Who Are the Unengaged People Groups?

The world is a big place full of God’s incredible diversity and creative expression. Even within one country there might be hundreds of different groups of people. Christians seeking to fulfill the Great Commission must understand not only that these different groups exist, but also know where and who are the unengaged people groups.

For example, the 100 largest, least-reached people groups are spread across the northern continent of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Just these groups alone have a population of almost 1.864 billion people, making up over 23% of the world’s population.[1] Each of those groups is distinct in its makeup, often with a combination of language, ethnic and cultural identifiers that make them unique.

The reasons for never before being reached include physical barriers in the geography of where these people live―it is often physically difficult to get to them. There may be religious reasons, where an ancient tradition or eastern religion is deeply ingrained in the group. There may also be a culture of not wanting any kind of outsider or not knowing how to interact with outside groups. Another factor can be the political climate of the country where they live. It’s possible that an entire country is closed off because of political unease or unfriendliness.

And yet, they must be reached with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Sue Arnold, writing for Lausanne Movement writes this of the risks of missions:

“Just a chapter later in Acts 20, Paul resolutely heads towards Jerusalem. He knows that prison and hardship await him there, but he considers this a cost worth paying in light of completing the task that the Lord had given him (Acts 20:22-24). His decision caused the believers to weep, to embrace him, and even to grieve (Acts 20: 37-38). After Paul began his journey towards Jerusalem, he then received a prophetic word from Agabus. Agabus prophesied that Paul would be bound and handed over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:11).”2


Click here, to read more about this article.

Click here, to read more blogs in Gospel for Asia.Net

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Generational Poverty: A Cycle Not Worth Repeating

Image
The cycle of generational poverty can seem impossible to break. Children inherit what their parents teach and show them. a joint report from Ascend: The Aspen Institute and Bernard van Leer Foundation affirms this. “What young children learn from the adults who raise and care for them lays the foundation for future social, emotional, language, and cognitive growth,” the report says. 1 Children raised in a generational poverty mindset often lack the tools they need to succeed or achieve a better life than that of their parents. As adults, these individuals often then raise their children in poverty similar to that of their own childhoods, and the cycle perpetuates. It’s a cycle not worth repeating, yet it does time and time again. For the 736 million people worldwide living below the poverty line, earning $1.90 a day or less, the focus is frequently on mere survival. 2 Children are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty, says UNICEF, as “children who grow up impoverished often...
Read more

What Is the Poverty Cycle?

Image
The question, “What is the poverty cycle, or cycle of poverty?” is one that must be answered to address and end poverty across the globe. Put simply, the term refers to the trend where the vicious effects of poverty and deprivation pass from one generation to the next, with no seeming way out. [1] Someone born into poverty has fewer opportunities than their wealthier peers. They must focus on survival above all, leaving little room for anything else. One illness can wipe out a family’s savings, but the unclean water sources and lack of protection available to them invite sickness. Walking to retrieve water can be time-consuming yet must be a daily priority, and many children must work alongside their parents for the family to afford food. Thus, school is often a far-off dream. Having had few opportunities to acquire skills, the kids grow up to repeat the cycle of poverty with their own children. This story was all too familiar for Nalah. His father worked in the tea fields, trying to e...
Read more

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Image
Many impoverished families around the world are trapped in a cycle of generational poverty. Their parents were poor before them, and their children, unless something changes, will likely be poor as well. Crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty is altering the poverty mindset that often accompanies it. Millions of children worldwide inherit poverty, and often the poverty mentality that comes with it. Scarcity often orients the mind toward immediate, unfulfilled needs, and powerfully so. 1 Such a mindset may lead parents to sacrifice their children’s education to ensure there’s food on the table. This lack of education tends to perpetuate the cycle of poverty, limiting job opportunities and chances to improve one’s quality of life. But what is one to do when funds are insufficient to adequately cover basic needs? This is the case for 736 million people living below the poverty line, earning just $1.90 a day, or less. 2 One can hardly blame them for choosing the sustenance required for ...
Read more