Unreached People

The 10/40 Window is the rectangular area of North Africa, Middle East and Asia from about 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 Window is often called the "Resistant Belt" and includes most of the world's Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. The Window 10/40 original included only countries with at least 50% of their land within 10 and 40 degrees north latitude. The Window 10/40 reviewed includes several other countries, like Indonesia, which are close to 10 or 40 degrees north latitude and has high concentrations of unreached peoples. It is estimated that 4480 million people lies at approximately 8818 different groups of people in the window 10/40 reviewed.

The Window 10/40 has several important considerations: First, the historical and biblical significance, secondly, the least evangelized countries, thirdly, the unreached people groups and cities, fourthly, the rule of three religious blocs; ; fifth, the preponderance of the poor, in sixth place, the strongholds of Satan within the 10/40 Window.

Historical and biblical significance. The first and most fundamental reason why the followers of Jesus Christ should focus on 10/40 Window is because of the biblical meaning and history of this area. The Bible begins with the story of Adam and Eve were placed by God in the heart of what is now 10/40 Window. The plan of God, expressed in Genesis 1:26, was that mankind should have dominion over the earth, subduing it completely. 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 a new area in the building of the Tower of Babel. This effort, which also occurred in the heart of the 10/40, was a provocation against God. Again, God extended His hand in judgment. The result was the introduction of different languages, the dispersion of peoples of the earth, and the formation of nations.

The least evangelized countries. The 10/40 Window is home to the most unevangelized countries in the world. The "unevangelized" are people who have minimal knowledge of the gospel, but has had no opportunity to respond to it. While it constitutes only a third of the total land area, almost two thirds of people in the world resides in the 10/40. The Window 10/40 original included only countries with at least 50% of their land within 10 and 40 degrees north latitude. The 10/40 Window searched include several other countries, like Indonesia, which are close to 10 or 40 degrees north latitude and has high concentrations of unreached peoples.

The unreached cities. It is estimated that 2720 million people living in approximately 5,925 unreached peoples are in the 10/40. In addition, the 10/40 contains most burdensome megacities least evangelized the world, ie those with a population of one million. The top 50 least evangelized megacities are all in the 10/40! This fact alone underscores the need to prioritize efforts for the Great Commission in the 10/40.

The dominance of three religious blocs;

The 10/40 Window contains four dominant religious blocs in the world. Most followers of Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as non-religious, live in the block 10/40 Window. On the left side or the western part of the 10/40, the Muslim world can be seen most prominently in a broad band across northern Africa to the Middle East. South Asia in the middle of the 10/40, is the heart of Hinduism, with its 330 million gods. Buddhism influences the right or east of 10/40 Window. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Southeast Asia, and although it is officially an atheist region, since the Marxist revolution of the 1940s, China is, however, deeply influenced by their Buddhist roots.

The Window 10/40: The prevalence of poor

The 10/40 Window is home to most of the world's poor. The poorest of the poor, more than eight in ten live in the 10/40. On average, they are in less than a few hundred dollars per person per year. It has been said that "the poor are the lost and lost the poor", as most of the unreached live in the poorest countries in the world. There are striking parallels between the world's poorest countries and those that are least evangelized.

The Window 10/40: Spiritual Barrier

The Window 10/40 includes numerous spiritual barriers. The billions of people living in 10/40 Window have suffered not only the devastation of poverty and disease, they have also been prevented from 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 can not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.

The Window 10/40: a renewed focus

The focus of Christian organizations for 200 years was concentrated in the coastal regions of the world. A century later, the success of the effort of islands led to a new generation to reach the interior regions of continents. Within the last few decades, the success of the inner drive led to a focus on large groups of people. Today, followers of Christ are focusing their efforts on the unreached peoples of the world, most of which are in the 10/40.

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