What's it worth to you?
What's the cost of spreading the gospel worth to you? I'm going to be really honest and tell you that lately, my selfishness gets a hold on me and I DON'T WANT TO GO TO AFRICA.
There. I said it.
I don't want to leave my church. I don't want to leave my women's Bible study group. I don't want to leave my town with the drug store just down the street and fresh, drinkable water flowing from the tap.
I don't want to leave cable TV or fast internet access or a life where my husband makes good money and the grocery store provides ready to eat food.
I don't want to leave my friends. I don't want to leave my family. I don't want to leave my Mom.
But in my quiet time I feel the burden. I feel a longing in my Spirit, an ache for something bigger than my own life. I walk away from time in the Scriptures and I know that we must go.
Basically, it boils down to whether or not I really believe what I say I believe. Because if I say that I truly believe that Jesus is the only way, can I really sit idly by and allow millions of people who have never heard the gospel to continue living a life separated from God?
Can I sit and drink my clean water, go to my plentiful grocery store and spend frivolously the money my husband brings home and pretend these people don't exist?
I see statistics like this people group in Afghanistan who claim a population of 7.6 million yet there are only 0.01% evangelical Christians among them. ONE HUNDREDTH OF A PERCENT! Folks, where's the hope for them?
Or what about the Hakka people group of China? They boast an impressive population of approximately 33.4 million and yet only 0.06% are evangelical Christians. Do you realize that the Hakka people make up the same population as the ENTIRE country of Canada? (source)
If, as Americans, we knew that the ENTIRE COUNTRY OF CANADA were unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ WHAT WOULD WE DO? Leaders from every American denomination of Christianity would be up in arms, pleading their people to share the gospel! Yet the Hakka people sit, a world away - much more risky that a mere border crossing - and the church does relatively nothing.
What's the cost of spreading the gospel worth to you? I'm going to be really honest and tell you that lately, my selfishness gets a hold on me and I DON'T WANT TO GO TO AFRICA.
There. I said it.
I don't want to leave my church. I don't want to leave my women's Bible study group. I don't want to leave my town with the drug store just down the street and fresh, drinkable water flowing from the tap.
I don't want to leave cable TV or fast internet access or a life where my husband makes good money and the grocery store provides ready to eat food.
I don't want to leave my friends. I don't want to leave my family. I don't want to leave my Mom.
But in my quiet time I feel the burden. I feel a longing in my Spirit, an ache for something bigger than my own life. I walk away from time in the Scriptures and I know that we must go.
Basically, it boils down to whether or not I really believe what I say I believe. Because if I say that I truly believe that Jesus is the only way, can I really sit idly by and allow millions of people who have never heard the gospel to continue living a life separated from God?
Can I sit and drink my clean water, go to my plentiful grocery store and spend frivolously the money my husband brings home and pretend these people don't exist?
I see statistics like this people group in Afghanistan who claim a population of 7.6 million yet there are only 0.01% evangelical Christians among them. ONE HUNDREDTH OF A PERCENT! Folks, where's the hope for them?
Or what about the Hakka people group of China? They boast an impressive population of approximately 33.4 million and yet only 0.06% are evangelical Christians. Do you realize that the Hakka people make up the same population as the ENTIRE country of Canada? (source)
If, as Americans, we knew that the ENTIRE COUNTRY OF CANADA were unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ WHAT WOULD WE DO? Leaders from every American denomination of Christianity would be up in arms, pleading their people to share the gospel! Yet the Hakka people sit, a world away - much more risky that a mere border crossing - and the church does relatively nothing.
But you know what, I get it. China and especially Afghanistan are scary places. Surely God wouldn't want you to do something dangerous, right? (The answer to that question requires another post, entirely.)
But for arguments sake, let's say you need something more safe. What about Japan? 122 MILLION Japanese people and only 0.05% are evangelical Christian. I'm quite sure the effects of the tsunami are still being felt, especially with all that's going on with their nuclear problems. Surely they need the hands and feet of Jesus in their midst.
What's that? You don't want to go to Japan because of nuclear radiation? Um. Okay.
What about the Berber, Riffan people of France? Approximately 126,000 people in that specific people group and only 0.02% are evangelical Christian.
Or the Punjabi people living in the United Kingdom? Approximately 562,000 and only 0.01% of them are evangelical Christian.
Don't care for Europe?
Okay, how about tropical Brazil where the Karafawyana people live. Granted, there's only 50 of them and you may have your work cut out for you finding them in a country the size of Brazil, but they're also considered unreached.
Don't want to travel internationally? Then what about the people groups who are considered totally unreached right here in the United States? (You'll have to click on the filter to sort by % Adherent to see the least reached groups.) (There's also that widget on my sidebar from JoshuaProject.net that lists and unreached people groups each day.)
(By the way, if you're still looking for an excuse, then I've got nothing for you.)
Don't want to travel internationally? Then what about the people groups who are considered totally unreached right here in the United States? (You'll have to click on the filter to sort by % Adherent to see the least reached groups.) (There's also that widget on my sidebar from JoshuaProject.net that lists and unreached people groups each day.)
(By the way, if you're still looking for an excuse, then I've got nothing for you.)
Scripture tells us that one day someone from every tribe, tongue and nation will stand before the throne and praise the Living God.
My question to you is, what are you doing to advance the kingdom? What are you doing to take hope to the unreached people of this world? If you claim to know the truth, why aren't you sharing it?
Because, there are many days where I think about us buying a nice, big house with some land, getting some horses and popping out a few more kids and NEVER GOING TO AFRICA. However, doing so at this point in our lives would be living in disobedience to what God has called us to do.
He's burdened our hearts for the unreached people of Kenya. And though my flesh tries to convince me otherwise, I know us going is our only option.
Please don't be mistaken, I do not think the only way to obedience is through foreign missions. I was talking to our Pastor yesterday morning and he told me of an elderly lady in our church who had invited a middle aged black man to visit our church and bring his children to our Vacation Bible School. (And he did, by the way, and turns out, I knew him!)
This lady is easily 70+ years old. Do you understand the era in which she was born and raised? That put this woman in her late teens/early 20s when desegregation erupted in the southern United States. Going out of her way to invite a young, black man and his family to her church, joyfully, must be so radical for her. Not that I believe for one moment that she shouldn't have, or that she still feels the prejudices of 50 years ago, but I do think that it probably took a step of boldness that the Holy Spirit must have prompted.
My point is, everyone can be radical. Everyone can do something crazy, on fire for the Lord. Everyone can do their part to reach the Unreached People of the globe. For some, getting on their knees daily for the Unreached is where they'll find their power. For others, they need to put their money where their faith is. For some, it's going. For a few, it's training up the missionaries. Whatever the case may be, it's critical that we all do our part to take the only Hope to the hopeless.
I pray the Lord breaks your heart for those who've never heard of His redeeming power.
Please don't be mistaken, I do not think the only way to obedience is through foreign missions. I was talking to our Pastor yesterday morning and he told me of an elderly lady in our church who had invited a middle aged black man to visit our church and bring his children to our Vacation Bible School. (And he did, by the way, and turns out, I knew him!)
This lady is easily 70+ years old. Do you understand the era in which she was born and raised? That put this woman in her late teens/early 20s when desegregation erupted in the southern United States. Going out of her way to invite a young, black man and his family to her church, joyfully, must be so radical for her. Not that I believe for one moment that she shouldn't have, or that she still feels the prejudices of 50 years ago, but I do think that it probably took a step of boldness that the Holy Spirit must have prompted.
My point is, everyone can be radical. Everyone can do something crazy, on fire for the Lord. Everyone can do their part to reach the Unreached People of the globe. For some, getting on their knees daily for the Unreached is where they'll find their power. For others, they need to put their money where their faith is. For some, it's going. For a few, it's training up the missionaries. Whatever the case may be, it's critical that we all do our part to take the only Hope to the hopeless.
I pray the Lord breaks your heart for those who've never heard of His redeeming power.