Many aspects of the Christian life has seen growth in recent years, including growing prayer movements, increased emphasis on mercy missions, and continued evangelism, according to Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM). But there's one portion that Cunningham believes is falling behind: distribution of the Bible.
Addressing the audience at the Korean World Mission Conference which kicked off on Monday night at Azusa Pacific University, Cunningham emphasized the need for every person and people group to have a Bible in their own language.
First, Cunningham encouraged the missionaries, pastors, and lay members gathered at the conference that soon, "The glory of God will cover the earth as the water covers the seas -- everyone will know the glory of God. They're gonna know about Jesus all across the world."
"The best years are ahead of us," he continued. "Jesus is winning."
Loren Cunningham (left), the founder of Youth With a Mission, spoke during the first night of the Korean World Mission Conference.
He then went on to explain that when the Bible was translated into various languages in the West, other developments followed, including literacy, education, and even economic boom. However, Cunningham said he notices a "shift" from the West to the East in today's society. Countries in the East including South Korea have seen enormous spiritual growth, as well as growth in economy, in the last generation.
"God has been raising you up," said Cunningham, who has been featured as a speaker at KWMC for the fourth time. "That's why I get to be here celebrating 27,000 missionaries being sent from Korea into all over the world. That makes you the number two missionary-sending nation ... You're also the ninth richest country."
"But to whom much as been given, much is required," he added, encouraging them to continue to put in their best efforts towards evangelism and missions, but also to not forget the importance of the distribution of Bible in the process.
"We're coming into the greatest spiritual awakening the world has ever known," he said. But, he continued, "Every great move of God had the Word of God before the move of God."
"They all started with the Bible movement," explained Cunningham.
"Jesus commanded his disciples not only to preach the gospel, but in Matthew 28:19, he also says, 'Disciple all nations.' And how do you disciple? By baptizing them, and by teaching them 'all that I have commanded,'" Cunningham said.
"We've got a lot to do," he continued. "Go, and disciple all nations. Get the gospel to every person, teaching, teaching, teaching the Word of God."
Meanwhile, the Korean World Mission Conference (KWMC) is one of the largest Korean mission conferences in the world, and takes place once every four years. This year's conference, which will be taking place until Friday, features over 130 elective seminars, 9 forums on different aspects of mission work, 13 mission forums on different regions of the world, and 14 main sessions. An English track and a separate conference for children are also taking place simultaneously.
