As Christians, one of our most important roles is to fulfill what Christ called the “Great Commission.”
The Great Commission, found in the gospel of Matthew, calls believers to go out into all of the earth, and make disciples of all people. On May 15, five global Christian evangelistic groups will aim to do just that with the International Day for the Unreached.
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Bibles For The World, Mission Nexus, Operation Mobilization, Reach Beyond and The Seed Company, who collectively make up “Alliance for the Unreached,” are calling on various radio stations, media outlets and churches to join them in praying for and lifting up the unreached.
Around 2 billion people around the world have never heard the gospel before. The Christian organizations hope that the International Day for the Unreached will raise awareness of how important it is for believers to try to reach these individuals.
It’s certainly no easy task — all over the world, there are both believers and non-believers living in countries where the gospel is forbidden, and people are put to death for even talking about it.
But in places like Europe, spreading the gospel to those who have never heard it is becoming easier as many refugees continue to flock there from many different countries all over the world who do not allow Christianity due to religious, cultural or political reasons.
One thing that every Christian can do is to pray for those both unreached and those working to fulfill the Great Commission. We can also pray for God to work in nations that restrict Christianity and bring people filled with faith to seek the unreachable.
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Part of the purpose of holding an International Day for the Unreached is to encourage believers to set aside time to pray for those around the world who have not heard the gospel before.
Each group that belongs to the Alliance for the Unreached has information on its website that tells inspirational and motivational stories of those whose lives have been changed by their outreach efforts.
International Day for the Unreached is being held on the same day as Pentecost Sunday, which marks the event when the Holy Spirit came upon the church.
If you or your church wants to get involved with International Day for the Unreached, there are few different things you can do.
One way churches can participate is by downloading sermons on the unreached at www.dayfortheunreached.org. The website also includes study outlines as well as other resources that will highlight the event.
There’s also many ways for individuals to get involved. The biggest way is to join a global payer network, where there will be guided prayers for the unreached. Additionally, there is plenty of educational material that will open users’ eyes to the persecution all over the world.
Churches all over the country have partnered up with the Alliance for the Unreached. Pastor Rick Warren, the head pastor of Saddleback Church and author of “The Purpose-Driven Life,” has encouraged his own church and others around the world to participate.
“With more than 2 billion people who haven’t had a chance to meet Jesus, it’s time for the Body of Christ to take a radical stand and say, ‘This has to end in our generation.’ Join me in committing to pray, give, go, and advocate for those who need to know Christ by participating in the International Day for the Unreached,” Warren said.
To find out more about the International Day for the Unreached, click here.
(H/T: Christian Post)