John Gibbens has given the following moving account of the progress of the gospel in Mongolia, underlining the need for careful translation of the Scriptures.
Mongolia, under Genghis Khan, became the world’s greatest empire, stretching from China and Korea to Central Europe. Mongolians have a history of atheism, with strong Shamanist and Tibetan Buddhist superstitions. Marco Polo noted in the 13th century that Mongolians revere any religion, saying it is the best when it is to their advantage. Mongolia also has influences from Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism and Chinese philosophy. Mongolians comprise what is said to be a people group numbering some ten million people over Mongolia, China and Russia.
God’s call
In 1968 God spoke to me through Romans 15.20: ‘It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known… Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’
