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Usually when you think about the "Top 40" what comes to mind is lists of the top songs played or other popular items that are sought after and prized. In one sense these places are no different. God is passionate about reaching each of these places because He loves the people who live there. But in another sense it is a bit different. These 40 places are not getting most of our attention and effort. How can we put the priority on these places that God does and what might happen if we did? |
DevotionalValuing the Least |
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Engaging through Prayer
Dear God, when we think about the 1.9 billion people in these unreached and underserved areas, my heart breaks. They need to know of your love, your peace, and your message of hope. We ask you Father to reveal yourself to them and we ask you to show us how we might be part of that amazing revelation! AMEN
Personal Reflection
As you explore these Top 40 underserved and unreached areas, consider your personal response. What else can you be learning about the people who live in these areas? How might your knowledge, skills, relationships and resources be utilized for the Kingdom in these areas of the world? Think creatively and ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your mind new and innovative ways that you might be a part of God’s working in these dry areas as the river of His love makes its way into their world.
Engaging the Church
One of the most important lines in this infographic is "If current trends continue…" That means that this is what they statisticians can say if nothing changes in how the Holy Spirit moves through His people to bless this part of the world. What might your church’s role be in seeing that trend change? Are you as a church supporting work in these 40 underserved and unreached areas? Are you praying for these areas regularly? What percentage of your missions giving is going to these areas vs. other areas of need? Take this list on as a challenge to consider how God might want you to respond.
Organizational Application
One of the great things about data is that it allows us to look at information we have seen before in a new way and make decisions. How can this list of top 40 underserved and unreached areas make a difference in your ministry outreach? You are used to thinking about key countries and unreached people groups, but how does this lens of more focused areas of need within countries and within people groups impact your planning. How much of your mission force, your partners or the work you are funding are in these areas? If it isn’t much, what has kept you from engaging in these 40 places? If it is a lot, what are you learning and how could you be more effective? Think about why these places are underserved and unreached. How have those reasons played out in your organization and what can you do to address those barriers. Use this Missiographic to help rally your staff to prayer as well as to do an audit of how you are doing in these 40 places that represent great need.
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There are 825 unreached areas in total, but a focus on the Top 40 underserved areas is strategic for this special challenge of making an impact on areas with highest need. Another important way of looking at mission need is in terms of unreached people groups. Sometimes the magnitude of need in geographic areas is not recognized when considering people groups.
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40 Least Reached Places, Justin Long, http://www.justinlong.org |
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Background on Istanbul https://gumroad.com/l/eYlIOH http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_exchange_between_Greece_and_Turkey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Greeks_in_Istanbul_1844_1997.png |
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Background on Beijing http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/beijing-population/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxer_Rebellion |
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Background on Utter Pradesh http://www.economist.com/content/indian-summary http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali_Yuga http://www.drikpanchang.com/dashavatara/lord-krishna/krishna-date-of-birth.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parshvanatha http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab77 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbh_Mela |
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