Is It Fair That Billions of People Still Have Little or No Access to the Gospel?
God’s heart breaks for the lost. That’s why you and I should be deeply concerned about the billions of people who still have little or no opportunity to hear the name of Jesus Christ.
Many people around the world can hear the Gospel almost anytime they want. They may have churches on every corner, Bibles in their own language, Christian radio stations, and unlimited access to sermons online.
But billions of others still have little or no Gospel witness.
Out of the world’s 8+ billion people, over 3.4 billion people living among Unreached People Groups (UPGs) still don’t know that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
Because UPGs live in hard-to-reach places, they not only have the most urgent spiritual needs but also dire physical needs.
Asia contains approximately 75% of the world’s unreached people groups and 86% of the unreached population.
Mexico is one of the top 10 most populous countries in the world, yet nearly 90% of Mexico is still not evangelical Christian.
Chiapas, Mexico, remains one of the poorest states in Mexico, with approximately 66% of the population living in poverty due in part to indigenous populations and hard-to-reach mountain regions.
Hundreds of millions of people in Asia continue to live in extreme poverty.
Many of these people living in receptive harvest fields are simply waiting to hear the Good News.
Sadly, only about 1% of missions giving and approximately 3%–4% of missionaries serve among the unreached.
Together we can change that!
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction
Matthew 9:35
Who Are Missionaries Ministering To?
Sadly, the overwhelming majority of Christian workers still minister in places where the Gospel is already available.
Approximately 96%–97% of missionaries serve among reached populations
Only about 3%–4% serve among unreached people groups
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36
How Is Missions Money Being Spent?
The imbalance becomes even more sobering when we look at missions giving.
Roughly 99% of Christian giving stays within already reached areas
Only about 1% goes toward reaching unreached people groups
Meanwhile, more than 3.4 billion people still have little or no access to the Gospel.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few
Matthew 9:37
The Reality Behind the Statistics
Unreached People Groups (UPGs) often have little or no Gospel witness, very few believers, and limited access to churches, Bibles, or discipleship.
These are people who may never:
meet a Christian,
hear a clear presentation of the Gospel,
or have access to a church in their lifetime.
Many unreached communities also suffer from severe poverty, limited healthcare, persecution, lack of education, and isolation caused by difficult geography and political barriers.
These are not just statistics.
These are real people made in the image of God.
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:38
What’s the Solution?
Jesus already gave us the answer:
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” —
Mark 16:15
We cannot do everything.
But we can do our part.
We can pray.
We can give.
We can go.
We can help send the Gospel where Christ is still unknown.
Together, we can make an eternal impact.
You may not be called to go overseas, but you can still make an eternal impact through prayer, giving, and advocacy.
Join Us in Reaching the Unreached
Together, we can help bring the Gospel to those who have never heard.
