May302008
Reaching the Unreached
Filed under Reflections by Paul at 10:17 am on May 30 2008
Perhaps you’ve seen the news about an Amazon tribe that is believed to have never had contact with the outside world. If not, click here to read the story
This amazing discovery got me thinking about all of the people that are in this world that have not only never been touched by the outside, but have also never been told the Gospel story of God’s love. According to the Joshua Project there are currently 2.68 billion unreached (people who haven’t been told the Gospel) people in the world!
Those that have never heard of God’s redeeming love and grace are all around us. They live in remote villages as well as across the street.
Jesus’ "Great Commission" in Matthew 28:19-20 tells us that it is OUR job to reach the world with the message. And thankfully we don’t (and can’t) do this on our own. Jesus says in Acts 1:8 that the Holy Spirit will give us the power we need to accomplish the task. So really it’s not a matter of not having the tools available, it’s a matter of our own obedience. Will we go?
Sharing the Gospel (in our words and with our lives) is an essential part of our spiritual formation. In the book Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland (reviewed here ), spiritual formation is defined as "the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others ."
Being transformed by God is not "just for me" it is for His glory. We are shaped and formed so that God’s purpose can more fully be accomplished in us. And a main purpose he has for all of us is to share what has happened in us with others so that it can happen in them. Spiritual growth was never meant to be a selfish thing.
So, think about the unreached people that you encounter everyday. How can God make a difference in their life through you? And pray for those around the world that have still not heard. The mission is not over yet.
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
Recommended link to help you in sharing the Gospel: offthemap.com
1 Helenon 01 Jun 2008 at 10:19 am
Thanks for the link to Off The Map.
How did you find us?
2 Paulon 02 Jun 2008 at 2:18 pm
If I recall I was referred to your org a while back by a friend.