the offer of salvation is addressed to all of humanity. Perhaps it is because of the uncomfortable consequences of the previous thesis that some seek a way out by interpreting passages like 2 Corinthians 5:18 in a universalistic way. But, whatever discomfort or reservations they might have, most evangelicals strictly reject all forms of universalism, since the salvation which has been made available to all can only be appropriated by means of an individual act of faith. As a result, evangelical missionary efforts have been consistently driven by a desire to reach everyone with the gospel message. This has been done under the banner of slogans such as “evangelize the world in this generation.” And a great deal has been made of statistics that show the disproportionate relationship between the Christian missionary force and that part of the world’s population that remains Unevangelized.

A. Scott Moreau, Harold Netland, and Charles van Engen, Evangelical Dictionary of World Missions, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria, UK: Baker Books; A. Scott Moreau, 2000), 341.