USA (MNN) — You might support missions but question its ethics if you’re under the age of 35, according to the latest study from Barna Research. A third of young adults describe Christian missions’ past as “unethical”; 42-percent point to colonialism as a cause for concern.
TWR’s Jon Fugler is a member of the Alliance for the Unreached. Instead of criticism, he describes the feedback as a catalyst for change. “Methods are going to change over time, over seasons. The key is [to] enter this with the right heart to be used by God, how He wants us to be used, instead of saying, ‘No, you are wrong. Now, this is the right way to do it,’” Fugler says.
“The younger generation is challenging us to think a little bit more creatively and contextually, and that’s good. I think the younger generation set the bar higher for us.”
Fugler invites believers young and old into a new approach to an existing mission. Under a new banner, the Alliance for the Unreached is making the Gospel accessible to all.
Seeing the third
Roughly three billion people, or a third of the world’s population, lack access to the Gospel in a language they understand. It’s not just about Bible translation; some communities have no Christian presence. Physical location isolates others, while government oppression stops outreach in many countries.
(Photo courtesy Alliance for the Unreached)
“The heart should break for those who have no hope of eternity because they don’t know about Jesus. That’s an injustice,” Fugler notes.
“Let’s get specific about that. Let’s make that real for the next generation instead of talking in generalities.”
Members of the Alliance for the Unreached do whatever it takes to reach these unreached communities. TWR, for example, uses media to make Christ known to the nations. Other groups do so through Bible translation, church planting, teaching, community development, and more.
Learn more here. Then, ask the Lord how He wants you to respond now that you know.
“Have the courage to find out who these individuals are around the world who don’t know Jesus. They have names; they have families; they live somewhere,” Fugler says.
Joshua Project organizes data according to people group and language on its website. You can also read stories about the unreached here. “These days, there’s no excuse not to find out who these people are. Spend 10 to 15 minutes a day online seeking to know more,” Fugler says.
“Ask God to break your heart for those who have no access [or] little access to the Gospel, and then have the courage to say, ‘Lord, what do you want me to do about it?’”
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of mostafa meraji via Unsplash.
