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Unreached People Groups Lost sheep, lost coins, lost sons. What happens when 2 billion people go missing? When Jesus’ priorities for the lost and marginalized are ignored by His church, so are almost two billion people.

  • Who is this forgotten fourth of the world’s population?
  • Why should we care about them?
  • What is God already doing among them?

Hidden Peoples: At the historic 1974 Lausanne Congress, Ralph Winter shook the evangelical world by highlighting the sizeable presence of “Hidden Peoples.” These peoples have been designated in several ways and are largely Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and urban. They have been the focus of significant discussion. Yet, 36 years later, these peoples are still over 28% of the world’s population.

Spiritual Injustice: When over one quarter of the peoples of the world have no opportunity to hear or see the message of God’s love demonstrated in action, dare we call it anything less than “spiritual injustice?” When 86% of the Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists do not personally know a Christ-follower, can we simply say we have grown tired of hearing about these peoples, and are ready to move on to something else?

Transformational Movements to Christ: Despite these challenges, amazing things are happening among least reached peoples in places like China, South Asia, and Africa. God is raising up multiplying groups of Christ-followers who are changing their communities, unencumbered by programs, buildings or administrative overhead. What radical changes have ministries implemented to reach these peoples? How can they be applied to our own areas of ministry?

Who are the forgotten fourth of the world’s population?
Why should we care about unreached people groups?
What happens when Jesus’ priorities for reaching out to the lost and marginalized (Unreached People Groups/Least Evangelized Peoples) are ignored by His church?
Dr. Ralph Winter drew the Church’s attention to ‘hidden peoples’ in 1974. What progress has been made in reaching them? How could we reach more?
How did Jesus intend for all these lost people from every tribe and language and people and nation to discover that He has already paid the price for them? (Rev. 5.9)
What is God already doing among unreached people groups so that some from every tribe, language and people will worship Christ (Rev 5:9)?

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Select a conversation below and post a response at the bottom of that conversation page. Or start a new conversation by contributing an article, blog, video or other relevant content on the featured topics.

People

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Matt Brown
United States
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douglucas
United States
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CPER4HIM
Sweden
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Ayche
Ethiopia
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Josias Conradie
United Kingdom
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Younoussa
Cote d'Ivoire
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Cody Lorance
United States
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J. D. Payne
United States
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ontheedge
China
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John_Scott
United States

Featured Conversations

Why is it so important to eliminate Bible poverty? Part 3
Why is it so important to eliminate Bible poverty? Part 3
By John_Scott | Blog
United States
Topics: Scripture in Mission, Unreached People Groups
Networks benefit by bringing together practitioners from a variety of approaches
Networks benefit by bringing together practitioners from a variety of approaches
By David Hackett | Article
United States
Topics: Partnership, Personal Witness, Unreached People Groups
Himalayan Global Summit 2009
Himalayan Global Summit 2009
By gatheredscattered | Article
Canada
Topics: Unreached People Groups, World Faiths, Diaspora
Why is it so important to eradicate Bible Poverty? Part 2
Why is it so important to eradicate Bible Poverty? Part 2
By John_Scott | Blog
United States
Topics: Scripture in Mission, Unreached People Groups
Partnership in Evangelizing Global Hindu Diaspora
Partnership in Evangelizing Global Hindu Diaspora
By gatheredscattered | Article
Canada
Topics: Partnership, Unreached People Groups, Diaspora
Encounters with God
Encounters with God
By David | Article
United States
Topics: Orality, Personal Witness, Unreached People Groups
Why is it so important to eradicate Bible Poverty? Part 1
Why is it so important to eradicate Bible Poverty? Part 1
By John_Scott | Blog
United States
Topics: Unreached People Groups, Scripture in Mission
Things we know that aren’t necessarily so: Part 1
Things we know that aren’t necessarily so: Part 1
By John_Scott | Blog
United States
Topics: Unreached People Groups, World Faiths, Forming Leaders
On Evangelism vs. Missions
On Evangelism vs. Missions
By gatheredscattered | Blog
Canada
Topics: Diaspora, Unreached People Groups
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century
By Paul Eshleman | Cape Town 2010 Advance Paper
Australia
Topics: Unreached People Groups

Recent Responses

Dear Katherine, I did read your husband’s paper on contextualization and appreciate his sincerity and commitment to reaching Hindus. I do think he takes amazingly…
Alex_Araujo - 01.09.2010 - In Response To:
Partnership in Evangelizing Global Hindu Diaspora
Thank you, Pete, for sharing your experience.  This is very helpful.  -- J. D.
J. D. Payne - 30.08.2010 - In Response To:
Some Helpful Resources for Studying Diasporic Issues
I must confess I have been totally ignorant about Diaspora issues (as opposed to refugee issues) until fairly recently.  I had my eyes opened when…
Pete_Houston - 29.08.2010 - In Response To:
Some Helpful Resources for Studying Diasporic Issues
Thanks Greg and Don.  This is very helpful.   I would only add an emphasis to the urgent need of addressing Islamaphobia, especially in the American church.
Warrick Farah - 28.08.2010 - In Response To:
Why so few churches among Muslims?
Adjunto documento sobre el Ministerio Misionero de la iglesia local por Jonathan Lewis
Carlos Scott - Mision GloCal - 26.08.2010 - In Response To:
La Iglesia Local y las Misiones Mundiales
Adjunto documento sobre el Cuidado Integral del Misionero por Mario Loss
Carlos Scott - Mision GloCal - 25.08.2010 - In Response To:
La Misión Transcultural (Unreached People)
Dear Jim, As a Brasilian pastor, I know what you talking about. However, I am very afraid when a possibility of disconnection can be made…
SergioLyra - 25.08.2010 - In Response To:
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century
To try and flesh that out a bit ... the big issue for the church in Africa in many ways is witchcraft. When one reads…
Jim_Harries - 25.08.2010 - In Response To:
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century
Hey it seems that storying is the latest way that has come up of late and it seems to be covering different classes of people…
Gina_Takundwa - 25.08.2010 - In Response To:
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century
For a group looking into this area - have a look for the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission, within this conversation, or at www.vulnerablemission.com.
Jim_Harries - 25.08.2010 - In Response To:
World Evangelisation In The 21st Century

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