WHAT IS IT?
The 10/40 Window, which embraces nearly 70 countries, is a challenging region. Predominant religions include Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. There’s a large nonreligious block too.
The 10/40 Window is located between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitude. The term was coined by Christian missionary strategist Luis Bush in 1990 to help identify the area of the world least reached by the gospel story.
Many of the countries have multiple languages and dialects. Poverty and illiteracy are ways of life for the majority.
WHY SHOULD I CARE?
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14).
The world population exceeds 7.4 billion people. More than 3 billion haven’t had a chance to hear the gospel, according to recent estimates. Nearly all of the unreached (97%) live in the 10/40 Window, making this region the final frontier for sharing the gospel message.
In light of the Great Commission, and given these numbers, you might think that Christians would be prioritizing evangelism in the 10/40 Window, but this isn’t the case—at least not at the moment. For example, evangelistic spending in the 10/40 Window barely qualifies as a blip—one-tenth of 1 percent (0.001) of church-related budgets.*
“There is enough evangelism taking place today to reach the world dozens of times. Unfortunately, most of it is happening among people who have already heard the gospel,” says K. P. Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia.
“In all candor and to our continuing shame, let us admit that the world’s perishing unreached people are very seldom mentioned or thought about in almost all churches,” says Phil Bogosian, director of the Adopt-a-People Campaign, an organization that focuses on reaching the unreached.
As followers of Jesus who love Him and claim a desire to do His bidding, we must confront these sobering questions:
- What am I doing to fulfill the Great Commission, not just within my community, but on a global scale?
- What is my church doing?
- Am I focused on this region of the world that so desperately needs to hear the story of Jesus?
- If not, why not?
- If not now, when?
* World Christian Trends (William Carey Library Pub: 2003), p. 661↩
WHY SHOULD I HELP?
Every day, 66,000 people die with no knowledge of Jesus.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22, NKJV).
The game is on. The stakes are eternal. There’s no time to sit on the sidelines. Through Gospel Outreach you can share Jesus around the world, help fulfill the Great Commission and hasten the Second Coming.
Millions and millions of honest-hearted people are searching. They need hope. They need the Savior. You are part of the answer.
The Great Commission “Go ye” isn’t a suggestion or an invitation from the Lord to be taken or left at will; it’s an imperative wrapped in the promise of partnership and guaranteed fulfillment. Are we simply people of the pew, who socialize and do church? Or are we actively participating in a God-ordained search-and-rescue mission with a global–not just local–focus?
5 Good Reasons to Take Action Now:
- To share the promise of eternal life with your brothers and sisters worldwide.
- To hasten Jesus’ return by fulfilling His commission. After all, He’s asked you to do it.
- To raise awareness of personal racism and prejudice and by God’s grace to overcome it.
- To deepen your relationship with God and to grow your faith.
- To revitalize and strengthen your local church.
Reflection Points
- Fact: 2.84 billion people never have been introduced to Jesus
- Fact: 97% of these people live in the 10/40 Window
- Question: Are you willing to step out, putting faith into action to make a difference?
- Question: Do you really want Jesus to come?
Jesus wasn’t complacent about people’s needs. He took action, and we must too. No matter who you are, what job you have, how old you are, what health you’re in or what resources you have to draw on, one thing is sure: You can make a difference for eternity!
WHAT CAN I DO?
Are you ready to help fulfill the Great Commission and hasten the return of Jesus? Here’s what you can do:
Pray. Be a prayer missionary on behalf of the 10/40 Window. Pray for the people who live there. Pray for church members, whose lives witness to those around them. Pray for church leaders, pastors and Bible workers. Ask the Lord of the harvest for more workers (Matthew 9:38).
Volunteer. Use your talents by volunteering for Gospel Outreach.
Tell. Be an ambassador and let others know of the needs in the 10/40 Window. Contact us for details.
Give. Every little bit helps tell others about Jesus. Or adopt a worker for $150 per month. Be a missionary to other countries without leaving home.