Why Your Education Might Be a Joke

Most people spend their entire lives preparing for something they never actually start. In the world of ministry and faith-based development, we have become experts at "the study." We attend conferences, listen to podcasts, and fill notebooks with Greek word studies and theological frameworks. However, if all that knowledge never makes it past your front door, your education is a joke. Real education is not about how much you can memorize; it is about what you are prepared to do.

I have spent over 50 years in ministry, and if there is one thing I have learned from decades on the mission field in Peru and beyond, it is that information alone only "puffs up." True satisfaction in Jesus is found when we stop being consumers of content and start being creators of Kingdom impact. God didn't call us to be scholars who sit in ivory towers; He called us to be missionaries who walk the dusty roads of the world.

The Definition of Real Education

Real education is not just giving you material; it is teaching you how to find it and then motivating you to use it. Consequently, many Bible colleges and institutes fail because they focus entirely on knowledge-based learning. They want you to pass a test. I want you to pass the Great Commission to the next generation.

If you know "how" to do the work but never actually "do" the work, you haven't been educated; you’ve just been entertained. My goal is to get you out of your chair and into the field. Therefore, we must shift our perspective from being information-heavy to being action-oriented. The world does not need more people who can explain the Bible; it needs people who will obey it.

The Three Pillars of World Evangelism

To finish the task of world evangelism in our generation, we must employ a strategic, multi-pronged approach. I like to break this down into three specific pillars: Men, Materials, and Media. Each one is essential, but none can stand alone.

1. Men: The Boot Attack

Everything rises and falls on leadership. We need men who are trained through Bible colleges, institutes, and, most importantly, one-on-one discipleship and mentoring. This is the "ground game." It is about pouring your life into others so they can go and do the same. As I often tell those I mentor through Alignment Ministries, you cannot lead where you are not willing to go yourself.

2. Materials: The Supply Chain

We need the tools to get the job done. This includes books, Sunday School materials, and discipleship curriculum that provide a clear path for growth. For example, my book Are You Called? was written specifically to help individuals discern God's direction for their lives. Without solid materials, the work of the ministry becomes disorganized and difficult to replicate.

3. Media: The Air Attack

We must use the "air attack" to reach the masses. This means leveraging radio, television, the internet, films, and the printed page. In today’s world, media allows us to cross borders that missionaries cannot always walk across. It is about saturating the atmosphere with the Gospel so that when the "ground troops" arrive, the soil is already prepared.

The Vision: Woe, Lo, and Go

In his classic book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill shares a quote from George Deakin that has stuck with me for decades. It perfectly encapsulates the tension between knowing and doing:

 “A vision without a task makes a visionary; a task without a vision is drudgery; a vision with a task makes a missionary.”

Ravenhill points out that Isaiah’s vision in the temple can be summed up in three simple words: Woe, Lo, and Go.

Isaiah 6:5 “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

First, there is "Woe", a word of confession. We must see ourselves as we truly are before a holy God. Second, there is "Lo", a word of cleansing, as the live coal touches the prophet’s lips. Finally, there is "Go", the word of commission. You cannot have the "Go" without the "Woe" and the "Lo," but you also cannot stop at the "Lo." If you have been cleansed, you are commanded to go.

It Can Be Done: Breaking the Spirit of Impossibility

For too long, the church has kept its head in the sand, claiming that world evangelization is an impossible task. We make excuses about "hard people" or "lack of interest." However, the facts tell a different story. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, the growth of the global church is staggering.

In 1900, there were roughly 900,000 Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians. By 1970, that number grew to 72 million. By the year 2000, it had exploded to 523.7 million. Projections suggest that by 2025, that number could reach 811.5 million. This isn't just growth; it's a revolution. The largest contributions are coming from Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

The mission is not dying; it is moving. People who say it can’t be done are usually being passed up by the people who are actually doing it. As Robert Speer, a leader in the Student Volunteer Movement, once said:

 "There is nothing in the world or the Church, except the church's disobedience, to render the evangelization of the world in this generation an impossibility."

The Local Church: The Training Ground

We must place the responsibility for world evangelism where it belongs, on the local church. God doesn't call men out of thin air; He calls and trains them in and through the local church. This is the headquarters for the mission.

In the past, national churches were often happy to receive any missionary, even those with meager education, because they represented "something for nothing." But that day is gone. As J. Herbert Kane states in A Concise History of the Christian World Mission, church leaders today are more interested in quality than quantity.

We need to raise the bar. We need to train leaders who are not just knowledgeable but also resilient, seasoned by the finished work of Christ, and ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the Gospel. My wife, Betty, and I have spent over 52 years proving that when you invest in people through the local church, the fruit lasts.

Conclusion: Rest in the Work, Then Move

I want to end this by reminding you that while the task is urgent, the motivation must never be fear or pressure. The Christian life was never meant to be powered by performance. Instead, it was meant to be lived from being loved first.

“God is not disappointed in you. He is not measuring your worth by your consistency.” He has already done the heavy lifting through Jesus' finished work. Because you are loved, because you are secure, and because you are a son or daughter of the King, you are free to go.

Don't let your education be a joke. Stop memorizing for the sake of a grade and start moving for the sake of the world. The mission will go on, and the mandate will never be rescinded. The only question is: will you be a part of it?

If you are struggling to believe that God could use someone like you, I want to invite you to read The Big Leap of Faith. It is the first step in moving from religious performance to resting in His grace.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

FAQ: Common Questions About World Evangelism

How can I know if I am called to be a missionary?
Calling is often found at the intersection of a burden for a people and the confirmation of your local church. If you have a desire to go and your leaders see the fruit of your work at home, it’s time to take the next step.

Why is action-based education better than information-based?
Knowledge without action creates spiritual pride, whereas action-based education creates spiritual maturity. When you apply what you learn in real-world ministry, the truth becomes a part of your character rather than just a file in your brain.

Can world evangelism really be finished in our generation?
Yes, it is statistically and logistically possible if the church stops making excuses and prioritizes training indigenous leaders. The only thing standing in the way is our own hesitation to obey the command of Christ.

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