July, 1996
Vol. 1 / No. 5
Contents:
One hundred twenty-four participants from 16 northeast Asian nations attended the Joshua Project 2000 Consultation in Seoul, Korea, May 27-30. They declared their commitment to "Take seriously the Great Commission of our Lord to go to all the nations of the world . . . with priority given to peoples with no church. We believe God is calling us to collaborate with indigenous local churches, brothers and sisters from other churches, denominations, missions and other ministry agencies to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every one of the approximately one billion four hundred million people in North East Asia . . ."
Six hundred Korean pastors in a simultaneous meeting committed to adopt at least 1150 of the remaining 1739 Joshua project 2000 people groups and launch church planting movements among them.
Special consideration was given to the Joshua Project on-site survey. Research teams are being recruited to visit and gather information on many of these peoples. John Robb, in his address, said: "The Joshua Project on-site research survey will function like a gigantic flashlight, illuminating the path before us, and will keep us from losing our way towards the ambitious goal of a church for every people and the gospel for every person by the year 2000. We need to have accurate information on who these peoples are, where they are located, their culture and situations so that we can pray intelligently and undertake appropriate church planting efforts to reach them."
Speaker after speaker encouraged the participants to stand solidly on the faith expectation that "IT CAN BE DONE" by the year 2000. A resounding "YES!" was shouted by all to the call to commit themselves and their ministries to meet the goal by December 31, 2000.
Research teams are the key to providing the critical data needed at this stage of the Joshua Project. Unreached Peoples Network Coordinators and participants can help by mobilizing teams within their own nations to gather the information needed. This research material will be converted into Prayer Profiles for distribution to millions of Christians who have committed to pray. Lists of Joshua Project 2000 Peoples and Research Questionnaires are now available on request. Every Regional and National Coordinator is vital in enabling us to reach the objective. WE ARE COUNTING ON YOU!
Positive responses to the recent questionnaire are being reported from some UPN Coordinators. So that many more may report back, the deadline for responding has been extended to July 15.
Here is a digest of actions to date. Guilherme Nhanale reports from Mozambique: "One of my goals for this year is to form a group of intercessors in each province to intercede for the unreached. By the year 2000, by God�s grace, I expect to see all the unreached people groups in Mozambique reached for Jesus."
Adrian Visser from Sri Lanka is aiming to hold a seminar on spiritual warfare related to the unreached peoples track.
Obed Doumkel reports from Chad that his two main goals for 1996 are hold a research seminar on evangelism; and to establish a list of all the unreached peoples in the southern areas of the country.
In Ethiopia, Dr. Habte has initiated a prayer movement for the unreached and begun ethnographic surveys among 15 people groups. This year he will communicate the AD2000 vision at a gathering of Ethiopia�s national church leaders and extend the surveys to 10 other unreached people groups.
Patience Ahmed in Jos, Nigeria, has held an Unreached Peoples Conference, prepared a Priority Focus booklet and is promoting the Adopt-a-People program. She is planning to produce prayer cards for unreached peoples in Northern Nigeria, and design a map showing the location to promote their adoption for prayer.
In Argentina, Samuel Libert has gathered information on people groups within the major cities and has received cooperation from various government and secular agencies. In August a National Consultation is being planned for approximately 150-200 church and agency representatives.
Some have published People Profiles on all the scheduled castes of India and has nearly completed a linguistic survey. This year he plans to produce profiles on the top 50 mega groups and publish it on the Internet.
The network coordinator for Canada, Anne Jamieson, reports that the initial meeting of the Canadian UPN, held in Toronto, was composed of key mission and church leaders. In the remainder of this year she is seeking for student representa-tion in each of the universities and Bible schools in Canada.
From Australia, Jacob Lee reports YWAM�s completion of 330 Unreached People Profiles and the publication of "China�s 55 Ethnic Minorities." Work will continue on the Altai peoples research and upgrading the People Profiles.
Patrick Johnstone and John Robb have just finished updating the network purpose and goals for the new AD2000 handbook due to be published later this year. Please look over the material which follows and give us any comments or suggestions you may have as to how the network can better serve you and contribute towards the goal of "a church for every people."
INTRODUCTION: The Unreached Peoples Resource Network comprises approximately 600-700 Christian workers in over 100 countries and focuses its efforts on mobilizing God�s people to give prayer and ministry priority to peoples without a viable Christian movement.
The Unreached Peoples Resource Network is an association of Christian leaders committed to the goal of a church for every people by the year 2000 by reaching the unreached peoples of the world. In each country where it exists, (in approximately 100 countries as of June 1996) the Unreached People Network is made up of:
Purpose: To mobilize God�s people to give ministry priority through prayer, church planting and other ministries to those peoples without a viable Christian movement.
Goals:
Purpose: To encourage existing or form new cooperative ministry task forces and prayer networks for the Joshua Project 2000 peoples. [The Joshua Project 2000 peoples are a selected list of 1739 unreached peoples. This list represents all known, country-distinct ethnolinguistic peoples having populations of more than 10,000 individuals that are, with few exceptions, less than 2% evangelical and 5% Christian.]
Goals
For more information write to:
AD2000 Unreached Peoples Resource Network
800 West Chestnut Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016-3198,
PHONE: 818 301 7713;
FAX: 818 301 7786;
E-MAIL: [email protected].
Steven Bufton reports from Zaire that 60,000 local churches with a total of approximately 15 million Christians are praying everyday of the week for the unreached peoples of the world.
Recent reports from the Middle East indicate how the AD2000 ministry is making some progress in this very strategic part of the 10/40 Window. Some churches and Christian organizations are working together in teams to fulfill the vision of AD2000 and the Joshua Project.
Opportunities for proclaiming the gospel are now available through self-help projects, childcare centers, summer youth camps and Bible studies, which are geared specifically to meet the felt-needs of children, young people and women (50% of those living in the region are under 15 years of age).
One regional coordinator recognizes the need for cooperative strategies across the region to meet the requirements of ethnic and cultural differences in a significant part of the world. Plans are in the early stage for a strategy meeting to be held which will bring together coordinators from across the Middle East to ensure that the vision of AD2000 is achieved.
July 7, 1996, has been set aside in South Africa as a day of prayer for Repentance and Reconciliation. Plans are being made to get 10 people from every one of 77 towns and villages to come together in one of two locations to repent for the sins of their nation towards God and one another. Pray for this event.
Mrs. Anne Jamieson has assumed the role of AD2000 Coordinator for all of Canada. In accepting the responsibility Mrs. Jamieson said: "I am mobilizing a team of men, women and students who have a proven record of passion for God, holiness, prayer for the unreached of Canada and the world.
I am considering a Missions Conference in the Toronto area with a total focus on the opportunities in the 10/40 Window to raise the level of consciousness of Christians in Canada."
Mrs. Jamieson has a background of thirty years of ministry in Canada with Faith Mission and organized six TV evangelistic crusades for 100 Huntley Street which broadcasts to 1.8 million people each week. She has chaired the women�s prayer team for the Billy Graham Crusade follow-up ministry.
Mrs. Jamieson spent a mission term in Brazil. She will continue to be the prayer coordinator for Student Conferences as well as heading the AD2000 Women�s Track for Canada.
Pray for Anne as she assumes her new role.
The AD2000 Training for Church Planting Movements Task Force has developed reproducible materials that can be contextualized by leaders who train pioneer church planters.
These materials can be effectively used to evangelize and raise up leaders from the harvest through an on-the-job training process. To receive these materials contact:
Robert E. Logan
Box 1354
Alta Loma, CA 91701
PHONE +1-909-989-3599
FAX +1-909-989-0288
E-MAIL at [email protected].
Patience Ahmed reports that in the 1960�s Christians delayed the evangelization of many people groups in Nigeria. Now many of them have been reached for Islam through the efforts of one zealous Muslim man. Bauchi is one of the states in northern Nigeria that could be rescued from Islam if Christians will rise up. There are 28 ethnic groups which are currently in the valley of decision to accept Islam.
A new 380-page book - Unmask the Giant - can be a valuable tool in reversing the rush toward Islam. One major obstacle remains. The cost for printing 2000 copies is $6000, but not enough money is available.
There are 60 people groups in different states of unreachedness in Bauchi, the highest number in any state in Nigeria. Already the state, through the efforts of Islamic evangelists, has seen a decrease in animist groups from 77 to 45. The rest have all turned to Islam.
If you know of anyone who could help financially with the publication of this strategic book, have them contact:
CAPRO Research Office
PO Box 6001
Jos, Nigeria
or
Andy Horlings
Old Kent Bank and Trust
1750 Leonard NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505.
From May 11-14, a seminar for fifty leaders of the church of southern Chad took place in Koumra, a province of Sarh.
The seminar program included methods for developing concepts which will move the AD2000 ministry forward among the high concentration of churches in southern Chad. Research in evangelism techniques, the establishing of a team that will coordinate practical research projects on unreached peoples in one of the five prefectures were given priority. Pasadena, CA. 91114, FAX 818-794-0477.
Bruce Heyworth of the Adopt-a-People program in New Zealand reports that due to conflicting dates the UPT Consultation planned for October/November 1996 for the South Pacific will be rescheduled. New dates will be announced later this year.
The South Pacific Region is still in the preliminary phase of organizing its ministry to unreached peoples.
Samoa Unio of the Peace Chapel Christian Fellowship has agreed to coordinate the Unreached Peoples Track for the Western Samoa Region.
Three new tools to assist AD2000 coordinators were released in May by DAWN Ministries, the Caleb Project and the William Carey Library.
Caleb Project has just issued a 70-page book entitled Prayer Journeys: A Leader�s How-To Manual. The cost for one copy is $12.00 plus shipping. Inquiries should be made to:
Caleb Project
10 W. Dry Creek Circle
Littleton, CO 80120-4413.
Another resource from Caleb is a manual for researching unreached peoples entitled Life-Changing Encounters developed to aid JP2000 teams.
Developing a Prayer Strategy is available from DAWN. It may be ordered for $8.00 (overseas) or $6.00 in the U.S from:
DAWN Ministries
7899 Lexington Drive, Suite 200-B
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Developing a Prayer Strategy, a 33-page prayer note-book is also available from DAWN Ministries through the address above. Cost in the U.S. is $6.00 or $8.00 for overseas shipment.
A new five video series (the first of two) from the Wm. Carey Library Scattered Sheep, the Minorities of Southwest China will be followed by nine videos on unreached peoples. Inquiries should be made to:
Wm. Carey Library
PO Box 40129
Pasadena, CA 91114,
FAX 818-794-0477.
Reconciliation Walk: Retracing the steps of the first crusaders hundreds of Christians, commissioned in Europe by Dr. Peter Wagner on Easter morning, have begun a three-year Reconciliation Walk. Pray for those who will seek by this means to ask forgiveness and seek reconciliation with Muslims and others who have been estranged for centuries. The walk will travel across Eastern Europe into Turkey and end in Jerusalem. Lynn Green, who is heading the Walk, believes this will be one of the most spiritually potent actions to take place in the 10/40 Window over the next three years.
Angola: From Pastor Ernesto Mungue comes a prayer request that the formation of intercessory groups will continue to grow; for wisdom for those intercessory groups dealing with field strategies, and for opportunities of outreach through the use of videos and films in Angola.
Jordanian/Israeli meeting: At the end of June, Jordanian church leaders and their families will be meeting with Jewish Messianic congregations and their leaders. Some of these leaders will be representing families displaced in 1948. Pray for the healing of long neglected wounds and that those who meet will be open to learn from one another and that the Jordanians will be made to feel welcome during their stay.
AD2000 UNREACHED PEOPLES NEWS
Editorial Team: John D. Robb and Jim Brown
World Vision International
800 West Chestnut Avenue
Monrovia, CA 91016-3198, USA
Telephone 818 301 7713
FAX 818 301 7786
E-MAIL: [email protected]
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