Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.”
Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine… and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?”
June 8 was Pentecost Sunday, the seventh Sunday after Easter and the day on which the church universal celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts one, Jesus commands His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they have received the “promise of the Father.” And he added that when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they would specifically receive power to become His witnesses (martyrs) for the purpose of preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth.
A group called the “Alliance for the Unreached” has for some years chosen Pentecost Sunday as the date to encourage believers and churches to highlight the fact that almost one third of the world’s population remains unreached by the Good News of Jesus.
I checked them out and noted their statement of priorities. They call for making evangelization of the unreached and unengaged people groups (UUPGs) a priority, not fearing the people and places of resistance, partnership between evangelicals, providing relief for the poor and weak, and leveraging every form of technology to get the gospel in the hands of the least reached.
I applaud the focus and values of this alliance. As I read their manifesto, I could not help but evaluate CRM’s core values and ministries against it. Here are some of the results:
- Since its inception, CRM has sent personnel and resources into some of the toughest people and places on earth, i.e. Maasai-land and Sudan. For 27 years we have obeyed our Lord knowing that He did not give us a spirit of fear.
- CRM’s focus has solidly remained on least reached people groups. Our Darfurian partners recently reported that they now have won to Christ multiple people from 15 (UUPGS). War pushes people of different tribes together in camps.
- CRM has helped the poor and weak by providing food relief and materials for making shelters to thousands of families, regardless of their religion. Those displays of the love of Christ free of discrimination have helped open the hearts of the unreached.
- CRM’s collaboration with like-minded evangelicals has enabled those forms of aid to reach into all corners of Darfur.
- CRM has utilized many forms of technology to get the gospel into the hands and hearts of people who would otherwise have no access.
Only space prevents me from adding further examples. However, the above should suffice to assure you that when you pray for and support CRM, you are supporting a ministry intent on obedience to our Lord Jesus’ Acts 1:8 command. A command whose intent started becoming a reality on Pentecost Sunday.
With deep appreciation,
David Crane
President, Calvary Road Ministries