One Billion Computers and Counting?

According to Gartner Research, the number of personal computers worldwide has exceeded one billion. The study also predicts the number to double in only about 6 years - a staggering rate of growth, to say the least. And this is not including laptop models! Gartner also claims that emerging markets will account for 70 percent of the next billion PCs to come online.

Other data reveals that fifty-eight percent of today's PCs are owned by U.S., European, and Japanese users and that his year, some 180 million computers currently in use globally will be retired. This means that approximately 35 million of these will be dumped into landfills but with little apparent concern for their potentially hazardous content.

Amazingly, a day is coming soon when there will be a PC for every 3 or so people on the planet. If laptops are included, the numbers would soon approach 1 of every 2. But as incredible as this all is, there is something more amazing and far more important than even the stunning proliferation of modern computing technology.

Wikipedia, the massive online encyclopedia, records the following figures. “The Bible Society of the United Kingdom calculates that the number of Bibles printed between 1816 and 1975 was 2,458,000,000. Furthermore, worldwide sales of the Bible number more than a staggering 100 million each year. This means that as of the year 2007, approximately 7.5 billion Bibles have been distributed throughout world—with the vast majority still available for use. And these figures do not include the various digital versions of the Bible being used today by millions on computers, Blackberries—and now iPhones. Currently, the complete Bible has been published in over 450 languages with the New Testament alone being published in nearly 1,400 languages."

Without a doubt, the Bible remains the best selling book of all time and statistically there is now at least one Bible, in some format, to represent every human life on earth!

But despite the vast numbers of computers littering the globe, there are some who will never own or even see one due to a host of reasons. However, the God of the Bible has provided a comprehensive plan of salvation which is meant to be the private possession of every living being. (1 John 2:2, 1 Timothy 4:10) The gospel writer made abundantly clear the scope of God’s redemptive plan in Mark 13:10. “And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.” The method of distribution was made equally clear and was related later in Mark 16:15. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

The saturation of God’s Word is no accident. Within its own prophetic pages is forecast its own indestructibility and global impact. (Mark 13:31, Matthew 24:14) But the most effective evangelistic tool, even today, is still the simple word of mouth communication of salvation in Jesus Christ. The price has been paid. (1 Corinthians 6:20) The plan is in place (John 3:16) And now only the proclamation process remains with the very best example of effective outreach seen in the early ‘computer-free’ church.“

"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8)

That is always the very best use of the PC - namely, the

Personal Communication of the Person of Christ!

Bill Breckenridge