International (MNN) — With today’s technology, you can reach people anywhere at any time. The Internet and new “tech” – such as artificial intelligence (AI) – provide greater global connectivity, efficiency, and access to information.
However, these tools can also be a gateway to data exploitation, invasive surveillance, and all sorts of cybercrime. Yesterday, cybersecurity expert Matthew Rosenquist issued several warnings about the vulnerability of today’s digital technology, including this:
“All modern connected systems can be manipulated, corrupted, disrupted, and harvested for their data regardless if they are consumer, commercial, or industrial grade. If the technology is a device, component, or digital service, hackers have proven to rise to the challenge and find ways to compromise, misuse, or impact the availability of connected systems.”
These tools are not good or evil in and of themselves. To Mark Kordic of the Alliance for the Unreached, digital technology holds tremendous Great Commission potential. “We’re responsible, as biblical Christians, to respond to the needs of the unreached [in] the ends of the earth,” Kordic says.
“[In] this age of technology, of collaboration, we can make a difference from where we’re standing right now.”
Stop, collaborate, and listen
In His Great Commission, Jesus said: “go and make disciples of all nations.” Kordic says some two billion people have never heard of Jesus or the Gospel, and that number is growing. “The number of unreached keeps increasing with the world population,” he explains.
(Photo courtesy of Alliance for the Unreached via Facebook)
“We’re making the greatest inroads in the history of the Church to reach the unreached…but… more people are being born [compared to] the amount that we’re reaching.”
In order to reverse this trend, Kordic says something needs to change. “Stop doing things just by yourself,” he often suggests to fellow ministry leaders. “We must collaborate with other like-minded individuals, like-minded churches, [and] like-minded missions organizations.”
With 15 founding members serving in various mission fields around the world, the Alliance for the Unreached is a step in this direction. More about the Alliance here. Now, Kordic says, they’re looking to team up with believers in a digital way.
You have a place in this story
God may not be calling you to serve overseas. However, if you own and use a smartphone, email address, or Facebook account, you can help unreached people groups hear and see the Gospel. Sign up here to become an individual advocate for the unreached.
(Graphic courtesy of NowAWordorTwo.com)
Start by sharing this article on your favorite social media platform and inviting your friends to learn more about unreached people groups. The Alliance has plenty of “shareable” resources here to fuel future posts.
Kordic also says the Alliance is looking for “champions” to fill important advocacy roles. “We’re looking at churches or ministries that have a heart for the unreached, that understand what the biblical demands are on a disciple,” he says.
“Our goal is this year to have 100 champions, and we can do that as churches and mission groups.”
If you serve in a leadership role at your church, organization, or community, learn more about champion advocacy here.
“Being a champion means you’re going to make that a priority. You’re going to bring your friendships, the relationships that you have in the community… you’re going to tell them about this particular people group that’s unreached. And, you’re going to ask people to get involved by giving, going, praying, [or] by being an advocate,” Kordic explains.
Header image is a stock photo obtained via Pexels.
