Here are a few videos about unreached people groups.
Here is Dr. Winter, talking about unreached peoples and talking about how we need to focus beyond the concept.
From John Piper – how we were made to engage
From an agency, Mission to Unreached Peoples. The video has some good stats but is tilted to use scare tactics a tad too much.
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Tags: Dr. Ralph Winter, John Piper, Missions, Unreached People Groups
November 15, 2010 at 11:40 am |
(as someone who is with MUP): Scare tactics! Akkk! I hope it doesn’t come across that way. Mainly we wanted people to KNOW about UPGs so that hopefully some who know will do something about it. Would love to hear reflections on what you thought was a “scare tactic” so we can look at it…
November 27, 2010 at 11:08 am |
Justin,
Thanks for a reminder to be more clear with my wording. “Scare tactics” may be a bit extreme term for what I am saying so let me clarify here.
I have been cautioned to veer away from an attitude of “the situation is so grim, act now or these (adjective: starving, dieing, diseased, etc) people will die with no hope of the gospel.” I don’t discredit the statistics at all. It came off to me as they were used to motivate people to do something they are not.
It is a balancing act for sure with using statistics (which for our industry seem also grim) with motivating people to get involved for the glory of God. I can’t say that I have found the best way to describe the reality of the situation today that motivates, encourages and opens peoples’ eyes.
I have been trying to focus on the positives of what God has been doing. Showing that this task is His instead of Ours. I think the piece with China and Mongolia were good and added some of the balance I was talking about.
Some of the emotion I was feeling was because of the music chosen. To me, it didn’t feel like I was joining in on a movement that God was working for His purposes and inviting me to join with him. To me, it felt like, you are being a bad Christian, get up and act or those people will die without access to the gospel (again, a true statement).
So hopefully that makes sense. I think we need to be constantly examining ourselves in our mobilization as to what is the motivation factor we are giving people. There is a time to be honest with what is the reality of the situation. Somehow, we need to find balance between the excitement of what has been done with the disappointment of what has yet to be done. Either way, we must instill a confidence that God will see His Mission through.
November 29, 2010 at 2:01 pm
I can see your point. I think the motivation of people is important. That particular video was done more from a prophetic viewpoint, I think… something to remind the church of the challenge of the unreached, which we too often unfortunately choose to ignore and then forget.
November 16, 2010 at 4:25 pm |
More than 30 years of conferences and books with unreached peoples as a focus and we have yet to make a real impact on these people. We continue to send by far the preponderance of personnel and funds for ministries among the reached.
November 21, 2010 at 11:27 pm |
@Justin. I thought it was great. There is no glossing over the facts. Enjoyed working with MUPs when I was on the field. Especially Jeff A in Thailand.
January 29, 2011 at 8:05 am |
@Adam The latest video shown on Mission to Unreached Peoples’s website has been updated and do seem to address the issues mentioned (i.e. shows/says more about what God is doing already).