When we think of a billion, it’s hard to fully grasp the magnitude of such a vast number.
Let’s put it into perspective. I drink three cups of coffee a day—two in the morning and one after dinner. To consume a billion cups at this rate would take a staggering 333,333 years of non-stop drinking. Similarly, if someone were to drive non-stop at 65 miles per hour, it would take over 640,000 years to cover a billion miles. Even the fastest spacecraft, the Parker Solar Probe, would take 96 years to travel a billion miles. These comparisons help us realize just how difficult it is to comprehend the enormity of a billion.
Now, consider this: over 3.5 billion people in the world have never heard of Jesus Christ. This group is known as the “unreached,” and they are part of a vast segment of humanity that, despite Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), still has not encountered the Good News.
This is an extraordinary reality, especially when we reflect on the incredible progress Christianity has made over the past 2,000 years. But the challenge we face in reaching these 3.5 billion people can be attributed to one overwhelming factor: the explosion of the human population.
The Explosive Growth of Humanity
Since 1970, the global population has more than doubled. In 1970, there were 4 billion people on the planet. Today, that number has surpassed 8 billion, with the milestone of 8 billion being reached on November 15, 2022. To put this in perspective, it took nearly 2,000 years from the time of Jesus’ birth for the world’s population to reach 2 billion in 1927. In less than 100 years, that number skyrocketed to 8 billion! It’s no surprise, then, that over 3.5 billion people still haven’t heard about Jesus.
Some Christians argue that we’ve failed to fulfill the Great Commission. While there have certainly been challenges, I disagree. Christianity is the world’s largest religion, and we’ve seen tremendous success in spreading the message of Christ. But with the rapid growth in population, especially in regions like the Global South (Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia), it’s clear that the traditional missionary model of the past 300 years wasn’t designed to cope with such an exponential increase in people.
India alone has added nearly 1 billion people since 1970. The challenge is no longer about whether we are preaching the gospel but how we can effectively reach the billions of people that now make up our world.
The Rise of Native-Led Disciple-Making Movements
So, how can we possibly reach all of these people? Is it even feasible for us, as Christians, to do this on our own? Left to our own devices, it would seem nearly impossible. But God, in His infinite wisdom, has raised up native leaders in their own countries to lead independent ministries that focus on reaching their own people. Over the past 25 years, around 2,000 new disciple-making and church-planting ministries have been established, and these ministries are being led by native leaders. This explosion of local leadership gives us a real opportunity to reach the unreached.
These ministries are covering strategic regions, expanding our reach and effectiveness in sharing the gospel with the 3.5 billion who remain unreached. Only God could orchestrate such a monumental shift in the global mission landscape.
A New Era of Global Disciple-Making
We are now entering a new era of global disciple-making. This shift marks a significant transition from the traditional missionary model, which has dominated the past few centuries, to an era in which native-led ministries take center stage. These leaders are reaching their own people in ways that are more effective and culturally relevant than traditional Western models. This is a profound change, and it is something that only God could have foreseen and delivered.
Historically, each new era of Kingdom building has been distinct from the last, and this is no different. As we move from the missionary era into a period of native-led disciple-making movements, we must recognize this shift and embrace it. Transitions like this require clarity and communication, and it’s essential that we, as the body of Christ, share this new direction with other believers. Together, we can be excited for what lies ahead as we work to reach the unreached.
The Role of Western Christians in This Movement
So, what role do Western Christians play in this new era? The answer is clear: we have an enthusiastic and vital role to play. As part of the global body of Christ, we can support these native-led ministries by providing resources, funding, coaching, and training. While these leaders are equipped to reach their people, they may still need help in areas like leadership development, organizational training, and financial management. Our experience in these areas can strengthen their ministries and make them even more effective in disciple-making.
This is where organizations like Global Assist come in. Global Assist is dedicated to helping strengthen and support these native-led ministries. But Global Assist is only one part of a much larger effort. To truly make a difference, we need a team of like-minded partners, all working together to support and propel these ministries forward.
The Call to Fulfill the Great Commission
God has called His “generals” to lead this new movement. These leaders have raised up disciple-making teams with the goal of reaching everyone in their countries with the gospel. Our responsibility, as Western Christians, is to honor Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations. We may have a different role in this new era, but our ultimate goal remains the same: the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
This is the work that God has called Global Assist to, and it is the work He is calling each of us to. We cannot accomplish this mission alone, but together, as the body of Christ, we can be a catalyst for the movement of reaching the unreached. The task is daunting, but with God’s guidance, we can and will see this mission through to completion. As we work together to spread the Good News, we bring glory to the Father, fulfilling the calling He has given us all.
