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What are unreached people groups?
What Are Unreached People Groups?

Unreached people groups are ethnic groups that do not have in their midst churches capable of evangelizing their own people. Researchers for the U.S. Center for World Mission have identified as many as 10,000 cultural groups which could be considered unreached. These ethnic groups are of different colors, religions, languages, and lifestyles.

A large number of these groups are located in the 10/40 Window, the area of Africa and Asia from 10 degrees to 40 degrees latitude north of the equator. This is the poorest and spiritually darkest area of the world. It is hard to believe that this place was once the center of Christianity, however today people in this region are dominated by Islamism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Animism and other tribal beliefs.

FAQ – Unreached People Groups

1. What is a "people group"?

A people group is a significantly large ethnic, linguistic or sociological grouping of individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity for one another.

For evangelistic purposes, it is the largest group within which the Gospel can flow along natural lines without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance due to culture, language, geography, etc.

2. What makes a people group "unreached"?

No indigenous community of believing Christians with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group.

3. What makes a people group "reached"?

A group is considered "reached" if it has a viable, indigenous, reproducing church movement in its midst. This includes strong churches pastored by indigenous leaders, in their own language, actively evangelizing their own people, and planting churches.

4. What are the categories of People Groups?

World "A" People, Unevangelized People, Evangelized People, and Christian People

    1. World "A" People – An unreached people for which the majority of its members have little, or no, access to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
    2. Unreached People – A people within whom there is no viable indigenous church movement with sufficient strength, resources, and commitment to sustain and ensure the continuous multiplication of churches.
    3. Unevangelized People – A people for which the majority of its members have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ with such cultural and personal relevance that it results in sufficient understanding to accept Christ by faith as a believer (disciple) or to reject Him.
    4. Evangelized People – A people for which the majority of its members have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ with such cultural and personal relevance that it results in sufficient understanding to accept Jesus Christ by faith as a believer (disciple) or to reject Him.
    5. Christian People – A people for whom the majority of its members have made a personal profession of faith in Christ.

5. What is the Traditional Strategy of Missions?

The Missionary Model

    1. Sending missionaries can become the ultimate goal ("missions-as-missionary")
    2. Church relatively disconnected from the people being reached and the work among them.
    3. The people and work tend to be forgotten when the missionary leaves the field.

6. What is the New Strategy of Missions?

Adopt a People

    1. Caring about the eternal destiny of at least one people group and serving them until they come to know the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ.
    2. "Caring for someone until they can care for themselves."
    3. A long term commitment to parent new churches until they are multiplying on their own and sending missionaries to other peoples.

7. What are the Six (6) Components of Adoption of an Unreached People Group

    1. Launching the Adoption
    2. Organizing Prayer
    3. Conducting Research
    4. Networking/Partnership
    5. Sustaining the Adoption
    6. Church Planting

8. What are the five "mega-spheres" of religion for the Unreached People Groups?

    1. Muslim
    2. Hindu
    3. Buddhist
    4. Chinese
    5. Animist

9. What are Prayer Profiles?

Prayer Profiles are points for which to pray that have been researched and collaborated. They include information about the culture, language, sociological and political nature of the people.

Prayer Profiles are easily found at the following locations on the World Wide Web:
 
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