Operation World: Answers to Prayer in the Americas

1 The growth of Evangelicals in Latin America in the 20th Century has been spectacular. In 1900 Evangelicals numbered about 700,000, or 1% of the population (only about 200,000 of these being in Spanish-speaking countries). By 2000 they had multiplied to 55 million (over 50 million in Spanish-speaking countries). The breakthrough point for Evangelicals came with the wide implementation of congregation mobilization through national Evangelism-in-Depth programmes in the 1960s.



2 Pentecostal Evangelicals have demonstrated the greatest vigour and have become the largest component of Evangelicals in Latin America with over 32 million affiliates. This is 28% of the world's Pentecostals. Their greatest success has been amongst the poor. Growth has been weakened by multiplied splits, inadequate discipling of converts and often exaggerated claims of growth.



3 The spiritual impact of North America, and especially the USA, on the world. Praise God for:

a) Great evangelists who have touched the world (Finney, Moody, Billy Graham and others).

b) Great missionary statesmen and visionaries who helped to lay the foundations for the present global harvest.

c) Unstinting generosity in giving for great causes — especially missions advances.

May this influence continue, and supplant the blatant secularism propagated by the media. The Hollywood view of American life is not the whole story!

4 The impact of the Scriptures on Catholics has opened the hearts of millions to a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. Many have become fervent evangelical believers, both within the Catholic Church and, increasingly, outside it.

5 People movements are growing among the Amerindians who have long been resistant or indifferent to the gospel. The present growth of Quechua and Aymara churches in the Andes and Mayan peoples in Central America is exciting.



6 The divinely ordered convergence in Latin America of greater freedom of religion, more open and accountable democracy, a series of military, natural and economic disasters which loosened the hold of traditional structures have enabled many to come to Christ. The 1990s were a time of resurgence of Christianity in Cuba despite the decades of Marxist propaganda and pressure.



7 The Bible translation achievements of WBT/SIL and UBS have been remarkable. The pioneer work of WBT/SIL in providing New Testaments in indigenous languages has sparked ingatherings of peoples into churches across the Americas. In some lands the work of translation has been virtually completed. Praise the Lord for a task well done!



8 The missionary contributions of North Americans in the 20th Century. Increasingly the missionary enterprise is becoming global, but even in 2001 it is still predominantly North American. They make up over 50% of missionaries in other lands and 34% of all missionaries (home and foreign).

9 There has been rapid growth and maturation of missions vision in Latin America. The 1987 COMIBAM conference in São Paulo, Brazil, generated continent-wide interest and sparked off numerous initiatives to reach the unreached. Major missionary-contributing nations are Brazil, Costa Rica and Argentina, but in most lands missionary sending structures are developing.



10 The impact of the media has been significant all over the New World. Widespread use of local, national and international radio and television networks by Christians has had a big influence. International Christian radio agencies broadcast an estimated 3,000 hrs/wk in Spanish and 320 hrs/wk in Portuguese by satellite as well as by short and medium wave. The multiplication of local television and radio stations and broadcasts further widens the opportunities for proclamation of the gospel.