SINCE the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450, the printed page has become an extremely powerful instrument for communication. The printed message is read by an innumerable host of unseen readers as it goes to the reaches where no man can or will go. The business world employs this method for the promotion and subsequent sale of their wares. The communists extensively used the printed message for the furtherance of their propaganda, and their advancement stands as a grim testimony of their strategy.

THE cults, of which the Jehovah's (false) Witnesses are one among many, own and operate a large printing facility in Brooklyn, New York. From their official web site as of August 2000 we read:

THE communists and cults have wisely used the printing press, but in mainstream Christianity, primarily independent, fundamental Baptists, we have done very little with the printed page as pertains to the propagation of the Gospel message. In our King James Bible (Authorized Version) we have the Word of God that is forever settled in Heaven, and it is here alone that the populace of the world will learn of God’s plan of salvation. Sadly though, we have failed to take full advantage of this means. It is indeed a sad commentary on fundamentalism that we have allowed this to happen. Pastors, churches, and individuals are not taking full advantage of the Gospel in print. Missionaries go to that part of the vineyard as directed by the Holy Spirit, and in so going have as their goal the salvation of lost souls and the establishing of indigenous churches. Next to the Word of God itself, the Gospel in print is the chief weapon in the missionary’s arsenal, and as such is an essential and proven tool for evangelizing the lost, the full impact of which will only be revealed in Heaven.

ARE you, the reader, aware that Brother Missionary must pay for his own prayer cards, stationery, envelopes, and field brochures? Most missionaries are already under supported and cannot afford to go to a commercial print shop for these services. Gospel literature is vital to his ministry in his part of the vineyard and must also be financed with his personal funds unless someone somewhere will underwrite this expense for him. For the evangelization of the lost and the establishment of a church, Gospel literature is absolutely essential, and without it the ministry of Brother Missionary would be extremely difficult if not impossible. It would be classified as unreasonable, perhaps even insanity, to send forth a soldier to combat without a rifle or ammunition, and then to question why the battle is not being won, and yet this is the mentality of churches when it comes to a printing ministry.

IN our independent, fundamental Baptist circles a dichotomy has been created in world missions, and the mindset of many pastors is that of supporting only "church planting missionaries." They are woefully lacking in recognizing the validity of a missionary printing ministry. Some missionary printing ministries offer their literature "at cost" while others operate on the basis of "free as the Lord provides." For some missionary printing ministries, the missionary printer receives no salary from the ministry, but raises his own support just like any other missionary. Therefore, when the printing ministry is presented in churches it has the two-fold purpose of raising support for the missionary printer as well as the print shop proper. The ministry operates by faith and all that is asked of the respective church is that prayerful consideration be given and asking the Lord what He would have to be done. Brother Missionary needs the literature for his evangelization/church planting ministry, and churches/individuals wherever they are need the literature also for their respective ministries, but where are they going to get it if no one wants to support a printing ministry? Is the "church planter" missionary able to pay for the literature from his personal funds? And what about the small, struggling church? An independent, fundamental Baptist national pastor in Honduras reports that 15,000 Spanish tracts would have cost $25,000 there, and that just one Gospel tract would cost $2.50. To buy this one tract, a person would have to work one week earning .50 a day in the sugar cane fields. (Report given by the national pastor at the Gospel Light Baptist Church, Pennsauken, NJ, Oct. 2000) There is no such thing as a free lunch – somebody somewhere must cover the cost and the only question to be answered is who it will be. In our independent, fundamental Baptist circles we can continue to set back and be comfortable with the dichotomy in world missions and allow the Lord’s work to be hindered while the cults run circles around us, or we can get with God’s program while there is yet time to do so. Think on the above the next time you pick up a Gospel tract, a Scripture portion, or some other piece of Gospel literature. When it comes to missionary service may I ask you, Why should so few be expected to do so much when so many are willing to do so little?