Category: News Briefs

Source: Christian Headlines, July 5, 2022

According to The Traveling Team data cited by global evangelism ministry East-West, there are about 400,000 Christian missionaries worldwide. Among them, only 3.3 percent are focused on unreached people groups, otherwise identified as UPGs.

“When we say unreached, we’re not just talking about lostness; we’re talking about access. Unreached means that they don’t even have access to hear the gospel. There’s no church, no Christian, no Bible available … God has not just commanded us to make the gospel known among as many people as possible. He has commanded us to make the gospel known among all the peoples,” said pastor David Platt of McClean Bible Church in Washington DC, according to a blog posted to East-West’s website.

The Joshua Project, an organization that tracks evangelism efforts across the globe, states that people groups are categorized as unreached when less than 2 percent of those identify as evangelical Christian and less than 5 percent adhere to any form of Christianity.

While the earth currently has a population of over 7.7 billion people, about 3.2 billion are labeled unreached or least reached.

According to East-West, there are over 700,000 people groups, about 41.7 percent of the total population, labeled unreached.

The ministry also cited multiple reasons as to why these people groups remain unreached, such as physical, political, and cultural barriers.

Read the full article and/or a related article (Christian Post).

These claims and similar ones have been passed around for a while; do you find them helpful?

A few updates: The number of full-time foreign missionaries has increased to about 435,000 (per World Christian Database), plus a much higher number of national workers and who knows how many others could reasonably be counted as “laborers in the harvest.” We’ve not seen a good estimate for the number of tentmakers/BAM practitioners. Any idea? Let us know. Think the percentage focused on unreached would be the same? It may be difficult to measure.

A recent UN report projects world population will reach 8 billion in a few months. That report also says India is on course to surpass China as the most populous nation sometime in 2023. India is home to a larger unreached population than any other country (per Joshua Project). China’s in the top five, too, following Pakistan, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Of course, unreached people are found in nearly every country—probably including the one you live in.

1. Afghanistan: Deadly Earthquake Could Affect 1 Million People
2. Vietnam: Hmong Christian Family Stripped of Rights Due to Faith
3. USA: Thousands Gather in Dallas for Evangelistic Event
4. India: Unreached Group Engaged with Scripture on SD Cards
5. World: 10 Secret Baptisms Full of Risk—and Great Joy

Read or share the email edition.

Source: Preemptive Love Coalition, June 22, 2022

More than 1,000 in Afghanistan have been confirmed dead and [more than] 1,600 injured in what could be one of the deadliest earthquakes in two decades, at 5.9 in magnitude. The number of casualties is expected to rise, and many are still trapped under the rubble of generations-old homes destroyed in the quake.

It struck in the eastern provinces of Paktika and Khōst, near the border with Pakistan, around 2:30 am [on June 22], when most residents were home, asleep, and unable to quickly flee to open areas. The devastation is widespread, with more than 850 homes completely destroyed, and countless others damaged. This earthquake could affect upwards of a million people.

The last two months have been difficult for many in Afghanistan, apart from political and economic issues. The previous government, with access to western aid, struggled to handle large-scale disasters. The current Taliban rulers simply don’t have the infrastructure in place to handle it. The Taliban has reached out to Moscow for assistance, but with the war in Ukraine occupying the Russian government, it remains to be seen what the response will be.

The full article includes links to additional news about Afghanistan, e.g., recent and anticipated catastrophic flooding.

Note that the government estimate of earthquake casualties was soon increased to at least 1,150. The UN offered a lower estimate, at 770 killed, though they expected that number to rise. At least five more people were killed in an aftershock. You might keep an eye on coverage from The Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

We were unable to find a source to support this article’s statement that the earthquake could affect upwards of a million people. But a UN plea for financial help said more than a million children in Afghanistan are facing severe, acute malnutrition. Clearly the needs are enormous. Please pray.

See also pray for Afghanistan (INcontext International) and New Partnership Brings God’s Word to Afghanistan (Heart4Iran and Mission Network News).

Source: International Christian Concern, June 24, 2022

Officials in Nghe An province, Vietnam stripped ethnic Hmong Christian Xong Ba Thong and his family of citizenship rights on June 4.

This declaration comes after years of officials trying to coerce Mr. Thong and his family to stop practicing their Christian faith.

The Hmong family converted to Christianity five years ago after listening to radio broadcasts. Since 2019, officials have demanded the renunciation of their faith. Despite Mr. Thong and his family’s official acceptance into the state-registered Vietnam Evangelical Church (Northern) General Assembly in April, officials continued to pester them.

In an attempt to persuade Mr. Thong to leave Christianity, local officials claimed that it is illegal to practice another religion. Similar assertions have surfaced in nearby villages. One statement reads, “families are to abide by the law and…not to follow other religions but only the long-standing beliefs and customs of the Hmong people.”

Read the full article and/or a source article, Protestant Family of 13 Expelled from Their Village (Radio Free Asia).

See also Vietnam Floats Draconian New Religion Decrees (Morning Star News).

Source: Ministry Watch, June 27, 2022

[More than] 10,000 people gathered to participate in Together ’22 over the weekend of June 23-24 in Dallas, Texas, where temps soared past 100 degrees. The evangelistic event, hosted by Pulse at the Cotton Bowl, was focused on equipping “the next generation to ‘Make Jesus Known.’” In-person attendance was a far cry from the 40,000 people originally registered—though digital attendance was in the hundreds of thousands.

Together ’22 was held on the 50th anniversary of Explo ’72, where 70,000 students gathered at an event in Dallas’ Cotton Bowl hosted by Billy Graham and Bill Bright. Graham’s grandson, Will, addressed the audience during the weekend event. BGEA handed out evangelistic training materials, and the event included evangelism opportunities, service projects around the city, and breakout teaching sessions in buildings around Fair Park.

Pulse says hundreds were saved and [more than] 100 people baptized during the two-day event.

In a follow-up to Together ’22, Pulse is offering $500 scholarships to up to 500 recipients to “fuel evangelistic vision” to reach others for Christ. It might include social media efforts or gatherings at a local park.

Read the full story.

Another interesting event is coming up. A diverse international group called Billion Soul Harvest is having a global summit in Colorado Springs July 12-15. The vision? A billion new people coming to Christ by 2030.

Source: International Mission Board, June 23, 2022

Missionaries have been trying to reach a people group in a remote area of South Asia that is considered engaged, but they are still very unreached.

These traditional camel herders have spread throughout western India. Despite their dispersion, they remain true to their roots, still working as animal herders [and] living a nomadic life. Their women are skilled in embroidery.

They also remain true to the religion of their ancestors, with 99.98% following Hinduism. IMB missionary Veronica Masterson says at this point, she knows of no active church among the people group.

Because of their nomadic life, they don’t prioritize education, either. Around 80% of the people are illiterate.

This is one of the reasons [micro-SD cards] have been so key in reaching these unreached people with the gospel, in a language they can hear and understand.

One family [was] reached when a local believing couple, Brother Pa and Sister Se, shared the “according to the Scriptures” gospel story with them. This gospel presentation is 35 lessons that walk a listener through the Bible from creation to the new creation mentioned in Revelation. This gives the listeners, especially those from a Hindu background, a better understanding of the entire gospel. Because it is available as an audio presentation, it’s a great tool to reach oral learners.

After hearing the gospel, this entire family believed, surrendered their lives to Christ, were baptized, and now they are sharing the gospel and making disciples among their people group.

Read the full article. Maybe you are interested in using these materials to share with South Asians near you. The article includes links to materials in Hindi, Urdu, Gujurati, Punjabi, Nepali, and English.

See also Translation Technology: Accelerating the Spread of God’s Word (Wycliffe Bible Translators) and read Several Thousand Bible e-Readers Miraculously Hidden from Secret Police (Back to Jerusalem).

Source: Open Doors, June 20, 2022

As North Korean refugee Bon-Hwa slipped under the water, she couldn’t keep back her tears. The day she had waited for so long since she trusted Jesus in a secret Bible study was finally happening. For two long years, she had begged to be baptized.

Bon-Hwa’s secret baptism took some planning. She, a pastor, and her Bible group leader traveled separately to a safe house in a remote area. They didn’t want to risk her being caught and repatriated to North Korea.

In more than 60 countries around the world, believers like Bon-Hwa are taking life-threatening risks to make a public profession of their faith in Christ. Each time our field partners share a story, photo, or video of new believers being baptized, we recognize both the beauty and gravity of that scene.

Read the full article and watch the [discreetly filmed] videos of secret baptisms in Bangladesh, Syria, Myanmar, and the Philippines.

Source: International Christian Concern, June 3, 2022

Thousands of Christians representing many denominations gathered for a prayer rally in Jos, Nigeria [on Wednesday, June 1] in response to incessant attacks by armed Fulani militants.

The “Solemn Assembly” prayer gathering in the Rwang Pam Township Stadium was convened by heads of churches and the Plateau State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. For the past 20 years, tens of thousands of Christians have been killed and many more displaced and driven from their lands and villages by Fulani militants.

Read the full article and be sure to watch the short video of the crowd worshiping in Jos. See also an article about this event from ViewPointNigeria. It includes a bit more nuance.

Editor’s Note: Looks like 2022 is on pace to be a record year for violence against Christians in Nigeria. BBC News reports there were 31 attacks on churches and people linked to them in 2021. Halfway through 2022, there have been more than 23 such attacks.

Here’s another interesting and constructive response to violence. Nigeria’s northern neighbor, Niger, has completed its third deradicalization course with 40 former Boko Haram jihadists graduating. See Deradicalization Courses for Ex-Jihadists in Niger.

Source: Mission Network News, June 13, 2022

Despite a ceasefire in the civil war earlier this year, the humanitarian crisis continues in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia.

The agricultural system, which employed three-quarters of all Tigray people, has been effectively destroyed by the war. Hospitals have run out of drugs for cancer patients and often simply send them home.

Eric Foley with The Voice of the Martyrs Korea says, “Our friend, Pastor T, wrote saying, ‘Still, Romans 8:28. The suffering of people is high, but God is working.’ What Pastor T noted for us was that so many Tigrayans are still forced to live in Addis because of the travel limitations and the inability to return and make a living in Tigray at this point. Yet, God is at work. We need to sometimes step into the shoes of ordinary Christian believers and really not think as geopolitical analysts.”

We reported previously that this group of Christians had planted 11 new churches near Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Now, that number has jumped to 19.

Foley says in the absence of governments being able to work together, God’s people continue to show Jesus’ love. “Through the care that the Tigrayan Christians are showing to their neighbors, they’re changing the opinions of Muslim and Orthodox Ethiopians about evangelical Christians.”

Praise God for the faith of Tigrayan Christians.

Read the full article with prayer points.

From Ethiopia’s neighbor, Eritrea, read Christianity Still Growing in Eritrea Despite 20 Years of Church Closures (Christian Today).

Voice of the Martyrs reports that Christians in Afghanistan are also finding ways to share their faith in a challenging setting and could use our prayers.