Study
Read Matthew 28:16–20 (Part 1 of 3)
- “...some worshipped” Vs. 17
What role does personal worship play in sharing the gospel with unreached peoples?
- “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go...” Vs. 18
What is the importance of Jesus' authority, when obeying the Great Commission stands in opposition to personal fear, family traditions, religious rituals, civil laws, and government mandates that restrict, limit, or even forbid sharing the gospel?
Watch
What is an Unreached People Group? (1:59)
- “We are not talking about people who are lost and don’t know the Lord. We are talking about people who are lost, don’t know the Lord, and there is no one who speaks their language who can tell them.”
How did this come about?
- What else stood out to you from the video?
The State of the World (4:36)
- “Only 3 percent of the total missionary force serves among those who have no access to the gospel, the unreached. Only 1 percent of mission’s money goes to unreached peoples.”
Why do you think this imbalance exists?
- “Two billion people are still waiting for access to the good news of Jesus Christ.”
Is this news to you? Explain.
- What else stood out to you from the video?
Discuss
All excerpts are from The Abrahamic Revolution, by Todd Ahrend
- In 1974 the Billy Graham Association hosted a historic conference for evangelists from all over the world in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was at there that Dr. Ralph Winter first informed the world about unreached peoples. Referencing that event, author Todd Ahrend states, “Dr. Winter reached up and pulled the unseen rope called unreached peoples that rang a bell which reverberates to this day’” (Chapter 6)
Do you hear it ringing? Explain.
- “One of my modern-day heroes is a surfer from California named Brad Buser. Challenged by his youth minister to give his life for world evangelization, Brad turned his back on professional surfing and headed to the tribal world. He was eighteen when he left to spend twenty years with the Iteri tribe in Papua New Guinea, translating the Bible into their language and planting a church. While home on a two-year furlough, the neighboring tribe began to write letters to him. Here is a portion of one:
"What’s going on? Where is our help? Have you forgot about us? We of Sinou haven’t forgot about wanting a missionary, we carry a huge heavy constantly about this. We carry this heavy because we fear for our lives. We know the paipel [Bible] says you should come and tell us. Us dark ones need it. How will we go to God’s place if not? Only those who know will go, how will we know if no one teaches us? That’s my worry, we want a missionary now to give us God’s talk.” (Chapter 7)
Does it change your perspective about missions to know that some unreached people actually long for workers because they want the gospel? Explain.
This is one of many letters written by unreached tribal peoples pleading for missionaries. More letters are posted at Pod 2: Meeting 5 and here.
Learn
Discover
Word Team. A unique partnership idea.
Pray
Share what you learned in this meeting and pray as a group about those things.
Watch
Watch His Praise Goes On (7:43)