"Teach all nations "-Matthew 28:19. I had said, "There are now no faithful American preachers in Nigeria," but the questioner asked, " Did you say that there are no faithful preachers in Nigeria?" To us, America is the world. If it is not made in America, it is not made. If a preacher is not an American-well can he be faithful?

Another questioner asked, "How can a church decide how much of its budget should go for foreign evangelism and how much should be spent in the U.S.?" A good question. A prevalent notion used to be that we must thoroughly evangelize America before we have any obligation to step over our borders. But Jesus commands, "Teach all nations." Every generation has that duty.

One fifteenth of the world's population of three billion live in America. Perhaps 90 per cent of the members of the Lord's church are Americans. And Americans are by far the richest people who have ever lived. In deciding how much to spend overseas, we need to bear these facts in mind.

Jesus died for all nations and has entrusted to His followers the job of seeing that all nations hear that saving truth. If we do not preach to all nations, the job will not get done-and we will have betrayed the trust Jesus has placed in us! The command to teach all nations is as much a part of the Great Commission as the statement "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." If we obey one command but ignore the other, can we be saved?

TRUTH MAGAZINE XVII: 26, p. 2
May 3, 1973