to those who are offended

[Sister Alvear]

American Communists spend 38% of their gross income for their cause. American Christians spend less that 1% of their income for foreign missions. In fact the average American "Christian" (so-called) gave about 3 cents a week to missions or about $1.56 for the whole year. Most cigarette smokers spend twice as much each week for cigarettes as the average American "Christian" gave to missions all year!!

The average U.S. Protestant gave $77.75 to their church during 1965. At the same time the average Southern Baptist gave $59.22 to their church for all causes. We do not have the figures on the giving of independent Baptists, but I am sure that we would be ashamed of that figure also.

The United States is the richest country in the world. The Christians in the United States make up the richest generation of Christians that have ever lived. No other generation of Christians has had as much money to spend in the spreading of the gospel as this generation. Yet, we often hear the excuse, "We just don't have any money to give to missions. It takes all we can rake and scrape, to just make ends meet." What about the money that Christians are spending on television, vacations, tobacco, luxuries, and multitudes of other non-necessary items? Are these things more important than the immortal souls of men"


How Americans Spend Their Money

Food-------------------------------------------------------------$84 billion
Cars and us-e---------------------------------------------------61 billion
Housing-----------------------------------------------------------46 billion
Household operation------------------------------------------50 billion
Clothing, Accessories, etc.----------------------------------35 billion
Recreation--------------------------------------------------------21 billion
Illegal gambling--------------------------------------------------11 billion
Vacations-----------------------------------------------------------9 billion
Tobacco-------------------------------------------------------------8 billion
Personal Care-----------------------------------------------------6 billion
Religion & Welfare-----------------------------------------------5 billion
Dogs, cats, birds (pets)-----------------------------------------4 billion
Pet food, cats, dogs and birds----------------------------712 million
Toys---------------------------------------------------------------500 million
Greeting Cards------------------------------------------------341 million
Chewing Gum--------------------------------------------------304 million
Foreign Missions---------------------------------------------190 million
Ball point pens-------------------------------------------------144 million

Many sad but informative comparisons can be made in the above figures. Many people complain about the churches always wanting money, but the above figures show that the American people spent 4 times as much on recreation last year as they did on all Religion and Welfare. The above figures show that over 100 times as much was spent for recreation as was spent on foreign missions. (Yes, 100 times is right). Over 20 times as much was spent on dogs, cats, and birds (pets), as was spent on foreign missions. Over 40 times as much was spent on tobacco, as was spent on foreign missions. Over 200 times as much spent on illegal gambling as was spent on foreign missions. Nearly 2 times as much spent on greeting cards as was spent on foreign missions. Over one and one-half times as much spent on chewing gum as was spent on foreign missions. I could go on and on, but I believe that the reader can make his own comparisons. Oh, shame, shame, shame!! (COPIED)

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

American Communists spend 38% of their gross income for their cause. American Christians spend less that 1% of their income for foreign missions. In fact the average American "Christian" (so-called) gave about 3 cents a week to missions or about $1.56 for the whole year. Most cigarette smokers spend twice as much each week for cigarettes as the average American "Christian" gave to missions all year!!

The average U.S. Protestant gave $77.75 to their church during 1965. At the same time the average Southern Baptist gave $59.22 to their church for all causes. We do not have the figures on the giving of independent Baptists, but I am sure that we would be ashamed of that figure also.

The United States is the richest country in the world. The Christians in the United States make up the richest generation of Christians that have ever lived. No other generation of Christians has had as much money to spend in the spreading of the gospel as this generation. Yet, we often hear the excuse, "We just don't have any money to give to missions. It takes all we can rake and scrape, to just make ends meet." What about the money that Christians are spending on television, vacations, tobacco, luxuries, and multitudes of other non-necessary items? Are these things more important than the immortal souls of men"


How Americans Spend Their Money

Food-------------------------------------------------------------$84 billion
Cars and us-e---------------------------------------------------61 billion
Housing-----------------------------------------------------------46 billion
Household operation------------------------------------------50 billion
Clothing, Accessories, etc.----------------------------------35 billion
Recreation--------------------------------------------------------21 billion
Illegal gambling--------------------------------------------------11 billion
Vacations-----------------------------------------------------------9 billion
Tobacco-------------------------------------------------------------8 billion
Personal Care-----------------------------------------------------6 billion
Religion & Welfare-----------------------------------------------5 billion
Dogs, cats, birds (pets)-----------------------------------------4 billion
Pet food, cats, dogs and birds----------------------------712 million
Toys---------------------------------------------------------------500 million
Greeting Cards------------------------------------------------341 million
Chewing Gum--------------------------------------------------304 million
Foreign Missions---------------------------------------------190 million
Ball point pens-------------------------------------------------144 million

Many sad but informative comparisons can be made in the above figures. Many people complain about the churches always wanting money, but the above figures show that the American people spent 4 times as much on recreation last year as they did on all Religion and Welfare. The above figures show that over 100 times as much was spent for recreation as was spent on foreign missions. (Yes, 100 times is right). Over 20 times as much was spent on dogs, cats, and birds (pets), as was spent on foreign missions. Over 40 times as much was spent on tobacco, as was spent on foreign missions. Over 200 times as much spent on illegal gambling as was spent on foreign missions. Nearly 2 times as much spent on greeting cards as was spent on foreign missions. Over one and one-half times as much spent on chewing gum as was spent on foreign missions. I could go on and on, but I believe that the reader can make his own comparisons. Oh, shame, shame, shame!! (COPIED)

My initial reading of this information makes me feel the numbers are rather hastily thrown together. I could be wrong though so does anyone have any ideas on where all these numbers came from?

Some initial research:

80 dollars a month in 1965 translates into 550 dollars a month today when inflation is accounted for. Giving 80 dollars a month in 1965 would translate into tithing on 5500 dollars a month today.

60 dollars a month in 1965 translates into 415 dollars a month today when inflation is accounted for. Giving 60 dollars a month in 1965 would translate into tithing on 4150 dollars a month today.

Those numbers don't sound to shabby to me. Of course I imagine that they are overvalued since it is probable that the information for how much people gave in 1965 was taken from tax forms. Many people in the lower income brackets today are better off not itemizing and thus we would expect to only see those people with higher than average incomes reflected in the data if this really did come from tax forms (assuming lower income brackets didn't itemize as much then).

Some other things to note:
1. The list is how ALL Americans spend their money and not just Christians.

One last thing. The comment I made blue above really shows the whole purpose of such an article. It's about a guilt trip. It says in very subtle words that until we give up our television for the cause of spreading the gospel that we aren't good Christians. It says in very subtle words that until we give up our vacations and pets to the cause of spreading the gospel that we aren't good Christians. I for one don't buy that nonsense. We don't have to give up everything except the necessities to be good Christians.

By the way, why trust the conclusions of whatever book or work that was taken from that so obviously misuses statistics? And not only misuses them but seems to purposefully do so (I mean what other explanation can such obvious misuses be given)?

[Sister Alvear]

yes, on my other computer I have the whole sermon....I will get back with you...it is rather outdated but thought it interesting. It is on a missionary site if I am not misraken I will get it over at the office sometime today.

[Sister Alvear]

I think the writer was trying to show that more could be done for both foreign and home missions....I will get it all...it is like you said very outdated but I would say more and more is spent on the things the writer noted. He was just letting us know the general interest of people as a whole.

[Sister Alvear]

and by the way I am NOT saying all americans are like this....

[Sister Alvear]

We have 2 services today but I will only get to go to one of them but Brother Alvear will go to both of them the Lord willing.

My doctor called for me to come in...I have probably failed my tests....ha....Anyway when you find time call my name in prayer if possible.

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by jfrog

My initial reading of this information makes me feel the numbers are rather hastily thrown together. I could be wrong though so does anyone have any ideas on where all these numbers came from?

Some initial research:

80 dollars a month in 1965 translates into 550 dollars a month today when inflation is accounted for. Giving 80 dollars a month in 1965 would translate into tithing on 5500 dollars a month today.

60 dollars a month in 1965 translates into 415 dollars a month today when inflation is accounted for. Giving 60 dollars a month in 1965 would translate into tithing on 4150 dollars a month today.

Those numbers don't sound to shabby to me. Of course I imagine that they are overvalued since it is probable that the information for how much people gave in 1965 was taken from tax forms. Many people in the lower income brackets today are better off not itemizing and thus we would expect to only see those people with higher than average incomes reflected in the data if this really did come from tax forms (assuming lower income brackets didn't itemize as much then).

Some other things to note:
1. The list is how ALL Americans spend their money and not just Christians.

One last thing. The comment I made blue above really shows the whole purpose of such an article. It's about a guilt trip. It says in very subtle words that until we give up our television for the cause of spreading the gospel that we aren't good Christians. It says in very subtle words that until we give up our vacations and pets to the cause of spreading the gospel that we aren't good Christians. I for one don't buy that nonsense. We don't have to give up everything except the necessities to be good Christians.

By the way, why trust the conclusions of whatever book or work that was taken from that so obviously misuses statistics? And not only misuses them but seems to purposefully do so (I mean what other explanation can such obvious misuses be given)?

*Correction: The article never said the 80 and 60 dollars were per month. Upon rereading the article it appears it is saying those values are for the whole year. This leads me to wonder just how those numbers were derived.

[Sister Alvear]

As I said the sermon I copied many years ago is over at the other office it seems the name of it was Untold Millions Are Still Untold or something like that. You might want to type it in google and see if not later today I will get the correct information...

[Sister Alvear]

here it is...am now at the church office...

"UNTOLD MILLIONS STILL UNTOLD"
By E. L. Bynum
" . . . The fields . . . are white already to harvest." John 4:35

No other generation of Christians has ever faced the challenge, that this generation of Christians is facing today. No generation inhuman history, has ever had as many lost people living at one time, as this generation.

AMAZING BUT TRUE: "One-half of all people born since the beginning of recorded history, that lived to the age of 5, is alive today."


I. The Urgency Of The Hour
Due to the so-called "population explosion," the population of the world is increasing at the fastest rate in the history of the world.


World Population Over 3 Billion (3,300,000,000)
Yes, there are more than 3 billion people in the world. And the population of the world is increasing 160,000 every 24 hours. This is proven by comparing the birth rate with the death rate.


320,000 births every 24 hours
160,000 deaths every 24 hours.

These figures show a net increase of 160,000 every 24 hours, or over 60 million increase every year. It is estimated that 2 million people are reached with the Gospel each year - only about 1 in 30 of the world's population increase.
If all the people of the world were to stand in a continuous line, spaced one yard apart, they would stretch out for more than one and one-half million miles, more than the distance of three round trips to the moon, or a solid army in close formation marching four abreast, encircling the earth at the equator 16 times! This is all the more amazing when we realize how rapidly this has come about.


Year 1650, world population 545 million
Year 1750, world population 728 million
Year 1850, world population 1 billion 171 million
Year 1950, world population 2 billion 500 million
Year 1967, world population 3 billion 300 million
Year 2000, world population 6 billion???!!!

If the people of china would march past a given point 4 abreast, they would never cease to march, because a new generation would be born and grow up, before this generation past. Nearly one-third of the world's population is Chinese.

We Are Losing Ground
The ratio of Christians is dropping every year.


8% of world's population called Christian today
6% of population will be Christian in 10 years
2% of population to be Christian by year 2000

You must understand that these figures cover professing Christianity. This includes modernists, etc., so we have no way of knowing how many of these are really saved. If the decline continues as projected, by the year 2000 Christianity will be an insignificant percentage of the world's population. The year 2000 is only 33 years away.
YES, we believe in the soon coming of Jesus Christ. The signs of the times, point to His early return, BUT what are we going to do about the 3 billion souls alive today, while we are waiting for His return??

There are over 3,000 languages in the world besides English. There are also several thousand lesser dialects in the world.


3,000 languages in the world
1,232 languages have scripture portions
236 languages have the whole Bible
600 Indian languages have no Bible
400 African languages have no Bible
1,000 languages of New Guinea, Indonesia, and Pacific Islands have no Bible
300 languages of Latin America have no Bible.

Most of these people have no written language, and those who now have a written language usually do not have the whole Bible in their language. At the present rate of translation, it will take over 150 years to finish the job.

700 tribes have completely died off in the last 30 years as a victim of the white man's diseases. These never received the message.
100 Indian tribes exist in Mexico alone. Pioneer language work is being done in 84 of these tribes by interdenominationals. Perhaps 2 or 3 of these tribes have a New Testament Church.


200 Versions Of The Bible In English
YES, America has over 200 versions of the Bible available in English. New versions (or perversions), are constantly announced, printed and sold. Is not this a sad state of affairs, when over 2,000 languages have no Bible of any version in their language?!!


WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?

"The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few." Matt. 9:37
3 million villages of the world have no gospel witness. Indonesia with a population of 90 million, has no Baptist missionary. Missionary personnel is shrinking 25% every 10 years, because of the population explosion. The number of missionaries now on the field are inadequate, to reach the un- evangelized on the field, as the following figures will demonstrate.


Pacific Islands, 1 missionary to 5,000 population
Latin America, 1 missionary to 27,000
Near & Middle East, 1 missionary to 149,000
Africa, 1 missionary to 18,000
India & Sub-continent, 1 missionary to 104,00
Far East, 1 missionary to 52,000

We are told that there are 43,000 missionaries of the world occupying some 130 fields. We do not know how many of the 43,000 are Baptist, nor do we know how many of the 43,000 do not even preach salvation by grace, much less contend for New Testament Church truth. There are supposed to be 265 million Protestants and Baptists in the world, yet there are only 43,000 foreign missionaries. What a tragic testimony!!

9% of the world's population speak English
91% of the world does not speak English
90% of the world's Christians come from the 9% who speak English
10% of the world's Christians come from the 91% who do not speak English
94% of the ordained preachers in the world minister to the 9% who speak English
6% of the ordained preachers in the world minister to the 91% who do not speak English
96% of the church's income is spent among the 9% who speak English
4% of the church's income is spent among the 91% who do not speak English.

THE UNITED STATES HAS
73% of the English-speaking peoples
7% of the world's population
50% of the world's wealth
63% of the world's manufactured goods
29% of the world's railroads
74% of the world's automobiles
52% of the world's trucks
56% of the world's telephones
47% of the world's radios
46% of the world's electric output
52% of the world's steel
53% of the world's petroleum
36% of the world's coal.

In 1903 Communism was born with 17 supporters. In 1917 Communism conquered Russia with 40,000 supporters. In 1944 Communism ruled one country with 160 million people. In 1967 Communism rules over 1 billion people. In time of war, soldiers who do not obey the orders of their Chief Executive are court-martialed and sometimes executed. Christian soldier, what about the orders given by our Lord Jesus Christ? (Matt. 28:18-20)

Money For Missions
American Communists spend 38% of their gross income for their cause. American Christians spend less that 1% of their income for foreign missions. In fact the average American "Christian" (so-called) gave about 3 cents a week to missions or about $1.56 for the whole year. Most cigarette smokers spend twice as much each week for cigarettes as the average American "Christian" gave to missions all year!!

The average U.S. Protestant gave $77.75 to their church during 1965. At the same time the average Southern Baptist gave $59.22 to their church for all causes. We do not have the figures on the giving of independent Baptists, but I am sure that we would be ashamed of that figure also.

The United States is the richest country in the world. The Christians in the United States make up the richest generation of Christians that have ever lived. No other generation of Christians has had as much money to spend in the spreading of the gospel as this generation. Yet, we often hear the excuse, "We just don't have any money to give to missions. It takes all we can rake and scrape, to just make ends meet." What about the money that Christians are spending on television, vacations, tobacco, luxuries, and multitudes of other non-necessary items? Are these things more important than the immortal souls of men"


How Americans Spend Their Money

Food-------------------------------------------------------------$84 billion
Cars and us-e---------------------------------------------------61 billion
Housing-----------------------------------------------------------46 billion
Household operation------------------------------------------50 billion
Clothing, Accessories, etc.----------------------------------35 billion
Recreation--------------------------------------------------------21 billion
Illegal gambling--------------------------------------------------11 billion
Vacations-----------------------------------------------------------9 billion
Tobacco-------------------------------------------------------------8 billion
Personal Care-----------------------------------------------------6 billion
Religion & Welfare-----------------------------------------------5 billion
Dogs, cats, birds (pets)-----------------------------------------4 billion
Pet food, cats, dogs and birds----------------------------712 million
Toys---------------------------------------------------------------500 million
Greeting Cards------------------------------------------------341 million
Chewing Gum--------------------------------------------------304 million
Foreign Missions---------------------------------------------190 million
Ball point pens-------------------------------------------------144 million

M

[Sister Alvear]

any sad but informative comparisons can be made in the above figures. Many people complain about the churches always wanting money, but the above figures show that the American people spent 4 times as much on recreation last year as they did on all Religion and Welfare. The above figures show that over 100 times as much was spent for recreation as was spent on foreign missions. (Yes, 100 times is right). Over 20 times as much was spent on dogs, cats, and birds (pets), as was spent on foreign missions. Over 40 times as much was spent on tobacco, as was spent on foreign missions. Over 200 times as much spent on illegal gambling as was spent on foreign missions. Nearly 2 times as much spent on greeting cards as was spent on foreign missions. Over one and one-half times as much spent on chewing gum as was spent on foreign missions. I could go on and on, but I believe that the reader can make his own comparisons. Oh, shame, shame, shame!!

II. The Agency Of The Hour
During the earthly life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, He established the New Testament Church. " . . . I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18. The word "church" (ekklesia in Greek) meant, "Originally an assembly of citizens, regularly summoned." Vincent. "The Greek word EKKLESIA signified primarily the assembly of citizens in a self-governed State." Broadus. In the New Testament the word EKKLESIA is sometimes used in an institutional sense. Today, we sometimes speak of the home as an institution. But if we are called upon to define a home, or display a home, we must of necessity come to the local visible home.

The "Universal Invisible Church" to which supposedly, all saved belong, DOES NOT EXIST and never has existed. It cannot be found in the Bible, because it does not exist. The Church of the New Testament was local, visible and could be assembled regularly. This was the kind of Church that Jesus built. "God hath set some in the church, first apostles . . . " I Cor. 12:28. It was this kind of church that was given the rules for discipline. Matt. 18:15-19. It was this kind of Church that was commanded to "keep the ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper), as I delivered them to you." I Cor. 11:2 and I Cor. 1:2.


The Church Is The Agency Of The Hour
It was to this kind of Church that Jesus gave the great commission. Matt. 28:18-20. It was to this kind of Church that Jesus said, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power." Luke 24:49. It was this kind of Church that had about 120 members. Acts 1:15. It was this kind of Church that held a business meeting and elected a man to take the place of Judas. Acts 1:15-26. It was this kind of Church that was in "one accord in one place," to receive the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:1. It was to this kind of Church that the Lord added 3,000 souls in one day. Acts 2:41. It was to this kind of Church that "The Lord added . . . daily such as should be saved." Acts 2:47. It was to this kind of Church that "the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." Acts 13:2.


Paul Was A Church Sponsored Missionary
Paul and Barnabas were selected by the Holy Spirit and sent forth by the Holy Spirit, but this was done through the agency of the Church at Antioch. Acts 13:1-4. After they had completed their first missionary journey, they returned to Antioch and reported to the Church. Acts 14:27.

Jesus did establish the Church. But you will search in vain through the New Testament, if you are looking for a place where He established a convention or association.


Man Made Agencies
Paul wrote about the "churches (plural) of Galatia" and the "churches of Macedonia" (I Cor. 16:1, II Cor. 8:1), but he did not say anything about the "convention" of Galatia or the "association" of Macedonia. We read about the "churches of Asia" and the "churches of Judea," but we see nothing in the scriptures about the "fellowship" of Asia or the "union" of Judea. WHY?? Because these organizations did not exist then, nor do they have any scriptural right to exist today.

Man has been busy organizing conventions, associations, unions, fellowships, faith mission boards, etc. No scripture authorizing such organizations has ever been found. Many sincere men devote themselves to promoting such organizations, no doubt thinking that the end justifies the means.

Any mission work that does not begin in a New Testament Church, and does not end in the establishment of a New Testament Church, is not Bible missions. Paul was a Church builder. As you read the book of Acts and the epistles of Paul, it is easy to see that he was interested in seeing a soul winning New Testament Church in each city. He wrote to young Timothy about " . . . the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." I Timothy 3:15.

Paul did have one brief experience with "boards" while doing mission work. While on a voyage to Rome, the ship Paul was sailing on, was wrecked by a terrible storm. While escaping to land, some of the passengers found "boards" were quite useful. However, the context clearly indicates that the "boards" were all wet in this case. Acts 27:44.


T