided text is a URL, and there is no text to translate.

9.Although the government census estimates the number of dead at 937,000,

others believe that it will exceed one million as the war courts

The 'Gacaca' will provide more accurate data. Source: Reuters

Foundation AlertNet,

www.alertnet.org/thefacts/reliefresources/108117321274.htm

10. Johnstone and Mandryk, Operation World (William Carey Library Publisher,

2009).

11. See in Acts 15: 19-20 how tenderly God receives those who

they abandon false religions and turn to him.

 240

12. These statements are based on research on a few

countries of Africa. The continent is fabulously endowed with resources

natural.

According to South Africa and DR Congo Boost Ties, BBC News, January 14, 2004,

http:///news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3393157.stm, a single country, the DR of

Congo holds enormous deposits of gold, silver, diamonds, copper, cobalt,

zinc and uranium.

Fred Bridgland, The Pillage of Africa, Sunday Herald, June 5, 2005

www.sundayherald.com/50112 states that 90 percent of the reserves

worldwide known platinum is in South Africa and that the reserves

Africa's oil reserves may be equivalent to those in the East.

Medium.

There is gold in Madagascar, according to Camillo Premoli, International Mineral

Resources,www.smedg.org.au/Premolihtm.

Zimbabwe is rich in gold and contains the second largest platinum reserve in the world.

world, according to Abraham McLaughlin, A Rising China Encounters US Clout

in Africa, Christian Science Monitor, March 30, 2005,

Invalid input. Please provide text for translation.

South Africa produces 40 percent of the gold that is extracted in the world today.

An amount equivalent to half a trillion dollars still remains in the

subsoil, according to the University of Arizona, Scientists Discover That 40

Percentage of the World’s Gold Is 3 Billion Years Old, Science Daily, 16

September 2002

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/09/020916064654.htm
 241

Most quality diamonds come from Africa: South Africa,

Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire), Sierra Leone, Congo

(Congo Brazzaville) and Siberia, according to the Australian Museum Online,

Geoscience: The Earth W,

The provided text seems to be a URL and does not contain translatable content.

Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, in his article The Crisis in the Great Lakes

Region, in African Renaissance: The New Struggle, ed. Malegapuru William

Makgoba (Cape Town, South Africa: Mafube Publishing Limited and Tafelberg)

Publishers Limited, 1999), 63-64, assures that the Congo River has the largest

hydropower potential of the world. Part of that potential has already been

taken advantage of at the Inga dam. This hydroelectric complex has

ability to illuminate the African continent, from Cairo to Ciudad

from Cabo. The same source claims that the Congo in twelve months of rain

in large part of its rainforest and with abundant rain in the two

savannas, on both sides of the equator, can also feed the whole

continent. It is estimated that currently less than 3% is being utilized.

hundred of your arable land.

13. Johstone and Mandryk, Operation World (William Carey Library Publisher,

2009.

14.The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Story of the Holy Ghost Congress

The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable content.

15.Time, February 7, 2005, 37-38.

 242

16. George Kinoti, Hope for Africa and What the Christian Can Do (Nairobi,

Kenya: African Institute for Scientific Research and Development

(AISRED), 1994.

Chapter 24 - Latin America: Delayed Hope

1. Ruth Tucker, From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya (Grand Rapids: Zondervan,

1993), 57.

2. Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers: A History of Man’s Search to Know His

World and Himself (New York: Random House, 1983), 257.

3. Ibid.

4. Thomas S. Giles, How Did Native Americans Respond to Christianity? A

Collection of Eyewitness Accounts, Christian History. Issue 35, vol. 11, no. 3,

1992: 20-83.

5. The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent, in Philip Schaff, Creeds of

Christendom, vol.2, (Grand Rapids: Christian Classics Ethereal Library,

2002), 83.

6.Bartolomé de Las Casas, Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies

A Very Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies (Alianza editorial), cited

by Kay Stacy, The Houses, Man Who Made a Difference

Invalid input for translation.

Chapter 25 – Winds of the Spirit in Latin America

1.For more information about the Azusa Street revival, see Gat

B. McGee, William J. Seymour and the Azusa Street Revival, Assemblies of

God USA, Enrichment Journal

www.ag.org/enrichmentjournal/199904/026_azusa.cfm
 243

2.As told by the author Bráulia Ribeiro, president of JUCUM in Brazil,

www.jocum.com.br

Acts 2:41.

4.In 2000, the Assemblies of God in Brazil totaled 17.2 million

adept in 113,300 locations, according to the World Congress of

Assemblies of God and 2000 Celebration, World Report Latin America/

Caribbean

Invalid input: The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable content.

Note that this figure does not include the millions of Brazilian women who

they are affiliated with other Pentecostal denominations or attend many

charismatic churches are non-denominational or are affiliated with many

non-charismatic evangelical churches.

5. David B. Barrett, George T. Kurian, and Todd M. Johnson, World Christian

Encyclopedia, 2anded., vol. 1 (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001),

Table 14.

6. Raul Ponce, trans. Cassie Aceved, El Tiempo, Missions Frontiers, April,

2000.

7. Justin Long, Least Reached Peoples, Mission Frontiers 28, no.3 (2006), 8.

David Martin, Tongues of Fire: The Explosion of Protestantism in Latin

America (Oxford, U.K.: Blackwell, 1990), ix.

9. Ibid., 92.

10.Greg Morsbach, Chavez Deadline for US Preachers, BBC News, 12 of

February, 2006
 244

Chapter 26 – Set Your Eyes on the World

1 John 4:8.

2. Mat. 28:19-20.

The Latin root of the word missionary means 'sent'.

Genesis 22:18.

Mark 16:15; Mat. 28:19-20; Acts 1:8.

6. Lisa Orvis, Great Commission Catalyst, Transformations, vol. 1, 2004, 10.

7.Global Mapping InternationalThe provided text is a URL and cannot be translated..

8.For security reasons, this data is only available to the

leaders of missionary organizations known for information

preliminary, visit www.ywamconnect.com/sites/4k

9.To obtain updated information, consult the Bible Translators

Wycliffe,www.wycliffe.org.

Chapter 28 - On the Frontline

1. Mission experts estimate that there are between one thousand and two million

active believers in the world. Currently, more than six billion live

of people on the earth; according to a conservative estimate, to a thousand

millions who would need Bibles. A moderate estimate

I would assign about five people for each household, since developing countries...

development have more members in their households. The cost per Bible for such

the distribution would vary widely, depending on the size of the group

linguistic and the printing run corresponding. Some would cost

just one dollar per copy, others would be more expensive, assuming that

each Bible will cost ten dollars, it would cost each believer only ten dollars
 245

to place a Bible in each of the one billion homes that would exist

in the land without the gospel.

2. Bruce Wilkinson, The Prayers of Jabez (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah, 2000)

89-90. The Prayer of Jabez (Unilit Editorial).

1 Timothy 4:13.

4.Pennsylvania Youth Group Holds Bible Reading Marathon, Assemblies of

God News Service, 2 of October 2002,

http://ag.org/top/news/news_article_template.cfm?

6601

Ephrata

TestForEachSearchTypeLabel

5.Mobilization Operation (MO),www.om.org.

Holy text Union International (Union Biblical International)

www.suinternational.org.

7.United Bible Societieswww.biblesociety.org.

8.Open Doors USA, P.O. Box 27001, Santa Ana, CA 92799, or

www.opendoorusa.org.

9.Paul Estabrooks, Project Pearl Then and Now: What Is Its Impact on the

Chinese Church? ASSIST News Service, May 21, 2006

www.assistnews.net/Stories/s060050104.htm.

10.Strategic Resource Groupwww.srginc.org.

 246

11.Christians Talk Faith in the Middle East with Innovative Internet Websites

and Chat Rooms, ASSIST News Service, February 8, 2006,

The provided text is a URL and does not contain translatable content.

12.Ibid.

13. Ibid.

Chapter 29 – Let's Evangelize the 7 Percent

A restricted access country is one whose authorities make it so

Illegal or very difficult to preach the Bible or make converts.

2. Luci Tumas, Hearing the Christmas Story Again for the First Time, In Other

Words, Wycliffe Bible Translators, November 2002, 9.

3.Updated as of September 30, 2004, History of Wycliffe Bible Translators

Wycliffe Bible Translators, www.wycliffe.org/history/wbt.htm.

4.Local churches can contact SIL (ILV) International to

obtain the Ethnologue: Languages of the World, to find a group to

to adopt at: www.ethnologue.com.

5.Contact Bráulia Ribeiro, her website iswww.jocum.com.br.

Bráulia speaks English and Spanish correctly, but her website is

in Portuguese. You can contact her through her website or

write to: Bráulia Ribeiro, P.O. Box 441, Porto Velho - RO, Brazil

78900970.

6.To obtain information about Global Recordings, previously

known as Gospel Recordings, visit http://globalrecordings.net/.

7.MegaVoice,www.megavoice.com.
 247

8. David Barrett and Todd Johnson, Our Globe and How to Reach It

(Birmingham, Ala: New Hope, 1990).

9.Chronological Bible Storying,www.chronologicalbiblestorying.com.

10. Following Jesus: Making Disciples of Oral Learnerswww.fjserires.org.

11.From a phone conversation with Avery Willis, July 22, 2005. For

more information about the verbalized stories, or biblical stories

chronological, visit: www.chronologicalbiblestorying.com.

12.According to Dr. Sek Yen KimCho, who cites sources from the UN.

13.See the website of Dr. Sek Yen KimCho, Sejong Studies Institute,

www.sejongstudies.org.

14. See chapter 9.

15.See the Sejong Institute for Studies,www.sejongstudies.org.

16. According to Dr. Sek Yen KimCho, who cites sources from the UN.

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Chapter 30 – The Spirit and the Word

2 Corinthians 3:6.

Luke 6:39.

Matthew 23:15-16.

John 4:24.

5.Mutinies of Fiji Coup of 2000 Wikipedia

Invalid input. Please provide specific text for translation.

6. Some may wonder why Qarase apologized for something that he did not

I had personally carried out –the coup d'état and the violence committed
 248

against the indofidjios-. He was imitating a biblical pattern applied by

Nehemiah (see Neh. 1:6-7) and Ezra (see Ezra 9:5-7). Even though

someone has not personally incurred in the sins committed by their

action, or by their ancestors, can, nevertheless, ask forgiveness from God.

This makes it possible for God to begin healing his country.

7. Let the Sea Resound, DVD, directed by George Otis, Jr. (Lynnwood,

Wash.: The Sentinel Group, 2004).

8.George Otis Jr., Pattern for Blessing, Explorer Reports, The Sentinel Group,

http://sentinelgroup.org/explorer.asp.

9. Let the Sea Resound.

10. Otis, Jr., Pattern for Blessing.

11. Lisa Orvis, Fiji, Transformations (Kona, Hawaii: University of the Nations)

October 2003, 8.

12. Orvis, Fiji 9.

13.Ibid.

Chapter 31 - Jesus, the Living Word

Zachariah 4:6.

2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21.

John 1:1, 14.

4. See Chapter 28.

The Parable of Juan

Bob Moffitt, If Jesus Were Mayor: Biblical and Historical Roots of Cultural

Transformation Through the Church (Phoenix, Ariz.: Harvest Foundation,

2005), 4-6.
 249

About the author

Loren Cunningham is the founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM),

missionary organization that has a staff of almost twenty thousand workers

full-time, from over 150 nationalities and many denominations. Loren

has ministered in all sovereign nations and dependent countries that exist in

the world, as it is many territories and islands. The Book that transforms nations

it gathers a whole life of observation of the countries and the changes that

they experiment and listen to the voice of God for those countries. Loren and his wife,

Darlene lives in Kona, Hawaii. They serve in leadership roles in YWAM and in

his University of the Nations. They have two children and three grandchildren. Loren is the author of

four other books: Are You, Lord? How to Succeed with Jesus? Your Faith and Your Money and

Why not woman?: A new approach to the Scriptures regarding woman in

the mission, the ministry, and the leadership.

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