Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Why focus on the unreached?

Picture a pie that is untouched except for two cuts that form a half-inch sliver-piece.

The world is like this pie. In terms of those who have never heard of Jesus--never heard the gospel--that sliver-piece is like North America. The other 98% is the rest of the world.

The statistics are similar for poverty. Even in terms of population, North American makes up no more than 6% of the world.

One of the top two commandments is "love your neighbour." So as Christians we better be doing that - loving those around us. And as most of those--you--who read this blog live in North America, that means serving God and sharing Christ where you are. That's what I tried to do while I lived in Toronto (though with much failure). There is no excuse for doing otherwise. People matter as much in North America as anywhere else.

But don't forget the rest of the pie. Don't restrict your vision to that (small) piece of the pie and think that's all there is, or all that matters. And don't succumb to thinking that North America is the most needy place on earth. This is a comforting, but totally-false excuse.

There are 68,000 mosques in Afghanistan and not a single national church with a sign out front displaying the times of the services. No non-Muslims are allowed to enter the holy city of Mecca in Saudia Arabia. There is not a single known believer (or missionary) in Socotra, Yemen. (Imagine that.) The 10/40 Window (North Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia) contains upwards of 96% of the unreached people in the world. (See/click the map.) Missionaries have been working in Turkey for over 100 years--in fact, the Church was once strongest in Turkey, home to Ephesus--but there are only about 3,000 Turkish believers there. As I type, Christians in Pakistan are being threatened with violent death unless they convert to Islam.

Plan of action. Be honest with yourself: how are you doing? Who do you spend your time with? Where does your money go? If you live in the West (eg, North America), make international-student or, eg, new-Canadian friends. Go to a movie; have them over for dinner; go out for lunch. We generally care (a lot) more about what is part of our everyday lives, so expand your world to include the rest of the world. Go out of your way to read world news (eg, reuters.com, Google news). Ask people about their countries. Pray for the world, country by country, and expect God to do something.

If you want God's heart, you need to remember the world. Value all people equally, and remember that the statistics represent people - every one of them as precious as you.
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 5pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue (1) 11:30am lunch (GD) - St. Jacobs, (2) 4pm mtg (AF) - Cambridge, (3) 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue 11am mtg (DAy) (~J school trip w/ ~Co | text BD)
14 Wed 9:30am time w/ BD
15 Thu 4:30pm video mtg (Paul T.)
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride; Jessie's: 5KM) and speaking at GTA after-party
23-25 Fri-Sat poss. SL
26 Mon 2pm Europe monthly call
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
15 Sat aft+ baptism (Saj; NaB may be coming)
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 11am video mtg (SM), (2) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (3) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
2 Wed 11am video mtg (SM+)
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego