Mapping God's Work

Isaiah 49:6 – The LORD says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

What is God doing in the world right now? Where do we fit in? Where do I fit in?

One thing is very clear about what God is doing: He is at work in the world to bring people from ALL nations to know Him and that His salvation may reach the ends of the earth.

Many Christians are aware of the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” Some know that this is actually the story of Acts as Acts 1:8 outlines: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Where have we heard the “ends of the earth” before? That’s right, Isaiah! This idea of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth did not begin with the Great Commission. This was God’s plan from before the creation of the world, and this plan is given a “sneak peek” throughout the Old Testament in the Hebrew Bible, even before Jesus was born.

What is our role in this? Again, there are many answers to this. For us, one of them involves a map on the Study Center wall.

Have you seen the map? It’s a map of India. Well, actually it’s a map of India…and Sri Lanka…and Nepal…and Bangladesh. Why? Because it’s too small a thing for salvation to only be for India; it must reach the ends of the earth! Let’s hear a little more about how God’s word is spreading in India and the nations around it.

In 1992 Sam Stephens believed he received a call from God. He had recently been given the leadership of the India Gospel League (IGL), an organization started by his grandfather and then led by his father. India is the second most populated country in the world, with 1.33 billion people in 2020. Only about 2% of those people call themselves Christian. Sam wanted to make an impact by training pastors at a seminary. Apparently God had a bigger plan in mind. Sam saw God moving in powerful ways in India. He felt called by God to lay out a vision to 200 other pastors and Christian leaders. In 1992 he courageously kicked off Vision 2000, a bold plan to plant 1,000 churches in unreached villages in India by 2000, just eight years from then.

“God will do it, if you are willing to commit,” Sam said in 1992. The Spirit fell on them and every single person in the audience stood up in commitment to the vision.

What happened? Apparently Vision 2000 was too small a thing for God. Within the first year they had planted 2,000 churches in unreached villages. By the year 2000 God used IGL to plant 20,000 churches. Thirty years later they have seen over 100,000 churches planted!

Which brings us back to the question of why is there a map of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh painted on the wall of the Study Center. One reason is because it is too small a thing for God to just use IGL to make disciples in India. The ministry of IGL has reached into neighboring countries, and IGL now has church planters and community work going on in these other three countries as well.

The work in India is far from done. Sam has a new vision to see a church planted in every village in India by the year 2040.

God is reaching the world with the gospel, including in India (and its surrounding countries). We have a map painted on the wall of the Study Center because we are convinced that God has called us to be a part of reaching the ends of the earth with the salvation offered in Jesus. If you have read this far, I think God has a role for YOU to play in His work.

The map at the Study Center will be a place where people can get fresh updates about what God is doing in India (and Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh) so that we can support in prayer and have information about how to support the work financially. Come by to learn about this work and about how you can play a part in this great work to make people a light–that His salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Isaiah 49:6 – The LORD says, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

What is God doing in the world right now? Where do we fit in? Where do I fit in?

One thing is very clear about what God is doing: He is at work in the world to bring people from ALL nations to know Him and that His salvation may reach the ends of the earth.

Many Christians are aware of the Great Commission in Matthew 28. Matthew 28:19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” Some know that this is actually the story of Acts as Acts 1:8 outlines: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Where have we heard the “ends of the earth” before? That’s right, Isaiah! This idea of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth did not begin with the Great Commission. This was God’s plan from before the creation of the world, and this plan is given a “sneak peek” throughout the Old Testament in the Hebrew Bible, even before Jesus was born.

What is our role in this? Again, there are many answers to this. For us, one of them involves a map on the Study Center wall.

Have you seen the map? It’s a map of India. Well, actually it’s a map of India…and Sri Lanka…and Nepal…and Bangladesh. Why? Because it’s too small a thing for salvation to only be for India; it must reach the ends of the earth! Let’s hear a little more about how God’s word is spreading in India and the nations around it.

In 1992 Sam Stephens believed he received a call from God. He had recently been given the leadership of the India Gospel League (IGL), an organization started by his grandfather and then led by his father. India is the second most populated country in the world, with 1.33 billion people in 2020. Only about 2% of those people call themselves Christian. Sam wanted to make an impact by training pastors at a seminary. Apparently God had a bigger plan in mind. Sam saw God moving in powerful ways in India. He felt called by God to lay out a vision to 200 other pastors and Christian leaders. In 1992 he courageously kicked off Vision 2000, a bold plan to plant 1,000 churches in unreached villages in India by 2000, just eight years from then.

“God will do it, if you are willing to commit,” Sam said in 1992. The Spirit fell on them and every single person in the audience stood up in commitment to the vision.

What happened? Apparently Vision 2000 was too small a thing for God. Within the first year they had planted 2,000 churches in unreached villages. By the year 2000 God used IGL to plant 20,000 churches. Thirty years later they have seen over 100,000 churches planted!

Which brings us back to the question of why is there a map of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh painted on the wall of the Study Center. One reason is because it is too small a thing for God to just use IGL to make disciples in India. The ministry of IGL has reached into neighboring countries, and IGL now has church planters and community work going on in these other three countries as well.

The work in India is far from done. Sam has a new vision to see a church planted in every village in India by the year 2040.

God is reaching the world with the gospel, including in India (and its surrounding countries). We have a map painted on the wall of the Study Center because we are convinced that God has called us to be a part of reaching the ends of the earth with the salvation offered in Jesus. If you have read this far, I think God has a role for YOU to play in His work.

The map at the Study Center will be a place where people can get fresh updates about what God is doing in India (and Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh) so that we can support in prayer and have information about how to support the work financially. Come by to learn about this work and about how you can play a part in this great work to make people a light–that His salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.