Faith Foundations: Living for What Matters MostSample

The State of the World

So, how are we doing when it comes to fulfilling the purpose of our lives – to enjoy God’s glory and exalt him among all nations? Picture the world divided into ‘green zones’ already reached by the gospel, and unreached ‘red zones’. A staggering 3.2 billion people (belonging to around 7,000 unreached ethnic groups) live in the red zones and have little or no access to the saving news of Jesus. Paul explains in Romans 10:13–17 that faith comes from hearing the word of Christ, so there’s a real urgency for us to proclaim the gospel to those who haven’t heard it and who may live and die without ever encountering God’s message of hope and love.

Amidst this reality, we’re called to pray for the spread of the gospel to all people groups globally. Not one of us is helpless. Every believer can contribute to reaching red zones through prayer, which is such good news! The considerable challenge, however, lies in our current approach. The vast majority of the global church’s resources are poured into green zones. The minimal leftovers trickle into red zones. This “Great Imbalance” suggests we’re not really aligning our actions with our ultimate purpose.

The (possibly uncomfortable) truth is that God calls us not only to pray and give but also to go and make disciples of all nations. I want to challenge you to take this personally. Start by recognizing the opportunities within your reach – making disciples among diverse people in your neighborhood or city, including those from red zones. And then, don’t dismiss the thought that fulfilling the command of reaching all nations may mean that more Christians (maybe you) will be called to go to red zones, for short or long periods. The reality of this cultural moment is that we have unprecedented opportunities to reach people, yet a larger unreached population than ever before. Through travel and technology, we can potentially reach people worldwide in ways previously unimagined. What a time to be alive! What a time and place for people with a purpose to enjoy and exalt God among all the nations on the earth.

We all have a lot going on in our personal lives, right? But friend, at least we have the gospel. No matter what you’re facing, you have the hope, peace, joy, and comfort of Jesus’ love for you, and you know this is not the end of your story. Over 3 billion people in the world are walking through similar trials and suffering (and in many parts of the world, far worse), but they’ve never even heard of the love of God through Jesus. And if nothing changes, eternal suffering will be the end of their story. I don’t want to guilt you into becoming a missionary. I would just urge you to open your eyes to the historic opportunities you and I have to spread the good news of Jesus to the ends of the earth— literally—in the time and place God has us.

Spend some time this week asking yourself these questions: how can I pray daily and specifically for the exaltation of God among all the nations? How can I spend my resources (time, money, and skills) intentionally, generously, and sacrificially for the exaltation of God among all the nations? What avenues are available to me to go and make disciples in a red zone, even for a short time? If I’m living in a green zone, how can I live and work there for the spread of the gospel in red zones?