GCOWE '95 Day 6 - May 22, 1995

Doug Lucas
GCOWE '95 in Seoul

Today we met at the Presbyterian Church where the President of Korea attends! (There's something royal about being given a greeting from the Queen of Lesotho, one of the GCOWE delegates, knowing that you might be sitting in the same pew where Korea's President sat this past Sunday morning!) Gerry Seale gave "A Call to Holiness" -- and reminded us all of our responsibility to remain pure and of the highest integrity.

But it was during the next segment, the report from the "Denominational Leaders' Track," where we heard what must be some of the biggest news of the day. Years ago it would have never been possible -- but we live in a new day! John Gilbert, head of the Southern Baptist's Global Research division, announced through Avery Willis his willingness to give complete copies of some very significant computer data files. By mid-July, John promised to mail out sets of diskettes ($15 in the USA, free to countries in the majority world) to all who requested them! These diskettes contain years of research and tons of data about the world in which we live. To get your own copy, sent $15 to John Gilbert, Foreign Mission Board, PO Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230; Tel. 804-353-0151. Some believe that since this data will be so readily available, it might become somewhat of a standard in no time at all. What's more, it happens to be, in the opinion of some, one of the most objective approaches to classifying and measuring the progress toward world evangelization today. Gilbert's data follows some 79 unique parameters to clarify and categorize people groups. Since, according to the Barrett rep. here at GCOWE, Barrett's database on peoples won't be available for some time (maybe years), Gilbert's data will perhaps be the most statistically accurate information that we can get today... and for some time in the future. It will even contain maps with points representing the presence of each of 10,492 people groups, broken down into World A (10/40 Window groups -- for a total of 2,466), Unreached Peoples not in World A (3,965), Unevangelized peoples (those where over half have never heard the gospel with sufficient understanding as to accept it -- 2296 groups), Evangelized (in which at least half have heard -- 1735), and Christian peoples (where half have accepted Christ -- 30). Brigada will plan to feature these stats on line.

During the Cities Network Presentation, Jackie Pullinger's impassioned plea for workers will not be soon forgotten. Her words on behalf of the poor were so stirring that the entire hall grew so silent you could have heard a pin drop. Her bottom line -- we've got to make the poor a top priority, even though it will require sacrifice on all our parts. In fact, she was honest about the fact that it might even require death!

The Light the Window video premier went over great! Michael Little, of CBN (the video's producer), was there to personally introduce it. Some felt it was among the most motivating videos of the entire consultation. (For a copy, write to Caleb Project, 10 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120.)

Later in the day, George Verwer premiered Bill Drake's new music video, "Ten Four O", also on the 10/40 Window. Available for $10 from OM, PO Box 444, Tyrone, GA 30290-0444, Bill's video will be particularly effective with college age individuals and singles/careers.

In other news, the AD2000 & Beyond WorldWide Web page continues to grow -- browse it at http://www.ad2000.org/gcowe95 to see all the speakers' manuscripts and other reports from Seoul.

Tomorrow, we meet in tracks again. In fact, today was the last set of plenaries until the very closing session Thurs. evening.

Please continue to pray for God's will to be done in Seoul.