I am looking for a striking visual image to help people grasp the injustice described below.
Any suggestions?
Note: In the following explanation I have sought to avoid common Christian and missionary terminology. Suggestions for improving this explanation are also welcome.
THE GREATEST INJUSTICE?
• Father God promised Abraham that every family line on earth would be blessed through Abraham’s seed (Jesus Christ). Jesus died for every person and household on the planet, and commissioned us to disciple every family line. Yet 25% of the world (one in every four people) live in groups which have barely begun to experience this blessing—where less than one person in a thousand (0.1%) identifies with Jesus in any way. On the whole, these groups either 1) believe Jesus is only for “Christian” peoples, or 2) hardly know about Jesus at all. Today we call these Frontier People Groups (FPGs). (sharable 6-minute video)
• When Jesus-followers leave their own people to serve a group in greater need, more than 99 out of every 100 (99%+) wind up in places and groups where many already identify with Jesus. The vast majority of such laborers go where at least 1 in 20 (5%) identify as Christian, or Jesus-followers are at least 1 in 50 (2%). Thus nearly all Jesus-followers who aim to serve needier groups end up serving, training or working in outreach with established local Jesus-followers where the gospel is already available. Overall, these Jesus-followers are doing great good, increasing the impact of the gospel where believing households are already established. But this 99%+ is hardly impacting the 25% of the world that lives in groups where the gospel is almost unknown, or dismissed as only for others.
• Thus less than 1 in 100 (1%) of Jesus-followers who leave their own people wind up directly or indirectly serving the one in 4 (25%) who 1) believe Jesus is only for “Christian” peoples, or 2) hardly know about Jesus at all.
• The solution is not to relocate Jesus-followers who have already left their own people. God has already directed them to fields where they have significant influence and can guide local Jesus-followers who would serve neighboring FPGs more effectively.
• Rather the solution is for Jesus-followers everywhere to pray for God’s blessing through Jesus on the FPGs who haven’t yet experienced this blessing, and to seek the Holy Spirit’s leading and empowering to share in bringing that blessing to the remaining FPGs.
Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
Which end of the load will YOU help carry?
Any thoughts on improving this?