Why is so much of the world still unevangelized?

Answer

Jesus’ final instruction to His followers was to “go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). We know from reading the book of Acts that the disciples did just that. After the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they began to proclaim God’s message boldly «And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. », (Acts 2:4). God gave them supernatural ability to speak in other languages so that people from many foreign lands heard the good news «Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. », (Acts 2:6). Those people believed and then took God’s message of salvation back to their homelands, and the gospel spread.

Despite attacks throughout history to obliterate Christianity, the message of the gospel continues to spread as lives are transformed by the love of Jesus. Missionaries have left everything to travel into difficult regions to bring the good news to the natives there. Through personal evangelism, radio, television, the internet, literature, and many other means, people around the world are hearing of Jesus’ salvation and responding. We hear of Muslims in closed countries receiving visions and dreams wherein Jesus appears to them, and they are convinced of His identity as the Son of God. Yet, as the world’s population expands, so does the number of unreached people. Despite the efforts to spread the gospel, there are still many who have not heard the good news.Efforts of the church have ensured that millions of people have still not heard about Jesus. Some regions that once had a strong Christian presence, like Turkey and North Africa, are now centers of false religion.

One reason for the continued lack of evangelization worldwide is the isolation of certain communities. Explorers are constantly finding remote tribal groups and villages so far off the grid that their existence was unknown. Additionally, some communities speak languages that missionaries have not yet translated, making communication nearly impossible. Other tribes and nations are extremely hostile towards outsiders or Christians, making outreach efforts dangerous. Many individuals have attempted to evangelize these groups, resulting in loss of life, and borders have become more restricted.

Another significant factor contributing to the global lack of evangelization is the indifference among many Christians in Western societies. The words of James may resonate with those of us who are affluent compared to the rest of the world: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will consume your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. . . . You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence …” (James 5:1-5).

While these words may be harsh, we should reflect on whether they reflect our attitudes towards our own resources. Jesus taught that we should “use worldly wealth to make friends for ourselves, so that when it is gone, we will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” «And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. », (Luke 16:9)

). In other words, we must utilize our resources in this world to further God’s work; the outcome will be an increase in the number of people in heaven.

Do we perceive our money as solely for our own pleasures? Or as provision from God to be utilized under His guidance? Do we regard our time as ours to use as we wish? Or as a gift from God to be spent in pursuit of His will? Do we see our talents as tools for personal gain only? Or do we recognize them as gifts from God to be used as He desires? Do we take into account the needs of the poor and those in impoverished nations when determining how to allocate our resources? Have we been called by God to missions abroad but are resisting? Have we been summoned to support a specific missionary or ministry in prayer, yet frequently overlook them? Are we faithful stewards of the provisions God has bestowed upon us, ensuring we use them as He intends? Are we prioritizing His kingdom and actively engaging in spreading the gospel as He has directed us in our unique circumstances? One reason why many individuals have not encountered the gospel is because God’s followers are hesitant to bring it to them. Let us not grow so accustomed to the gospel that we lose our passion for its dissemination and fail to contribute towards that goal.

In Matthew 11:21–24, Jesus addresses cities where He had recently preached and performed miracles, yet they had rejected Him: “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” This suggests that God will hold us accountable for the opportunities we have been presented (Matthew 10:14-15). Since God is a righteous judge “God judgeth the righteous, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”, (Psalm 7:11), we can trust that He will do what is right when the unreached people stand before Him on judgment day. However, we will also give an account of whether or not we were obedient to His command to tell them about Him (Matthew 12:36; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

Every Christian has many opportunities to help solve the issue of unevangelized people. As your situation allows, you can do one or more of the following:

• Give to mission organizations.

• Support impoverished children through any number of charitable organizations that address the physical and spiritual needs of children worldwide.

• Ask the Lord if He would have you become a full-time missionary.

• Take a short-term mission trip to an unreached area. By assessing people’s needs firsthand, we are often inspired with a passion to reach them. Many successful organizations began when one person recognized a need.

• If you have language skills, consider becoming a Bible translator.

• Stop making excuses due to fear or laziness. If God is calling you, He will support you.

• Evaluate your talents, gifts, and resources to determine what might be beneficial in spreading the gospel to unreached people. (Examples: pilot’s license, organizational skills, financial resources, mechanical expertise, medical knowledge, etc.)

When He ascended to heaven, Jesus entrusted His message to a handful of people. He could have traveled farther than He did during His earthly ministry. He could have undertaken the missionary journeys that Paul did. He could have dispatched angels to preach the gospel everywhere. But He did none of those things. Instead, He entrusted the most crucial message

In the world, only a few fallible people have received the message. However, this message has had a significant impact because those individuals filled with the Spirit were ready to give everything. If every individual who professes to follow Christ is also prepared to give their all, we can reduce the issue of unevangelized people for the glory of God.