14) The Last Bit: Finishing the Task Finished the Task!

This past week was the beginning of the end. Finishing the Task met in southern California with over 600 church leaders and mission executives having come together to study a list of unengaged, unreached people groups of 500 or more population. The sessions were powerful. We heard form Steve Smith (co-wrote T4T, helps with 24:14), who has been battling cancer. His messages were as inspirational as they were challenging and encouraging. Loren Cunningham (founded YWAM) has SOOO many great stories. They say Rick Warren (founded Saddleback Church) reads a book every day. Now I understand why he always seems to say something so smart in each sentence. Jimmy Seibert (Pastors Antioch Community Church) and his church have sent people full-time seemingly all over the world. And of course, Paul Eshleman (who led the Jesus Film and now Finishing the Task itself) has found a formula for coupling great data with great funding to empower new research, new sending, and new reaching — to the places that need it most. Honestly, it would be difficult not to love the week no matter where one works. I (Doug) gained so much from the workshops (Hint: Always attend Curtis Sergeant’s talks, no matter how many times you’ve heard them, no matter what he’s saying, because it’s in those talks, we can most learn how to reach the world), regional clusters (I attended 3 — and learned so much), and the Role Clusters (which were organized around our particular roles). Honestly — it was a fantastic gathering and, [drum roll], in the final moments, someone had committed to reach every last unengaged group on earth (with populations of 500 or more). God be praised. Well done, Finishing the Task. Now — we just have to pray that we’ll all actually DO it. : )