"Over the centuries, Christianity spread across Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. Early missionaries like Ambrose, Ulfilas, Patrick and Boniface were used of God to convert the pagan tribes of Europe. In time, Christianity spread from England to Russia. It seemed that the world was ripe for the Gospel as the Middle Ages dawned.
However, there were incredible obstacles to overcome: the rise of militant Islam, the ultimate failure of the Crusades and the spiritual decadence of the church itself. By the 16th Century, Martin Luther and others were calling for a total reformation of the church. When the pope refused, the Protestant movement was born in the heart of Europe with a focus on clarifying the theology of the church. But it would be nearly two centuries before they would reach out beyond the European continent."
"The question is: Where do we go from here with what we now know? Those who have gone before had paid a great price to preach the Gospel to a world in great need of a Savior. In many ways, they were strategic in their methodology for their time. Today, with the benefit of worldwide data, information and communication, we have a greater opportunity than ever. The 200-year history of modern missions and well-documented successes and failures challenge us to be accountable for being strategic in our generation."
EPIC International: Resources
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