I just finished a great book by David Platt called "Radical Together." This is the sequel to "Radical." The basic premise of the book is that the church needs to be engaged in a strong world view, and that "otherness" will help usher in the kingdom of God. We read in Revelation 7:9:
"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands."
In order for Revelation 7:9 to occur, every nation, every tribe, every people and every language needs to be represented. To pinpoint, every nation (in the original Greek, nation is defined as "ethnos" or ethnic group) needs to be represented. Therefore, as Christians and the universal church, it is our responsibility to respond to the gospel call and go "preach the gospel to every person." (Mark 16:15 - the first verse I ever memorized right after I received Christ as my Savior.) The issue is that there are many "ethnos" groups, or ethnic groups that have never heard the name of Jesus. I've heard conflicting numbers of unreached ethnic groups (unreached people groups, or UPGs). Platt indicates there are over 6,000 UPGs still on planet earth. I've read in other articles, of the 16,500 total ethnic groups on planet earth, as many as 7,100 are still UPGs. 42% of the ethnic groups are still UPGs or 2,900,000,000 people! A UPG is defined as an ethnic group with <2% Christians in that particular ethnic group. The best site for a clear understanding of UPGs is http://www.joshuaproject.net/index.php
Reverting back to Revelation 7:9, how could there be a representative from "every nation, tribe, people and language" but that Christians respond to the missionary call? We have our work cut out for us. The global church needs to mobilize believers to go into the highways and byways and bring the good-news (gospel message) to unreached ethnic groups. This isn't easy, and it's certainly not convenient. Matter of fact, Platt says that it will be "an inconvenient life."
Having a vision for UPGs in no way diminishes preaching the gospel and being Christ's ambassador in your own backyard. Matter of fact, as you stand for Christ wherever you live, your vision for people will be contagious and the Lord will lead people from your own community into the mission field as they "catch your contagious vision." We all need to have a vision for UPGs but we also need to have a vision for our neighbor down the block. How do you fulfill both? One example is go on an international missions trip once a year.
I sent Jenn a message yesterday while I was reading this book while waiting for my physical therapy appointment. Here's what I wrote, "I'm getting an assurance in my soul. However, can we agree that no matter what happens, God is leading us even if it means standing in harm's way for the sake of the gospel? Losing our lives or sipping our lattes? This book has confirmed it for me. Any missionary faces these choices of predicaments. We will use wisdom..."
Without hesitation, I received back a response:
"Let's go."
Two words with infinite meaning, but for us a very finite one. Let's go. Let's go be inconvenienced. Let's go and live outside the world of lattes and lavish materialism. Let's go and stand in harm's way, even if it means death. Let's go and impact people for all of eternity. Let's go and have a generational impact on our genealogy. Let's go and bring the gospel to UPGs. Let's go and be "others-centered." Let's go and respond to the call of God and be obedient to his commissioning. Let's go, and do this...together.
My wife and I are teaming up. We are relying on Him. We are scared to death, (*ahem) I mean walking by faith. "Lord, continue to lead us, guide us and direct us. This has nothing to do with us. You don't need us, but you do love us, and you do love unreached people. We thank you that our lives are in your hands. We are your willing servants." Amen.
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