Jesus Said,"GO and Make Disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, AND Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20.

10/40 Window

The 10/40 Window is home to the majority of the world's un-evangelized countries. The "un-evangelized" are people who have a minimal knowledge of the gospel, but have no valid opportunity to respond to it. Of the world's 50 least evangelized countries, 37 are within the 10/40 Window. Yet those 37 countries comprise 95% of the total population of the 50 least evangelized countries!

While it constitutes only one-third of earth's total land area, nearly two-thirds of the world's people reside in the 10/40 Window. The 10/40 Window includes the countries listed above, both sovereign states and non-sovereign dependencies. Countries comprising the 10/40 Window have at least 50% of their land mass within 10 and 40 degrees north latitude. (Joshua Project)

On the left side or western part of the 10/40 Window, the Muslim world can be seen most prominently in a wide band across the north of Africa into the Middle East. South Asia, in the middle of the 10/40 Window, is the heart of Hinduism with its 330 million gods. Buddhism influences the right side or eastern part of the 10/40 Window. Buddhism is the primary religion in Southeast Asia and although officially an atheistic country since the Marxist revolution of the late 1940s, China is nevertheless deeply influenced by its Buddhist roots.

The 10/40 Window: The Unreached Peoples and Cities

An estimated 2.34 billion individuals live in approximately 5,313 unreached people groups are in the 10/40 Window. The 10/40 Window also contains the largest unreached peoples over one million. The 10/40 Window also contains the overwhelming majority of the world's least evangelized megacities -- that is those with a population of more than one million. Of the top 50 cities on this list, all 50 are in the 10/40 Window! That fact alone underscores the need for prioritizing Great Commission efforts.

The 10/40 Window: Historical and Biblical Significance

The first and most fundamental reason why followers of Jesus Christ ought to focus on the 10/40 Window is because of the biblical and historical significance of this area. The Bible begins with the account of Adam and Eve placed by God in the heart of what is now the 10/40 Window. God's plan, expressed in Genesis 1:26, was that mankind should have dominion over the earth, subduing it fully. However, Adam and Eve sinned against God and forfeited their right to rule. Man's sinful behavior increased until God intervened and judged the earth with a cataclysmic flood. Then came man's futile attempt to establish new dominion in the building of the great Tower of Babel. That effort, which also occurred in the heart of the 10/40 Window, was an open defiance against God. Once again, God reached forth His hand in judgment. The result was the introduction of different languages, the scattering of earth's people, and the formation of nations.

The 10/40 Window: Spiritual Stronghold

The 10/40 Window includes numerous spiritual strongholds. The billions of people who live in the 10/40 Window have suffered not only the ravages of poverty and disease; they have also been kept from the transforming power of the Gospel. They are poignant examples of the truth expressed in 2 Corinthians 4:4, which states that "the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

The 10/40 Window: The Majority of the Worlds Poor

The 10/40 Window is home to the majority of the worlds poor. Of the poorest of the poor, more than eight out of ten live in the 10/40 Window. On average, they exist on less than a few hundred dollars per person per year. Brent L. Myers, in his article entitled, "Where Are The Poor And Lost?", states that "the poor are the lost, and the lost are the poor." He arrived at this conclusion after illustrating that the majority of the unreached live in the poorest countries of the world. There is a remarkable overlap between the poorest countries of the world and those that are least evangelized.

information provided by Joshua Project www.joshuaproject.net

• Afghanistan
  Algeria
  Bahrain
  Bangladesh
  Benin
  Bhutan
  Burkina Faso
  Cambodia
  Chad
  China
  China, Hong Kong
  China, Macao
  Cyprus
  Djibouti
  Egypt
  Eritrea
  Ethiopia
  Gambia
  Gibraltar
  Greece
  Guinea
  Guinea-Bissau
  India
  Iran
  Iraq
  Israel
  Japan
  Jordan
  Korea, North
  Korea, South
  Kuwait
  Laos
  Lebanon
  Libya
  Mali
  Malta
  Mauritania
  Morocco
  Myanmar (Burma)
  Nepal
  Niger
  Oman
  Pakistan
  Palestine (West Bank and Gaza)
  Philippines
  Portugal
  Qatar
  Saudi Araia
  Senegal
  Sudan
  Syria
  Taiwan
  Tajikistan
  Thailand
  Tunisia
  Turkey
  Turkmenistan
  United Arab Emirates
  Vienam
  Western Sahara
  Yemen