Beloved brethren, I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a great privilege to me to be present and to see brethren from all over the world. I have been impressed by the brethren from Korea and Japan because in their faces they reflect the love of Christ. Although we cannot speak the same language, we understand so much of one another. Just by a smile or a greeting, I can understand what they mean.

This afternoon we are going to speak about our “mission in action” in North America.

The North American region is composed of only two countries - the United States and Canada, having a combined total population of around 340 million people.

Unlike some other regions, the North American region is actually known as a Christian region. You can even see on the U.S. dollar bill is imprinted, “In God we Trust.” This expression means, “We believe in God.”

Yet in Scripture, Jesus made a very interesting statement which was addressed to those in His day who believed in Him. Notice John 8:31, 32: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Because the North American region is a Christian region, you may think that it would be easy to lead people to accept the principles of reformation. But Jesus explained that His true disciples were actually only those who would continue in His word. Only then could the freedom that professed believers claim be real freedom, as expressed above in verse 32.

In the following chapter, Jesus healed a man who had been born blind. He used this miracle as an opportunity to teach a lesson about spiritual blindness. “Some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John 9:40, 41).

I’m not sure which group is easiest to work with - Christians, Muslims, or other religions. Many times you go on the street to give out pamphlets, and when people see that it is Christian literature, they say, “Oh, I don’t need this. I am born again already.” So they don’t want any Christian pamphlets.

Yet, nonetheless, by God’s grace, during the past four years in the North American Region we were able to hold evangelistic crusades and public meetings, Revelation seminars and last day events prophecy seminars, workshops on evangelism for church members, as well as seminars on justification by faith and the health message.

The pen of Inspiration declares that “The best medicine you can give the church is not preaching or sermonizing, but planning work for them. If set to work, the despondent would soon forget their despondency, the weak would become strong, the ignorant intelligent, and all would be prepared to present the truth as it is in Jesus. They would find an unfailing helper in Him who has promised to save all who come unto Him.”1

So, as ministers and laypersons alike, what challenge do we all face in the sad reality of our world today? “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5).

The expression that Jesus told the rich ruler, “One thing thou lackest”, shows that it is not enough just to profess Christianity. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). But unfortunately the professedly Christian world today has transgressed the law of God and, as a result, the earth is defiled under the inhabitants.

One question raised by the psalmist is a very important one which we should ask ourselves: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).

What can we do if the foundation is removed? Imagine if you removed the foundation of this building, what would happen to the whole structure? It would fall. The same is true in our Christian experience. If we abandon our foundation - which is Christ - there is no other result but collapse.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).

We can believe what we want, we can give to the Bible whatever interpretation we choose - but there is only one foundation that is established, which is Christ. And your only safety is on that foundation. If you are sure that you are on that foundation, we are told, “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” So to profess Christianity is not enough. It is not enough to have a United Nations building. It is not enough to have big signs that say “Peace on earth” when actually Jesus has been left in the backyard.

Now, what is the last mission to be accomplished on this earth - that mission in which you and I are to be engaged? We read, “They that shall be of thee [God] shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in” (Isaiah 58:12). “Though the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved” (Romans 9:27).

This remnant people is described in the above passage from Isaiah: “They shall raise up the foundations of many generations.” They shall be called reformers.

What is God’s final mission? There is something going on today. John the Revelator describes: “I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:2, 3).

Our church is involved in a mission and we have to accomplish that mission. But God has commissioned His angels to hold the winds, “Hurt not the earth, neither the trees.” For how long? “Till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads.”

In essence, God says: “I will leave in the midst of thee a people that will raise up the foundations of many generations.” What are they called? They are called reformers. What is the work of these reformers? “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” (Matthew 24:14).

The Scriptures reveal what happens as soon as this mission is completed. God “shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you. Whom the heaven must receive [retain] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:20, 21).

There is a mission to be fulfilled in order to see God’s promise - a reformation to be carried out.

Who is going to carry on this work of restitution or reformation? The Lord says, “Behold, I send you Elijah” (Malachi 4:5). We have never seen anyone raised from the dead today - and neither has this mission be entrusted to angels. Yet the Lord says He will send Elijah the prophet. What does this mean?

“The history of Elijah and Elisha needs to be brought out in clear lines, that our people may understand the importance of the work of reform to be carried on in this age.”2

We cannot forget our mission, my brethren. Our mission is the mission of reformation. We cannot just unite ourselves with the popular proclamation of the gospel, for the Lord warns us, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). The question is: When Jesus comes, who shall be able to stand?

“To prepare a people to stand in the day of God a great work of reform was to be accomplished.”3 So we will not go to heaven until we accomplish our mission - and this mission is the work of reformation. This is what will prepare a people to stand in the day of God.

Briefly, let me make a comparison here:

“The work of God in the earth presents, from age to age, a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious movement. The principles of God’s dealing with men are ever the same. The important movements of the present have their parallel in those of the past, and the experience of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for our own time.”4

So, if we want to know what is our mission in the earth, we need to look to the great reformations of the past. We need to look to the reformations by Christ and by Martin Luther. Our work is very similar to theirs. We know about Nehemiah the prophet. Nehemiah was a servant of the king of Persia in the time when the people of Israel were to return from Medo-Persia. Nehemiah was still living in Persia, but his heart was in Jerusalem. When sought news about how God’s people were faring in Jerusalem, he learned that they were suffering great affliction and he had a determination to do something about it.

“The spiritual restoration of which the work carried forward in Nehemiah’s day was a symbol, is outlined in the words of Isaiah: ‘They shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities.’ ‘They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in’ (Isaiah 61:4; 58:12).

What did it say in Isaiah 58:12? This is a symbol of the work that is to be done now. With the king’s blessing, Nehemiah immediately departed from Medo-Persia, and the first thing he did was to inspect the walls of the city by night to view the real condition of things: “I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire” (Nehemiah 2:13).

Similarly, delegates from around the world are to assess the condition of the world today and consider prayerfully what can be done to repair the walls that are broken down. This may be a good opportunity for us to examine our families, consider their condition, and make a proper reformation. It may be a good opportunity for us to look at the church in our respective areas around the world. Are the walls broken down? Are we raising the standards of Christianity? Let us keep in mind that this work that Nehemiah did has to be done again.

When Nehemiah explained to his people the condition of things, he made an appeal, and we read that among the first to catch his spirit of zeal and earnestness were the priests. They used their influence to advance the work and contribute greatly to its success. Likewise today, here is a great opportunity for our ministers from around the world to return to our places full of zeal to raise up the standard. Then we can accomplish our mission.

Nehemiah said, “Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach” (Nehemiah 2:17).

What the church needs today is leaders that will be faithful to the principles of reform.

What the church needs today is leaders that will teach the young people that it is a privilege to be different from the world today.

What the church needs today is leaders that will encourage, instruct, and guide the believers in reformation.

This reformation is something like a car. The Spirit of Prophecy actually compares it to a car - a moving vehicle.

We read that “We should have a spirit of progress. The work of God is onward. Reforms must be carried on, and we must take hold and help move on the car of reform.”5

“A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.”6

“Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children.”7 God’s people will be united to carry on the work of reform. This will be the only thing that will prepare them to stand in the day of God.

“God is raising up a class to give the loud cry of the third angel’s message.”8 Popular Christianity is going from place to place, but the people are not being taught to make a reformation in their lives. One of the greatest heresies being promoted is that people can be saved in their sins.

Who will fulfill God’s commission to proclaim a thorough reformation to return to His principles? Let us echo the voice of the prophet: “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

Dear brethren, may the Lord help us to be impressed with the zeal of Nehemiah, Martin Luther and Christ Himself. Let us be men that fear nobody but God. May the Lord help us to proclaim this message with power. If this is accomplished, then by God’s grace, the next delegation session will be in heaven. Let us go forward and move on the car of reform! Amen.