This relatively new video (with relatively few views) just might be the best explanation anywhere of the biggest spiritual needs ever, especially when it comes to understanding the places where the Gospel isn’t. Thanks to RW Lewis and Chris Maynard for imagining this clear, clarion call for pioneers. Our hope is that your church or group will find time in the very near future to view and share this video, then prayerfully brainstorm about what action steps you might take to address its truths.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVmTU13rgo8&feature=youtu.be
(Thanks to Mission Frontiers for consistently pointing us toward these important facts. And thanks to Telos Fellowship for believing in the importance of sharing these challenges. Finally, we’re all grateful to the good folks at JoshuaProject.net for sounding the call for all.)
Statistics are good. However, the phrase “Waiting to hear” is repeated several times… and this is misleading. Sadly many workers return home in the first couple of years of service, and I have heard them say ” I thought people were waiting to hear… but they are not.” It would be good to couple this video with another one on resistant people… and do some statistics there. India and Muslim majority countries have a lot of very resistant people groups in them. We need to go, but the challenge and risks ares greater.
People are always ready to hear, coz the Holy Spirit has left a vacuum in their hearts that only Jesus can fill. The problem is with our approach: is it incarnational (or imperial) – friendly, holistic, contextual and appropriate? Besides being humble and prayerful, our pionner evangelists need to have the skills (like in Lk. 10:4-9) to learn from the local people, make friends, befriend community/ workplace leaders, evangelize & disciple a “person of peace”, and empower this local new Jesus-disciple to disciple his kinship and friendship networks to turn their homes into “houses of peace/blessings” — to fulfill God’s promise to Abraham that thru him all families on earth will be blessed! :-)