Metropolitan Southern California is huge, with 20 million people in the Los Angeles Basin, San Diego, and the Inland Empire all running together in one mass of people. You can drive for hours and never leave this metropolitan area that is growing by more than 300,000 people a year. 20 million people . . . 20 million souls . . . 20 million eternal destinies.
It is strategic, with a powerful global reach; it is diverse, with vast immigrant populations from as close as Mexico, and as far as India; and it is an exceptional opportunity for gospel ministry. The stereotypical Southern California problems, like traffic, smog, and gangs, only highlight the opportunity: there are a lot of people here!
80% of Southern California’s growth comes through immigration, making it an increasingly ‘foreign’ mission field. In L.A. county alone you can find at least 50,000 people from Guatemala, Vietnam, India, Japan, Korea, El Salvador, the Philippines, and China. About 1/3 of Southern California’s population is now Mexican.
From beach towns to mountain resorts; industrial communities to ritzy suburban enclaves; retirement villages to young bedroom communities; Southern California is a brilliant mosaic of diverse people.
Every one of those people will live somewhere forever. Tragically, those without Christ are rebels against God and justly condemned to face eternal punishment.
But God lovingly designed and enacted a plan of salvation. Jesus Christ—God the Son became a man, perfectly obeyed God the Father, died on the cross, rose from the dead, and ascended to heaven where He rules over all and from where He will return again to earth as Judge and King.
All who repent and believe this message will live forever in a reconciled relationship with God and escape His righteous wrath against them for their sins. This is “Good News” that needs telling!
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