In 1974 our thinking changed. As young missionaries we began to see the world as peoples, rather than nation states. After the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, we began to make lists of the "hidden" peoples who yet had no witness of the gospel. The list changed everything, it gave focus to the unfinished task. We are now at another turning point. There is another list with even greater implications for the harvest. The wounds of the world.
The cold war is over. The great trans national ideologies have either failed, or proved weak. Communism has collapsed, and even the fanatical fervor of Islamic fundamentalism can not bring Islamic regions and peoples together. Into the vacuum steps the much older claims of nationality, language, religious schism and tribal identity. The old hatreds are back with a vengeance. The ancient fault lines that were briefly covered over are revealed again. Racial strife among the immigrants of new world cities, peoples wars in the post colonial states of Africa, and the ethno-religious convulsions in Eastern Europe are all symptoms of the foundational conflicts that this generation receives as a legacy of the past.
Rodney King's question hangs over us like a banner. "Can't we all get along?" The answer, of course, is no. Business as usual for the human heart is envy, fear and contention. It is only when we are reconciled to God the Father that the otherness of the other gender, race or culture becomes an attraction rather than a source of insecurity. This is why Jesus gives the ministry of reconciliation to the redeemed, the living church. The pagans will never succeed as peacemakers. There is only one Prince of Peace.
God will ultimately thwart any attempt to usurp the place of His own kingdom through solutions based in a counterfeit system or philosophy. Nation will rise against nation and people against people and the false hope generated by false prophets will be shattered in a series of devastating failures that will culminate in the final failure of the antichrist's one world system.
Where do we stand in America? The O.J. Simpson case for example, is a lose proposition for everyone. As it drags on it exposes the worst about American culture. What is God up to? You may be profoundly disappointed with this years electoral politics. I am. Our disappointment could be rooted in our false expectations. We must not project our faith toward the culture and institutions of any nation. Thats idolatry. Isaiah 60:2 teaches us that God intends to bring the world to utter hopelessness and calamity "deep darkness" before the rising of His full glory. To this generation God says "The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart; in the last days you will clearly understand it." Jeremiah 23:20 Does this mean that we remain passive? Far from it. There has never been a more exciting time to be an intercessor involved in the ministry of reconciliation.
1990 seemed to mark the beginning of a season of Jubilee in the earth. Starting with the issues that have wounded New Zealand Maoris, Native Americans and other indigenous peoples, a wave of repentance began to spread through the world's prayer movements that now has begun to address the foundational sins that have hindered the harvest for centuries, such as the Spanish Inquisition's impact on Jews.
I have personally witnessed stadiums filled with weeping Christians. Events where the stage is flooded with people waiting to use the microphones to confess not only their sin but the sins of their group against other groups. This kind of deep repentance not only demonstrates God's healing love, it robs Satan of ancient strongholds and triggers the harvest.
Our goal has always been that people be reconciled to God through the Gospel but the main hindrance to achieving this end has been that the world could not see Jesus because of the sectarian strife within God's church. Today is different however. For centuries a spirit of religious controversy has made us part of the problem but now we are finally becoming part of the answer. Growing repentance over historic sins has led to unprecedented affection and respect between today's believers across the denominations and movements. Jesus said that when this occurs ..."the world would believe that the Father sent me." John 17:21 In summary the world will see Jesus when the united church carries the ministry of reconciliation beyond its own walls.