An Upside-Down World

You may have noticed over the last few months a growing emphasis here on the least-reached people groups of the world. That emphasis is deliberate. Jesus’ mandate was very clear: We are to make disciples of all people groups.

It is important, though, to also see the bigger context of what is happening around the world. Christianity Today recently had an article entitled “An Upside-Down World.” Here is how it begins:

The map of global Christianity that our grandparents knew has been turned upside down. At the start of the 20^th century, only ten percent of the world’s Christians lived in the continents of the south and east. Ninety percent lived in North America and Europe, along with Australia and New Zealand. But at the start of the 21^st century, at least 70 percent of the world’s Christians lived in the non-Western world—more appropriately called the majority world.

This fact has a crucial implication: Missions is becoming multidirectional—again! This was true in the book of Acts, and is true today. We are not alone in sending out missionaries. India is now the second largest contributor of Protestant cross-cultural missionaries. (The United States is the largest). There are now more Korean missionaries than British.

With this shift, our role needs to change. We must not see ourselves in terms of “senders” and other countries as the “receivers.” That is why I like the term “kingdom partners”—because that is what we are! Whether it is in the Czech Republic or Uganda, Asia or Nebraska, we have the privilege to come alongside churches and individuals and partner with them in making disciples of all who have not heard the Gospel message.

God is at work in and through churches around the world. The need for us to partner with them is not less—it is greater than ever! So prayerfully consider what role you can play as a Kingdom Partner today.

(You can read the Christianity Today article by going to www.christianitytoday.com/40514.)

(Globe image from www.mapability.com)