Ten years ago Robert Kaplan noted in the Atlantic Monthly that there are "a large number of people on this planet, to whom the comfort and stability of a middle-class life is utterly unknown, [who] find war and a barracks existence a step up rather than a step down."

The Wesleyan revival is widely credited with saving England from repeating the French Revolution. Among other things, Wesley taught his followers sound financial principles: "Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." His ministry resulted in a large class of people who:

     * could be trusted and trusted others,

     * worked heartily (as unto the Lord),

     * didn't squander their resources to ease the pain of despair, and

     * enjoyed a growing abundance from which to reward mass production by purchasing goods.

The industrial revolution was born in this fertile soil. Today most of my readers live better than any king before the 1700s. But most of the world still lives "before the Wesleyan revival," without the trust, industriousness, hope, and personal "margin" that form the basis of our economy. They are still "without hope and without God" (Eph 2:12). 40,000 people died today from malnutrition, while global media fuels the outrage of those who don't understand why they can't achieve what we have.

Just sending money doesn't solve the problem. Without widespread societal transformation, Money only fuels the corruption that compounds the hopeless plight of so many. Yet there is hope! If new "Wesleys" will work quickly to disciple the nations, the locusts of Joel may yet be averted. May God empower His Church to live up to her potential in our day.

Robby Butler
Mission Network
1594 E. Howard St., Pasadena CA 91104