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Opening message of North America Senior Staff meeting

TO DOUBLE THE WORK OF GOD by 2010

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”(Mark 6:34)

Jesus wanted his disciples to have a quiet time by themselves in a solitary place. But the people recognized them and saw them leaving and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them, even though Jesus did not invite or announce his plan to them.

How did Jesus view the milling crowd who ignored Jesus’disciples’program? Look at verse 34. “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”Why did Jesus have compassion on them? It was because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Why are sheep without a shepherd to be pitied?

First, when sheep do not have shepherds, they wander around.Sheep are like tender newborn infants. The shepherd must go ahead and lead them to green pastures and help them avoid poisonous grass. Shepherds have to lead them to waters when they are thirsty. In the evening, shepherds lead them to the sheep pen. But when they do not have shepherds, they go astray and are caught by wild beasts and torn to death. We are living in postmodern times. Especially, pleasure seeking and materialism rule the modern society. If one criticizes homosexuality in public, he will be in big trouble, probably even with a possibility of being arrested. Modern society is like Sodom and Gomorrah. Intellectuals follow the social consensus without thinking.

Second, when sheep does not have a shepherd, sheep will eventually end up dying.About 30 years ago, I watched a documentary movie about the June 25th Korean Civil War. When North Korea invaded the South, many South Koreans were retreating to the south. There were several 4 or 5-year old children who lost their parents on the way. These children without parents’care would soon die. Our Good Shepherd Jesus saw young students like this. Amos 8:11-13 say, “The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land— not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it. "In that day "the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.”

The Sovereign Lord has burning shepherd heart for young people who are dying because of thirst. Crowds of people ran to Jesus staggering to hear the word of God from sea to sea and from north to east. They were dying because they had a famine of hearing the word of God. Jesus clearly told us the reason why the gospel had to be preached to the ends of the earth. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”(Mark 16:16)

What did Jesus who had compassion on them do? “So he began teaching them many things.”(Mark 6:34b)
We have a clear prayer topic to double our ministry by 2010. We should not do this with business minds. First of all, we must double our shepherd hearts and we must learn the compassionate heart of Jesus for the campus students. For this, we must know the clear reason why they are so pitiful and pray for them earnestly. Then God will surely give us burning shepherd hearts for them. With this shepherd heart, we must teach them the word of God. With burning shepherd hearts of Jesus, ubf shepherds and missionaries must prepare the life giving word of God and give them God’s word.

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”(Mark 6:34)