Reaching the Most Unreached Through Europe

Wednesday January 21, 2009 ~ 10 Comments

Faces of starving children.
Warrior faces.
Goat herders.
Men on camels.

These are the typical images one sees at any given missions event. People wearing traditional clothing from African or Asian countries who smile as you pass their booths, beckoning you to come and sample the life of adventure. "Are you willing to reach the most unreached with the Gospel? Are you willing to live a lifestyle so radically different than your own that your mother won't even come visit you? Are you willing to reach a people group that has been resistant to the Gospel for centuries?"

And those are important questions and there is great need.

What most people don't know is one does not have to travel to Cairo or Tehran or Timbuktu to go where there is great need. We need MORE people to go to those contexts, but it is interesting that the statistics tell us about a great need in Europe.

Where is the need the greatest? According to the Joshua Project, there are 6,700 unreached people groups. The countries with the greatest unreached people are India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. The Joshua Project discusses barriers to reaching these people: harsh climates, nomadic people groups, and closed countries. So we ask ...

Are you willing to go to Europe?

As of 2006, there were over 1,700,000 Chinese people living all over Europe. Muslims from North Africa are flocking to Spain and France daily. France alone has over 4 million Muslims coming from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and various Middle East countries. The UK is listed as having the second-highest population of Pakistanis outside of Pakistan.

The list of barriers goes on and on, but the most important fact is this: God is not deterred by barriers. It's true that many of the unreached live in hard-to-reach places. But it's also true that many of them live in free, liberal Europe.

These unreached individuals live in places where it is no longer illegal for them to own a Bible. It is no longer illegal to become a Christian. Although many Christ-followers coming from Muslim backgrounds will still face persecution from their family and community, they are free to gather with other like-minded people. Churches are popping up amongst the Turks living in Germany. In Spain, Moroccan believers gather a few times a year to encourage each other in their walk of faith. Although England has more mosques than anywhere else in Europe, churches are starting.

This is an exciting day for world evangelism. But we need to be cautious. The enemy would love it if we stayed inside the box as we strategize how we will reach the unreached. If we are willing to ask God how we can get around those natural barriers, we might see that God is already moving the masses to Europe. However, here is where we must be careful. It's easy to think that Europe has been reached with the Gospel. There have been missionaries there for years, right? Plus, the Catholic Church is there. And, there are lots of cathedrals. The church must be growing there.

Think again.

Negative "religious experiences" in Europe have made atheists out of many. In one breath, someone might say, "I'm Catholic, but I don't believe in God." Catholicism is largely a cultural, rather than a religious, identification.

Europe has been in a religious downfall for centuries. Modern Europeans are very relativistic in their thinking. Everyone has a right to their own "truth."

We would be wise not to assume that the Europeans are reaching those from the 10/40 window. The only thing that they are being reached with is post-modern ideologies. There are young Muslims that arrive in Europe ready to throw Islam out the window, only to receive a lifestyle of self-centered pleasures.

The unreached in Europe need to be given an opportunity to hear what they couldn't hear in their own country. They need dedicated Christ-followers to share their lives with them so they may see that true Christianity has nothing to do with the hypocrisy they may have seen in historical institutional religion.

Are you willing to reach the most unreached with the Gospel? Then reconsider what Europe may have for you.

Consider coming with us this May as Darrin Patrick and I lead a group to discover ministry opportunities in Rome and Marseille. Click here for more information.

Posted on January 21, 2009 at 5:29 AM ~ 10 Comments

Tagged with: chinese, europe, unreached

10 Comments

By Tony Martin on January 21, 2009 3:23 PM

Great article, Ed! We're currently raising financial/prayer support to serve as church planting facilitators in Lulea, Sweden (close to the North Pole). People frequently ask why we're going to Sweden since they believe it's a "Lutheran" country, even though only one percent attend church! May I quote parts of your article for our next newsletter? Keep stirring the embers!

By Michael Carpenter on January 21, 2009 6:48 PM

Just saw this post over at neueministry about the social unacceptability of Chritianity in the UK. Check it out here

By Jake Belder on January 21, 2009 8:19 PM

Excellent. I remember a few years ago Greater Europe Mission put out a video with some similar information to what you have here, Ed, pointing out the need for the gospel in Europe. I know several missionaries who are serving over there right now and have heard of the great struggles in such a resistant and hardhearted society. Thanks for continuing to make this need known.

By Dale Schaeffer on January 22, 2009 9:57 AM

Thanks for this post. Europe has been largely ignored as a mission field within my own denomination The Church of the Nazarene. We have done well in places like: Africa, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean; but have struggled to understand have significant impact in Europe. Our local church has a heart for Europe and sends a group of musicians out annually for ministry within the heavy metal, thrash metal, and gothic scene in Europe. They play in music festivals, share Christ, build relationships and help them connect to local churches...in fact one of our teams just left this morning for Denmark.

By George Robinson on January 22, 2009 10:36 AM

Thanks Ed. I just returned from Amsterdam where I took a team of 18 SEBTS students on a two week trip. We taught in the mornings on the European cultural landscape and in particular the influence of postmodernity and Islamic immigration. Then in the afternoons we did field practicums where the students engaged in gospel-centered conversations with the people of Amsterdam. Very enlightening for all involved. Though we did not have anyone receive the gospel while there, many conversations have continued via e-mail and Skype since our return. Europeans WILL listen! They ARE interested in talking about religion. Those who want to reach them must be good listeners, know how to ask compassionately probing questions, and be patient with the amount of time that it takes to process the implications of the gospel. Europe is post-Christian for this generation only. Soon they will be "pre-Christian" again because the younger people are growing up with no exposure to the gospel at all. May we labor in the Holy Spirit's power to engage Europe.

By Tomas Olsson on January 23, 2009 2:33 AM

Yes, Europe (and Sweden) really needs missionaries, and since I am a swede, living in Sweden, I should know... In Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden, there is probably less than 0.5 % that attend churches regularly.
And if anybody of you want to do something in Sweden, I might be able to help you with some contacts.

By nate on January 24, 2009 9:35 AM

This is a great post!

I am a missionary in Czech Republic and it is always a challenge to get people to come and serve because often they feel like there is a greater need in Africa and Asia, but the truth is that in Eastern Europe there are less than 1% evangelical believers!

Thanks for promoting the need!

By Larry on January 25, 2009 1:20 PM

There is an awesome blog that I have discovered called www.reconsidereurope.blogpost.com. It deals specifically with the immigrant populations in Europe.

By Abraham T. Mathai/India on November 22, 2009 10:14 AM

This World is looking for the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus. Millions are sinking in sin and sickness. Can we reach this planet with the Good News of Christ in this generation? I have some suggestions to reach this planet for Christ. Please write to me and I will answer......Bro.Abraham/India/
Email id:bro.abraham@gmail.com

By Pastor Ravi Daniel on January 11, 2010 11:05 AM

" Freely you have received, freely give " (Matthew 10:8)
"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding."
( Jeremiah 3:15 KJV)

Dear brother in Christ God bless you ,
Me Ravi Daniel From Faisalabad Pakistan .
Dear we have a big team who working for the way of "Jesus Christ " and dear we also Invite to you and your team to come in Pakistan and we work in Pakistan together .Our people wait you dear we hope you understand our team feelings and our people feelings.
Thanks
God bless you
Pastor Ravi Daniel from Faisalabad Pakistan.
Waiting your Response

And we all hope this year and my "Jesus" change your mind and move your heart in the side of Pakistan .And dear we hope this year you come in Pakistan and we worktogether in Pakistan.
Thanks
and you know
"Every thing is Possible in the name of Jesus"
and dear "Jesus Christ is coming soon catch the soul of Pakistani people for Christ"
We hope you understand our all planing in the way of "Jesus"
and this is a chance "Jesus"
give you that you come in Pakistan and work in the way of Christ.
we all waiting you and your working in Pakistan.I hope you accept our Invitation.And my "Jesus Christ "send you in Pakistan.
thanks
God bless you
and think from mind and heart.
We want you reach unreached people of God in Pakistan.
thank's
we need your prayers .
We also want you arrange your meetings and seminars and convention in Pakistan in the name of Christ.

Thank's.
We hope you come in Pakistan.
"Thousands of Christ people waiting you in Pakistan"

Pakistan needs Jesus and it was among the Christian that I found air I could breathe and peace that was real.

“Thousands of People waiting you.”
Christ is Coming Soon! Time is Running Out Fast! Win Souls for Christ!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believed in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).”

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..."

Matthew 28:18-20

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations..."Matthew 28:18-20