CHAPTER - IV

FUTURE PROSPECT OF AGAPE CHRISTIAN MUSEUM CENTRE

"Where there is no vision, the people perish"(Proverbs 29:18).

It is the burden of ACMC to rescue the perishing souls by having a certain vision. The founder President of ACMC dedicated himself with kind hearted and enthusiasm to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ, seizing every moment.

A. The 10 - 40 Window:

The 10 - 40 window is an area consisting of 62 countries, between 10 and 40 degrees Latitudes North of the Equator and from the west of Africa to the East of China and Japan. In this countries 2/3 of the Earth's population live here on 1/3 of the Earth's land mass. The sad thing is, the least evangelized live here. Only 10% of all missionaries work in this area. The poorest of the poor live here. Every major non-Christian religion began here. 1700 unreached people's groups live here. India has the majority of these peoples' groups. The majority of the world's 50 least evangelized Mega Cities (cities with a population of over one million) are in this area. Historical and Biblical significance are in these areas. The Garden of Eden was somewhere in this 10-40 window. In this area, Jesus went to cross, died, was buried and rose again on the third day.

In Matthew 24:14, the Lord Jesus said,

"And this gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

Whereas, large number of people still remain unreached. It is the need of the hour to reach every single person with the gospel to fulfill the prophecy of Jesus Christ and let him come to this Earth. The illiteracy rate here is higher than any other countries. Therefore the easiest method to reach them is through Christian Museum, through which we can explain them with the help of visual aid.

B. Worldwide Vision

Basically the writer's vision of this thesis was confined to his native land. Unlike before, when he attended All India Christian Leaders' Seminar in New Delhi in the month of October 19-23, 1994, his eyes opened up wide to see the works of God to be done even in abroad. During his stay in the seminar, he happened to meet a tourist couple from England and when the writer asked them if they are Christian, the reply rather surprised the writer because they were not Christian as thought to be. The Author's heart melted for their lost souls. It was an eye opening for the writer to extend Christian Museum Ministry through out the world wherever possible.

C. Permanent Counselling Centre:

Amos 8:11-14 says,

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to east , they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan, liveth and, The manner of Beer-sheba liveth; even they shall fall, and never rise up again."

In the manner described in the above Bible verses, every one is hungry and thirsty for the word of God at this hour of time and ACMC is the place where people can spiritually quench their thirst and fill their hunger. From the time of Jesus till date, Christian Museums have not been used as a method of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ. ACMC in this regard take a new challenge to share the good news to every family, tribe and nation through visual aid such as paintings, pictures, photos, articles, objects etc. It is hoped that through these means people will learn about the Bible right from Genesis to Revelation in brief and clear. It is the prayer of ACMC that the materials placed in the ACMC should be printed and open new centre in several places.

As Jesus values souls in Matthew 18:14

"Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish."

In the same way, ACMC stand to save every single soul through Christian Museum. Matthew 24:14 says,

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

It shows that all believers have a role to play to accomplish God's commandment to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that Jesus Christ may come back to this Earth. The aim and object of ACMC is to reach the world as a witness for Christ unto all nations. In the book of Mark 8:36 Jesus says,

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?"

It shows how important and worth a soul is, for Jesus had nothing to compare with the value of a soul. Knowing this, ACMC's top priority concern is to save the lost souls by means of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ through Christian Museum.

D. ACMC Power House:

The book of Matthew 9:37-38 says,

"Then saith he unto his disciples. The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest."

In fact, today the harvest is plenty but the workers are few. For this, Jesus says to pray so that the Lord of the harvest may send out labourers into his harvest. The signs of the approaching harvest times are all around us. Yet, there are still over one billion people who have never heard - even once - the name of Jesus.

According to Dr. K.P. Yohannan,

"there are more than two billion lives who still remain unreached with the gospel."

The book of Matthew 26:41 says,

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation."

And also Luke 11:5-8 says,

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not:the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth."

Here is a proof that those who eagerly and constantly ask will surely be given what has been asked for. In the book of Luke 18:1-8 Jesus teaches us to pray without ceasing.

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?"

Also in John 16:24 Jesus says,

"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name:ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

This passage encourages every believer to ask God of his or her needs.

Therefore, ACMC has a plan to set up "ACMC Power House". Here in this power house there should be chain prayer for 24 hours. For this, ACMC needs at least 100 (one hundred) prayer warriors. It is believed and hoped that through earnest prayers the Lord's work shall be done as the above scripture passages.

E. Soul Winning through Literature:

According to Wycliffe bible translators reports that, 6 7023 different languages are in the world. In India there are 4635 languages. It is the plan of ACMC that various groups of people should be reach with their own dialects. For this ACMC takes Publishing as an important work to evangelized different groups of people. It is the experience of the writer that how effective is literature for evangelism. The writer had an opportunity to read a book on Jesus is Coming Soon in his own dialect in which he was felt with much afraid situation. Finally, this led him to accept Jesus Christ as his Personal Lord and Saviour, and dedicated his life for his master in the ministry he serves now.

We have the living prove the importance of the Literature is the Bible. In which we can get the knowledge of God, which gives us Life. It was God's commanded that to write down God's Word. For example we see in Habakuk 2:2-3,

"And the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."

In Jeremiah 31:7 it emphasized the importance of Publishing When he says through his prophet,

"For thus said the Lord:Sing with gladness for Jacob, and sought among the chief of the Nations:Published ye, Praise ye, and say, "O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel."

Jeremiah 32:2 says,

"Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book."

In Psalms 68:11, David says:

"The Lord gave the word:Great was the company of those that Published it"

Having given the above scripture passages to prove the necessity of Literature, we come to conclude that, as a part of Museum ACMC should take up the responsibility of Publishing for the use of Evangelism in various dialects. Roberts Watkin was also converted through reading a sermon by the late. R.A. Torrey. George Verwer, founder of Operation Mobilisation was also converted through Literature. It was through the mail a gospel of John sent by a dear Christian lady who believed in the power of the Gospel in printed form. Oswald J. Smith wrote a story of Bert who was serving in military department. This short shows the importance of literature.

The Title of the story, "Can you tell me the way to Heaven ". And he wrote , Let me tell you a story . I read it in a tract. It is rather long, so I am going to condense it for you.

It was during the First World War. Shells were bursting all around. Presently there was a black cloud as pieces of shrapnel came whizzing past. Poor Bert fell like a log. Tiny Tim (6ft. 3 ins.) jumped down besides him and then returned to his place to the trench.

Suddenly there was a startled cry, "Can you tell me the way to Heaven?"Tiny jumped down again. "The way to Heaven ? I'm sorry, chum, I don't know the way, but I'll asked the other fellows."

He returned to the first-step and walk along to the next man and asked him, he did not know. So, he went on to the man beyond him, but he did not know either. Jumping down, he walked around the trench into the next fire-bay, jumped up on the first-step and inquired of the third man. Then he went from one to another until he had asked seven men the same question, but none of them knew the way to Heaven.

Leaving the part of the trench, he went on to the next. His question was always the same, "Bert is dying. He wants to know the way to Heaven. Can you tell him the way ?"He had now asked sixteen men, but not one of them could answer his question .

Finally Tiny Tim reached a machine-gunner sitting alone with his gun, his eyes glued on the German lines. The gunner felt a thump on his back and then heard a voice shouting,"Gunner, there is a chap in our company who has been hit. He's dying and he wants to know the way to Heaven. Can you tell him the way ?"

The machine-gunner turned around and a smile lit up his face as he replied. "Yes", he said, "I know the way,but I cannot get along the trench. I dare not leave my gun. But wait."Thrusting his hand into his pocket he pulled out a little Testament. Quickly turning over the pages, he said, "Look here, chum, this is the way to Heaven, that verse there, John 3:16. I'll turn the leaves back, you put your thumb on that verse, and tell him that is the way to Heaven."

Quickly Tiny Tim rushed back. He jumped down beside Bert, who lay so still that for a moment he thought he had gone. He touched his shoulder. "I've got it, Bert,"he exclaimed.

"Here it is, the way to Heaven, John 3:16,

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Poor Bert's eyes were wide open now. He was drinking in every word., what a scene it was - Tiny Tim kneeling on the bottom of the trench, his great hand holding the little Testament, the tears running down his cheeks reading again and again those life-giving words in the ears of Bert.

A look of peace came over the face of the dying man as he kept gasping out "whosoever".

After a bit he lay quiet and still again. Tiny Tim got back on the firing step. All at once he called out, "Look, chaps !"And there was Bert. With one last great effort he raised himself up. He seemed to be gazing at the little piece of blue sky just visible from the trench. His hands were stretched toward it. His face lit up with angelic glory, and with one last gasp,"whosoever", he fell back dead.

Yes, Bert had found the way to Heaven. What a change ! One moment in a trench on the battlefield, the next with Christ.

What about you ? Have you, too, found the way ? If not, read the verse again. It is the greatest verse in the Bible. Then open your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as your own personal Saviour. Will you do it ? Do it and do it - NOW.

D. L. Moody said, "When we pray, we talk to God. When we read the Bible, God talk to us. And we need to do most of the listening,"No man can be a successful Christian without reading his Bible regularly. John Luiney Adams said;

"The Bible is a Book of all others to read at all ages and in all conditions of human life."

Having said above, we see the importance of Gospel literature in Christian Witnessing, ACMC has a plan to establish a big library to preserve and deliver the Christian literature. To accomplish, we need computers and printers for typesetting and printing works.

F. Edification:

Billy Sunday rightly stated, "What the Church needs is not a lot of new members, but the old members made new."The work of ACMC is to regenerate nominal Christians and make them genuine Christians. In Jesus' and Nicodemus conversation, Jesus told Nicodemus, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:16). Same way, today there are many Nicodemus in our society. They should be preached upon to be born again for they will not see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. Only when they become true believers they should be baptized. If so no one can stop them from giving offering, tithes to live holy living, to read the Bible, to forgive and forget one another's mistakes. They need not be encourage for the Holy Spirit will be their guide to teach them what to do.

G. Training Centre:

ACMC is planning to set up a training centre to train youngsters, those who are called to serve in ACMC. They should be given short term course such as one month, three months, six months, twelve months, two years, seven years and ten years. Even Paul in his time did similar things as it is found in Acts 28:30-31, And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him. Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Same idea is found in Acts 19:9-10. But when divers were hardened and believed not but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them and separated the disciples, disputing daily on the school of one Ty- ran- nus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that al they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

H. The last calling and the love of God.

The core objective of ACMC is to reach the heart of the people with the gospel all over the world by means of visual aid. It is the prayer of ACMC to materialised as the scripture says in Matthew 24:14, the Lord Jesus said,

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the all the world for a witness unto all Nations, and then shall the end come."

The book of Moses speak at the length about the year of jubilee and the freedom which is brought to the people.

"And you shall consecrate the fifteenth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the Land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you; and each of you shall return to his possession, and each of you shall return to his family"

(Leviticus 25:10 ) On this special occasion, the Levites would cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of the atonement, they shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all their land. They shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for them; and each of them shall return to his possession, and each of them shall return to their family.(Leviticus 25:8 -10 ) Not everyone in Israel was able to hear the trumpet sound from Jerusalem. The Priest blew the trumpet at the Temple site in Jerusalem, but many of Israel's Tribes lived far from here. The Tribe of Levi had not received their own land as the other tribes. Instead, they were scattered throughout all the tribes of Israel, where 48 territories had been assigned to them (Numbers 35:7). While the Bible doesn't directly state how the trumpet sound was carried throughout all the land, it seems logical that the spreading of the Levites throughout the land facilitated the relaying of the trumpet sound throughout Israel. In territory after territory, hour after hour, the trumpet sounded, each time announcing the year of Jubilee to yet another region. Each time it heard, there was rejoicing as debts were canceled and captives set free.

Further and further the news carried into the remotest regions of Israel. The last trumpet indicated the most remotest region in Israel and heard the good news of the year of jubilee.

Jesus inaugurated His earthly ministry in the Synagogue at Jerusalem by reading the words of Israel:

"The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken hearted; to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."(Luke 4:18, 19)

Jesus closed the book and told those gathered: "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing"(Luke 4:216 )

"The acceptable year of the Lord" is the year of Jubilee."

"The year of Jubilee"is a 'type of Jesus' work at calvary's cross, which frees everyone, and cancels out debts of sin. Nazareth was the first town to hear the sound of the New Testament year of Jubilee. Jesus Himself proclaimed that what they had long for was now fulfilled. Since that inaugural moment, the news has gone forth and will continue to resound until the last region of the earth has heard the gospel. This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matt. 24:14)

Jesus is coming back at the sound of the last trumpet. He is coming back when every person, even those living in the remotest region of the earth, has heard the gospel of what he did at Calvary almost 2, 000 years ago. The last trumpet is the proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom to even the remotest region of the earth.

Every single believer is the ambassador for Christ. Jesus Christ has entrusted us the task to carry on the gospel. All Christians are co-workers of Jesus Christ. We are to blow the last trumpet, the last calling to every group of people in the world.

Jesus Christ has given us a great commission:

"All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. 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 always, even unto the end of the world. (Matt. 28:18-20).

The Agape Christian Museum Centre is blowing the last trumpet (calling) through visual aid, visiting houses and churches. It is the promised of God that who ever hear and believe, they shall be saved. One may be a great sinner till yesterday, but today if he repent for his sins and come to God with humble hearts, his sins will be forgiven and received eternal life.

On October 8, 1871, D.L Moody addressed the largest congregation to which he had ever spoken in Chicago on "Which shall I do them with Jesus which is called Christ ?"At the end of his message he told this congregation:

"I wish you would take this text home with you and turn it over in your minds and next Sunday we shall come to Calvary and the cross, and dedicate what to do with Jesus of Nazareth ".

His song leader, Ira D. Sankey, sang the closing hymn. Then the changing of fire bell's was heard. The great fire of Chicago laid Moody's hall in ashes and over a thousand people perished. Some of them had heard his message. Moody said the greatest mistake he ever made was in telling his bearers to postpone their decision till the following Sunday.

As it was flashed on the Sangai Express, four militants were shot dead by the Police. The encounter took place at Lamphelpat Tera under Mayang Imphal Police Station. The sad part is they were ignorant of the gospel. If they had a chance to hear the Gospel, they would have escape from death. Another three Assam Rifles personal were killed by the Myanmar Armies, on the 26 October. 2000. This incident took place at Yanching, Mon district, Nagaland, Close by the Myanmar border. This shows that the end of life can come at any unexpected moment. Suppose, if these Jawans were unbelievers, they would have not been saved. Therefore,

"As the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness." (Heb. 3:7,8)

On 12, November 2000, the Churachandpur Police found two drug addicts dead in Churachandpur. There are many people who need the gospel to liberate them from the bondage of their unwanted habits. The two drug addicts' lives would have been saved if they were shared the good news of Jesus Christ.

For this epistle of Hebrews says,

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him."(Hebrews 2:3).

One of the Indian prominent political leader, former congress President Sitaram Kesri died at All India Institute of Medical Sciences after prolong illness. Being a well known political leader, he lived a respectable life in a well to do family.

As Hebrews 9:27 Says,

"And as it is appointed into men once to die, but after this the judgment,"

... then the last breath of Sitaram Kesri came.

Since, God set appointed time for everyone to die which no one known, we need to accelerate the spread the gospel to every unreached soul.

As a local daily news, Thinglhang Post reports, 30 persons died and more than 100 person injured in a train accident took place on October 26, 2000. Another tragedy incident took place on October 26, 2000, in Russian Illyushin-18 military air crash. In the incident 82 people died, no passenger escaped from the air.