Very few laborers are going to the unreached and unharvested parts of the world. This means we must rethink why, how, and where are we sending our people.
If we seek to obey what Jesus has commanded us to do, then we need to radically shift our resources to the unreached. This may mean sending workers to more dangerous and difficult parts of the world, to areas less established and far less desirable to book for a family holiday. The honest question that comes to mind is, “Why should we?” We must send our best because Jesus is worth it. When a church determines that their purpose is found in making disciples of all nations, then they start to arrange everything focused on this purpose.
Jesus’ Clarity on This Topic
Churches must be committed to taking Jesus to the unreached parts of the world. Too many churches have picked and chosen where to take the message of Jesus. Jesus was clear: everyone of His followers is to be involved in preaching the gospel of salvation, and this message is to be taken to the ends of the earth. Every believer is called and commanded to spread the Good News of Jesus to those who have not yet heard. Jesus was clear:
- Matthew 28:19 – “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
- Mark 16:15 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
- Luke 24:47-48 – “Repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
- John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
We must go because we have been commanded by our Savior and Maker to go. Our churches must therefore send workers out to every harvest field.
“Our churches must therefore send workers out to every harvest field.”
Shifting the Focus from Unsaved to Unreached
Globally, over three billion people in more than seven thousand people groups fall into the unreached category. This is criminal, because God told us over two thousand years ago to go and make disciples of all nations. All means all, no matter what way you slice it.
We must educate our churches on the difference and why our resources, including people, need to be sent to the unreached parts of the world. We must evaluate where and why our resources are going where they are going.
Much of the world is unreached, meaning they have not had an opportunity to hear the gospel. Their greatest need is access to the gospel. Those living in America and many Western countries have access to the gospel if they want to. They can find a church or a pastor; therefore they can be categorized as unsaved. For millions of people, they don’t have any option; they can’t find out about Jesus even if they wanted to. They have no access to the gospel.
“We must educate our churches on the difference and why our resources, including people, need to be sent to the unreached parts of the world.”
David Platt explains the difference between unsaved and unreached:
“Unsaved means people who have heard the good news and refused God’s offer. Unreached means that a group has no access to the gospel—no church, no Christian, no Bible available to them. Practically speaking, if you live among an unreached people group, you will be born, you will live, and you will die without ever hearing the gospel that Christians celebrate.”[1]
Paul’s Example in Reaching the Unreached
Invest your life well; you only have one. That is what the apostle Paul did with his life. In Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he explains his passion and motivation to take the gospel wherever, whenever he could. This was his life, his drive, and his passion.
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (NASB), Paul explains how his desire is to win others to ultimately save them. Five times, he says that his aim is to win people:
- Verse 19: “so that I may win more”
- Verse 20: “that I might win Jews” and “. . . I might win those who are under the Law”
- Verse 21: “. . . I might win those who are without law”
- Verse 22: “that I might win the weak.”
Paul’s goal is to save “all men,” regardless of race, religion or status: “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22, NASB). Paul became all things to save people. He adapted his methods to ensure that the gospel was shared to all people. Today more than ever we need to find ways to share the Gospel around the corner and around the world.
“Today more than ever we need to find ways to share the Gospel around the corner and around the world.”
Unashamed of the Gospel?
What can our churches today learn from Paul? Why was Paul willing to be all things to all people? It’s because he knew the power of the gospel. It had transformed and redeemed him, and he wanted others to hear and know the truth. He wanted to save them.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16a, NIV)
We want to ask you honestly, are you willing to say with Paul that you are unashamed of the gospel? Are you willing to say, “I not only believe but I am willing to obey”? Friends, do we believe that? Are we convicted, are we convinced like Paul, that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and are we willing to lay down our lives for that truth? That without Jesus people will die and go to hell?
Paul was driven for the gospel to advance. He wrote to the church in Rome to help him take the gospel to Spain. Notice again his motivation and passion: “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known” (Romans 15:20a, NIV). Paul more than any other apostle went to unreached people groups and nations to declare Jesus’ name. He willingly suffered for his faith, never backing down in the face of opposition or rejection.
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.”
May we and our churches develop a Paul-like passion for “all men” globally to know Jesus.
Recheck Your Budget
We must be compelled by the urgent task of reaching the unreached, but things need to change. The current allocation of money and missionary resources sent to the unreached parts of the world is tragic and truly just a drop in the bucket. According to The Joshua Project, “Out of every dollar of Christian giving to all causes less than one penny goes toward pioneer church planting among unreached peoples.”[2]
If our churches are truly committed and passionate about taking the gospel where Jesus isn’t known, then they must arrange their budgets and missionaries to be given and sent to unreached areas. Churches today tend to keep most of God’s resources to themselves or in their own country. May we send resources to take the gospel where it has yet to have been.
[1] David Platt, “Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-Defying Missions” in The Underestimated Gospel (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2014) 55-87.
[2] Status of World Evangelization 2019 https://joshuaproject.net/assets/media/handouts/status-of-world-evangelization.pdf.
Excerpted from Andrew J and Chris Irwin, Missions in Focus: 10 Essential Conversations for Effective Sending (Joplin: College Press, 2020). Used by permission.
