Lausanne World Pulse – Research Articles – The Global Status of Evangelical Christianity: A Model for Identifying Priority People Groups

By Scott Holste and Jim Haney
August 2006 While Christians are involved in many significant ministries (e.g. radio broadcasts, literature distribution, relief and development, evangelism, discipleship, etc.), we believe that the gathering of believers and establishing of churches is the key to establishing an effective, on-going, evangelizing, discipling, nurturing and ministering capability among any given people group. Thus, we do not believe that adoption of, prayer for or presence among a people group alone equates to engagement.

A Priority Listing

Considering both of these important criteria (state of the gospel and status of engagement), we find that there are 3,323 unreached people groups in the world who are not currently engaged by evangelical Christians. Of these, 636 have populations exceeding 100,000 each. Table 3 summarizes the number and location of these groups. Table 3: Unreached People Group Engagement (100,000 and Larger Population)

 Continental
Group		 IMB
Engaged		 GCC Engaged
Only		 Unengaged Unknown
engagement		 Total People
Groups
Europe 69 112 36 0 217
Asia and Oceania 232 386 428 4 1,050
Africa and Middle East 243 298 166 7 714
The Americas 35 9 6 0 50
Totals 579 805 636 11 2,031

Does this mean that we stop doing what we are doing to focus our attention on these 636 groups? If we did so, a number of groups that are currently engaged no longer would be. No, we must preserve the advances that have been made while at the same time find ways to mobilize the vast resources that already exist—enlisting evangelical Christians and churches everywhere to join in the challenge of addressing these groups as well as the other 2,687 unengaged, unreached people groups with populations less than 100,000.

A complete listing of Unengaged Unreached People Groups can also be downloaded at www.peoplegroups.org. This listing and other reports on this site are updated monthly.

Conclusion

We look forward to the day that the number of unengaged, unreached people groups will fall to zero, regardless of population size. It is certainly a challenge; yet, we are confident that it will happen. Evangelical churches around the world are reclaiming their role in God’s mission in the world. Believers are praying, giving and going in record numbers. Local churches in difficult circumstances are taking seriously the challenge of reaching their Jerusalem and extending themselves to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Not only is God moving in the world today, he is moving quickly. What a privilege to be part of the adventure!

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-10)

Endnotes
1. Evangelical Christian—a person who believes that Jesus Christ is the sole source of salvation through faith in him, has personal faith and conversion with regeneration by the Holy Spirit, recognizes the inspired word of God as the only basis for faith and Christian living and is committed to biblical preaching and evangelism that brings others to faith in Jesus Christ.

2. Evangelical Church—a church characterized by Evangelical Christian beliefs.

 

Dr. Scott Holste (left) is a former missionary to unreached people groups in Southeast Asia and in northern Africa. He serves as associate vice president for Research and Strategic Services in the International Mission Board’s Office of Overseas Operations. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Dr. Jim Haney (right) is a former missionary to the people groups of West Africa. He currently serves as director of the International Mission Board’s Global Research Department. He can be contacted at [email protected].