A Wideness in God’s Mercy and an Urgency to Proclaim

I completed a first read of several of the articles in this issue of Lausanne World Pulse just a few minutes ago. This issue on “World Faiths: A Primer on Evangelism” is anything BUT a primer—I was moved, challenged, and informed theologically and missiologically. The reader is in for a feast of ideas, both reflective and practical. And while the study of the gospel and evangelism is my field of “expertise,” I come away thinking of both old and new things in ways I had never imagined. How glad I am we have Lausanne World Pulse to give us global perspectives on matters of the mind and heart!

Two major thoughts linger. First, how expansive and expensive is the love of God revealed in the historical reality of Jesus the Messiah. It is a love reaching out to all humanity in every generation. It is a love carried by millions of believers but more, is best communicated by God himself who lives and speaks through us, and precedes us with witness in a myriad of “nature’s ways.” Every person deserves to know this God and through that knowing, bring glory to him.

Second, there is an urgency to proclaim him. I do not here speak of urgency in order that humanity may be saved and receive the gift of eternal life. I speak rather of the urgency that they may be saved so that they may in turn save our terribly corrupted world. Humanity loved by God deserves to know God in this world, and see the world made better as a result. Societies won’t be made better, however, until there are re-birthed souls remaking societies. And so, for this world and the one to come, I hear the cry of urgency. I know I’m not explaining myself very well, but I hope you hear my longing. These authors do the teaching better.

I urge you, therefore, to give yourself a couple of hours to read the articles surrounding our theme. I will revisit them soon. I have so much to learn from these writers, and so much of their passion that I need.


Dr. Lon Allison is executive director of the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, USA. He also serves as director for the Institute for Strategic Evangelism at Wheaton College. He is co-publisher of Lausanne World Pulse.