“And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I build on another man’s foundation, but as it is written: ‘To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand.’”
Romans 15:20-21
It’s Rachel again! Thank you for being a part of the work the Lord is doing at the School of Missions through your prayers and support! This week was so incredible that I am honestly overwhelmed as I sit to write this update. The Lord met me this week in a way I’ve never experienced before!
In the U.S., we live in a Christian-saturated culture. I am willing to bet that if you were to take a map of the 20-mile radius of your home and drop a pin on every church in the area, the map would be riddled with dots. If someone in America was curious about Christ, the odds are that he knows someone who can share the gospel with him: a family member, co-worker, or friend. This is awesome because people who are living a life in sin have access to the great message of the gospel, and have an opportunity to respond!
The world’s population is currently somewhere around 7.5 billion. Approximately 3.5 billion people live in a country similar to the one I illustrated above. But, what about the other 4 billion people?
Those 4 billion people do not live in Christian-dominated cultures, and 3 billion of those people live in places with even less Christian influence. In most of these places, less than 2% of the population identifies as Christian. This means that approximately 3 billion people today have never heard a single word of the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16). Jesus is the living water. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father but through Him— and 3 billion people live unto death and die unto hell because they don’t get the chance to respond to the gospel. What an injustice! They don’t even hear it once!
They are called the Unreached.
I was struck with this reality full-force in class this week and Romans 15:21 comforted me. God knows. God sees each individual person among the Unreached. He sees the bondage of idolatry. He sees the depths of sin. Yet He is not passive. His heart is to see them brought back to Himself through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His chosen tool is the Church (Matt. 28:18-20; John 17:18; Acts 10).
Where do you think the gospel needs to go? Are we going to rethink our Spirit-led calling?
This is why I am at the School of Missions, and why I am writing this to you today. I, like Paul, desire to make it my ambition to take the gospel to people who don’t have access to it. He’s worth it. His praise among the nations is worth it.
May love compel our hearts to meet the Unreached, and present this gift of grace. Freely we have received, may we also give with the same abandon.
May the Lord build you up and encourage you in the gospel of Christ, and lead you into opportunities to share the message of salvation with others. I pray, Lord, in the years we have left, use our lives for Your glory to bring the gospel where it is needed the most.
Praise reports:
- The Lord is equipping us and setting us alight for His glory among the Unreached nations.
- The Lord is so, so good.
- The Lord desires to refine us so that we can be used to bring others to Him.
Prayer requests:
- “The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matt. 9:37-38.
If you are interested in partnering with me financially as I follow the Lord’s call to go to the nations, you can click the link below. Your prayers are deeply valued, and your love is cherished, all to the glory to the Lord!
In Christ,
Rachel