Urgency
There are five strategic themes of Vision 2025. One theme is Urgency. The more I think about this theme, the more I “buy into it.”
What makes something urgent? I think we have to definitions. The “bad” definition is that something is urgent when it demands immediate attention — whether it deserves it or not. That is not the kind of urgency that fuels Vision 2025 and Bible translation.
The second definition is that a a matter which is urgent is a matter that deserves attention in order to address that matter in a timely way. Urgent matters should not be sidelined – but neither should they be rushed.
Urgency is not haste. Urgency contains the ideas of importance and of deliberate action.
Vision 2025 calls our attention to the 2529 language groups still waiting for any access to God’s Word in a language that really speaks to them.
Unless I act with urgency – unless you also act with urgency – these people who have never in their history had access to God’s written Word in a form they can reasonably be expected to comprehend – these people will remain without the hope of the Gospel.
God does want everyone to hear. Remember the words of Daniel:
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14)