Romans 10:13-15: For, every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are men to call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!”

The world in which we live is desperate to hear “Good News.” Everyday we are bombarded with “Bad News.” Have you noticed that most television news programs have begun adding a “good” story in the last minute of their broadcast - almost a token apology for everything else we’ve had to watch - an admission that we’d like to know that something good really did happen.

On the Web - there’s a site called “The Positive Press - Good News for Every Day” - complete with positive news stories - a positive saying of the day - and “positive talk” - a bulletin board for positive readers.

People are desperate for Good News - because the overwhelming tide of news is not good. Our society is in really bad shape.

I’d like to make a brief comparison of where our society has come to - comparing the 1960’s to the 1990’s. Most of us were either born in that time frame or have children or grandchildren born in this time frame. These are very relevant years for our lives - and they show the progression of our sickening society.

In the 1960’s, everyone knew that a family meant a husband and wife with or without children. Most children were cared for by their parents, and most politicians knew that any effort to strengthen the family was a good idea.

In the 1990’s, politicians can’t even agree on what “traditional” families are. A sizable minority of children are supervised by professional caregivers, while some children, called “latchkey” kids, are left with no adult care at all.

Since 1960 the percentage of children in single-parent homes has tripled. In the ‘90’s, one out of five babies born in America is conceived out of wedlock. By the end of this decade it is estimated that 40% of all American births and 80% of minority births will occur out of wedlock. Some opinion leaders point to broken homes and out-of-wedlock pregnancies - not as reasons for alarm but as evidence of healthy family diversity and pluralism.

In the ‘60’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy was a matter of shame. Girls who “slept around” were often ostracized by their fellow students.

In the ‘90’s - in many schools - and in our society - a virtuous girl is considered odd - and subjected to the same ridicule and scorn that 30 years ago was reserved for a girl who “slept around.” Surveys reveal that many children in America are embarrassed to admit their virginity.

In the 1960’s, a divorce was considered a disaster. Most couples stayed together for life. Today there are twice the number of annual divorces than there were in the 1960’s.

In the 1960’s, there was a general consensus that religion was a positive influence in American life and that it should be encouraged. Children began the school day with a prayer or moment of silence. At Christmas it was common to see a nativity scene near city hall.

Today - any public display of religion - whether a prayer at a high school commencement - or a cross - is immediately attacked by civil libertarian attorneys.

Since 1960, violent crime has risen 560%, teen suicides have risen 200% - and it often seems as though we are in an unstoppable moral meltdown.

It is not hard to imagine why - when surveyed - 70% of the public said that we are off track - that something is drastically wrong.

Chuck Colson - writing in Christianity today - had this to say, “In 1963, according to Gallup, 65% believed the Bible literally; today the number is only 32%. There was a time when most Americans were familiar with Biblical doctrine. You could say, “Believe in Jesus,” and at least they knew what you meant. But today most would be mystified. Newsweek tells of a child who saw a crucifix and asked, “Mommy, what’s that man doing?” There was a time when most Americans accepted absolute standards. They might disagree on what those absolutes were, but they knew that some things are really right or wrong. Today 70% reject moral absolutes.”

America has moved away from the God of the Bible - rejected His standard of how we are to live our lives - and rejected His grace - love - and salvation offered to us in Jesus Christ. And, the result has been an ongoing disaster.

In his 1983 acceptance speech for the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion - Alexander Solzhenitsyn - recalled the words he heard as a child - when his elders tried to explain the ruinous upheavals in Russia. “Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.” Solzhenitsyn added, “If I were called upon to identify briefly the principal trait of the entire twentieth century, here too I would be unable to find anything more precise and pithy than to repeat once again: ‘men have forgotten God.’”

And we need to be careful. To say that we as Armenians are exempt from all of this is not true. We live in the American experience - and if we’re honest with ourselves - we should be painfully aware that we are effected by it.

The society in which we live is desperately seeking to hear Good News - the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Good News that God loves us - that He offers to everyone:

a salvation that can never be canceled

a hope that can never be disappointed

a peace that can never be disturbed

an inheritance that can never be lost

an acceptance that can never be questioned

There’s a bumper sticker that says, “Think Globally - Act Locally.” I know that message is meant to motivate us towards environmental concern. But, I can’t help but think of it as a strategy for missions. Each of us is called to a local field in God’s global missionary program.

Some friends of mine had sign over their doorway. And when anyone left their house this sign was a reminder of our witness as Christians. It said, “You Are Now Entering The Mission Field.”

That sign is a challenge to each of us. Right here - locally - is our mission field.

At age 16, Andor Foldes was already a skilled pianist, but he was experiencing a troubled year. In the midst of the young Hungarian’s personal struggles, one of the most renowned pianists of the day came to Budapest. Emil von Sauer was famous not only for his abilities; he was also the last surviving pupil of the great Franz Liszt.

Von Sauer requested that Foldes play for him. Foldes obliged with some of the most difficult works of Bach, Beethoven, and Schumann. When he finished, von Sauer walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead.

“My son,” he said, “when I was your age I became a student of Liszt. He kissed me on the forehead after my first lesson, saying, ‘Take good care of this kiss—it comes from Beethoven, who gave it to me after hearing me play.’ I have waited for years to pass on this sacred heritage, but now I feel you deserved it.”

Each of us has been given a tremendous gift - someone has shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with us. For almost 2,000 years that Gospel has been passed from person to person - and as we receive Jesus as our Savior we accept the gift of His salvation. And, each day - wherever God takes us - in whatever opportunity He opens up to us - it is our turn to share that gift with someone else.

The Bible encourages us to see with compassion those around us. To see how desperately they need to hear the Gospel and how much God loves them. To not hoard God’s sacred gift - but to share it.

There is no special ability needed - only availability. God will equip and enable each of us for the work He has called us to do.

The Apostle Paul also asks this question, “And, how will anyone go and tell them unless someone sends him?” - “Act Locally - Think Globally”

In 1990, the United States Center For World Missions plotted a global strategy for reaching the world with the Gospel by the year 2,000 - to pragmatically obey Jesus’ command to take the Good News to every tribe and every nation. Basically they asked the questions, “Who hasn’t heard?” and, “How do we tell them?”

They identified 24,000 distinct ethno-linguistic groups among the worlds population - people groups who are distinct from one another. Of these they identified 12,000 people groups which did not have a witness of Jesus Christ. They may have heard the name of Jesus but had no means of having someone explain the Gospel to them.

The Center For World Missions then calculated that it would take an average of 8 missionaries per people group - or 100,000 new missionaries to reach these people. They figured the cost at $15,000 per missionary per year - or $1.5 billion dollars. In other words they put the mission field into practical terms - This is what it takes. And then they called on the church to respond.

As of this year - 1997 - through the efforts of thousands of missionaries - the US Center for World Missions reports that there are now Christians in every country of the world and only 8,000 - of 24,000 - people groups still without full access to the Gospel. And, there are over 300 different denominations and mission agencies participating together to reach these remaining 8,000 people groups.

Most of us turn on the lights in a dark room and never think about the process. We flick the switch on the wall and the lights go on. It seems like such a simple thing. Yet behind it is a very complicated process. There are transmission towers, and substations, the dam that was built to hold back the water, the poles on which the wires are strung - a tremendous complexity lies behind the simple act of turning on a light switch. Every time we do it - power surges forth - and it comes because that complicated process has been gone through.

Every time an individual comes to the place where he or she calls out to the Lord - a tremendous process is behind it. When the Apostle Paul asks, “How will they hear unless someone tells them? And, who will tell them unless they are sent?” His words are a reminder to us that we are a part of that process.

Paul reminds us of the tremendous need of the society in which we live - and the beautiful priviledge and responsibility we have to share the Gospel and to support others as they share the Gospel.

This morning we need to ask the questions - “Who are the unreached people that God wants me to share with - and how can I share His Good News with them?”