Missions Launch

Photo by Cameron Russell

That is a great question. First let me tell you what it is NOT. It is NOT groups of people in your neighborhood who aren’t Christians. Unreached is much more than that. Unreached not only are not Christians, but they have almost no way at all to EVER hear the gospel because of their language and location and history. Also, unreached people groups are specific ethnic groups with their own languages and culture. For example, Iraq might be considered an unreached country, but it is not an unreached people group. Instead you would say that the Kurdish people within Iraq are the unreached people group.

Unreached groups don’t have any significant numbers of Christians that can tell the others in the group about Jesus. Unengaged groups don’t even have any outside missionaries working there or planting any churches. Basically, if you are in an unreached people group, you are unreached with the words of the gospel and have almost no Christians to ever tell you those words. Your odds of ever hearing the gospel or meeting even one Christian in your entire life are slim to none.

I once was talking to a friend about an outreach program to an unreached people group in a closed country (where there are almost zero Christians.) He asked if we were partnering with any local churches. Clearly, his question shows that he hadn’t understood what “unreached” meant. In an unreached area, there are no local churches. Therefore, someone has to be the first to go there to tell them even who Jesus is. In some locations, it might be even necessary to explain who God Himself is.

This is a great video from New Tribes Mission that explains a bit more…

Statistics – Think Missions from Grant Wright on Vimeo.

Photo by dtcchc

This week in Urbana, Illinois, over 20,000 potential future missionaries are gathering together to consider their calling, worship, pray and study missions.  they will listen to speakers, purchase books, and finally end their week with an opportunity to pledge their lives to missions.

Urbana was started in 1946 after WWII when the country began to gain a burden for the world they learned of through the veterans. Since that time, over 250,000 students have attended over the years.

Besides focusing solely on missions for a full week with international speakers and missions experts, the students also have an amazing opportunity to talk and even interview with over 300 missions organizations to find which ones are out there and might be best for them.

Urbana is an amazing event and is responsible for helping many many missionaries to the field. Even if you missed it this year, it is worth checking out the next time it comes around. The students praying about their futures could also use your prayers, so please remember them.

Even if you couldn’t attend, they have some excellent videos of their main speakers that you can find on the Urbana09 website. Please visit to see what is happening this year and what the topics are.

If you want to pursue or learn more about missions but can’t attend Urbana, there is an amazing class that is held all around the US call Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. This class is excellent even for those who did get the chance to attend. So either way there is a chance for you to learn more about God’s heart for the nations and your place in His plan.

Do you believe that there is a war for your soul? Do you believe that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”? (Ephesians 6:12)

Sound like something from a horror movie? Yes it does, but this is real. Satan does not want us to succeed in advancing the Kingdom of God. He will attack you while on a mission trip, so just expect it and put on your spiritual armor to defend yourself against it.

Satan does so love the sneak attack. We can put in place safeguards to protect ourselves from the obvious attack, and we should. We may get vaccinated to prevent disease and drink only bottled water and we never travel alone. These are good things and offer physical protection, but Satan will sneak in and attack where we are not prepared.

One of his favorite things to attack is team unity. He will detect and zero in on areas of rivalry, jealousy, discontent, discomfort, and bad habits. Let me give a real life example.

The first mission trip I ever took was to Romania in 1999. Our mission was to plant a church in a tiny town that had been praying for 50 years for a building to worship in. The trip was planned out expertly and every detail in place.

As the team worked, it became more and more obvious to me that an enmity had developed between two members, a man and a woman. Actually, It would be more accurate to say the enmity was totally one sided. The man had no idea why the woman was treating him so rudely. It was very uncomfortable and distracting for us all.

Satan, seeing this, ran with it. Soon there were two women treating this man and all who would act friendly towards him, rudely. Does this sound childish? Absolutely and there is no room for it in kingdom work, at home or abroad. Was it embarrassing? Absolutely.

So how do we fight this attack? Here are three practical things to do.

Know your enemy
As the Bible tells us, our fight is not against flesh and blood. It is in the spiritual realm and it is against Satan. He merely uses us against ourselves. The best way to recognize Satan is to know God and His character. Then you will recognize what is not of God.

Dress for Battle
God has given us the spiritual armor that we need, both defensive and offensive. We have the breastplate of righteousness to protect our heart. With the belt of truth we can discern truth from the lies that will be hurled at us. We have the shield of faith to deflect fiery darts and the helmet of salvation to guard our minds. Our feet are fitted with the readiness to serve. And best of all, we wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Fight back
Fight back by praising God. On another trip I took when team unity was threatened, we gathered the team together for deliberate praise and worship, and a miracle happened. As we sang and prayed, division became unity, strife became harmony, and the entire place was flooded with peace. Everything changed. I will never forget it and still today I call on that time to remind me of God’s faithfulness and power.

So anytime you are working for God, expect an attack. Be prepared and fight back. You have the Book and know how the story ends. Jesus wins.

Armor photo by  wili_hybrid
Dragon photo by Gaetan Lee
Sword photo by jamesdale10

If you are interested in missions at all, this class is for you.
www.perspectives.org