We celebrate all that Jesus has done through this gap—we were overwhelmed by the response as more than 400 people from around the world signed up to participate in our afternoon collaborate! We are extremely grateful to our facilitators, affinity hosts, and the volunteers from our steering team who brought their expertise and served everyone so humbly and in unity. We included our whole team in our daily presentations and prayers, and so there was an atmosphere of collaborative team leadership, diversity of viewpoints, spontaneous sharings, and camaraderie. Many people during and after the Congress thanked us for both relaunching the Least Reached Peoples Issue Network and for facilitating this time. We thank Jesus for the many God-stories of divine appointments and conversations. Below are some of the key themes that emerged from our gap.
- Mary Ho and Zazá Lima, Least Reached Peoples Gap Content Specialists and Co-Catalysts
Listening to the Current Reality
The mission of the Church to reach the unreached is vast but not impossible. Through prayer, humility, contextualization, and collaboration, the global Church can advance God’s Kingdom in ways that honor both Him and the people we seek to reach. By listening to the Holy Spirit, remaining flexible, and focusing on loving all peoples, we can empower local leaders, address physical and spiritual needs, and bring the gospel to the nations. Ultimately, the whole Church must take the whole gospel to the whole world, with the Holy Spirit leading the way.
The call to kingdom-minded missions recognises the following needs:
- The Need for Prayer and Humility
Prayer is foundational in mission work. It is through prayer that we mobilize, break spiritual bonds in hard places, and find people of peace. Prayer is essential work in regions where persecution is rampant or where governments create political barriers.
Equally important is the posture of humility (James 4:6-7). Missionaries and organizations must repent of attitudes of pride, where we have presumed to have all the answers. Instead, we should approach mission work with a heart of learning, seeking to understand the unique challenges faced by those we aim to reach. This humility opens doors to relationships with people of peace and facilitates opportunities for the gospel to be shared in culturally appropriate ways. A brother from Brazil shared that he was deeply encouraged by our gap’s respectful and caring atmosphere, and how we embraced the reality of the least reached people in a humble way—acknowledging our dependence on God. - The Holy Spirit as Strategist
Relying on our own wisdom or strategies is not enough. The Holy Spirit must be our Strategist. No matter where we go, God is already at work. So, we must be sensitive to His leading rather than imposing our own strategies. The Holy Spirit often leads innovation in unexpected ways, so we must be humble and flexible to obey how He leads us. - Be Like Loving Servants
Gospel workers must address both the spiritual and physical needs of communities. Without meeting people’s physical (hunger, illness) and mental needs (trauma, anxiety), evangelism efforts are less effective. Genuine, long-term relationships must be built to demonstrate Christ’s love in tangible ways. We must be humble enough to let our “effective” strategies crumble, as Christ often accomplishes His mission through our brokenness, failures, and sacrifices.
Tentmaking also remains an effective strategy for serving a community and making disciples, particularly in hostile places where persecution is common. Tentmaking and business for (church) movements bring blessings to both local communities and support the gospel workers themselves, which helps bridge the divide between a community’s physical and spiritual needs. - Contextualization and Collaboration
Contextualization is key in missions. The gospel must be shared in ways that resonate with the cultural context of the people we are reaching. Scripture must be translated and shared in a way that brings about understanding and not confusion. As the Church, we must face our history of forced cultural conversions that have come alongside sincere evangelism efforts that have led to the distrust of Christians among many unreached peoples. There is a felt need to repent of the Western models of church that have harmed rather than helped individuals know Jesus. Therefore, we see it as essential to move forward as the Global Church with a non-Western approach to missions, where we empower cultural insiders to determine how best to follow and worship Christ in their contexts.
For Christ to be worshipped by every people, greater cooperation is needed within the Church on both a small and large scale. “Outsiders” must come alongside local workers as learners and partners, equipping them to lead the discipleship movement. Mission organizations must also work together despite theological disagreements or lack of a shared language. Churches and para-church organizations must not gate-keep information or strive to make a name for themselves but instead have open hands with each other by sharing the best of our resources and training. As the Global Body of Christ, we must embrace a global vision that transcends socio-economic, racial, and generational divisions if we are to see the same type of Christ-like unity develop in the places we are trying to impact. - Reawakening the Church
The Church today must reawaken to the call of global missions. Too often, the Church focuses inwardly on its own needs, weakening its mission, but when the Church focuses on the needs of the lost, the church becomes stronger. The Church must be roused from its comfort zone to send more workers to the unreached. And it must recognize the unreached on her doorstep—refugees, international students, and others who have come to it.
Imagining a Preferred Reality
If the global Church became united in its mission to take the gospel to the unreached, the result would be a global movement that impacts both the spiritual and physical lives of people, advancing God’s Kingdom in every corner of the earth. Together, we could break down barriers of language, culture, and geography, ensuring that the gospel reaches every people group.
The whole Church taking the whole gospel to the whole world is imagined as:
- The Gospel for Every Person and Community: By prioritizing the unreached, the Church could ensure that the gospel is translated into every known language, creating resources for both evangelism and discipleship. The gospel would be shared with a deep respect for the dignity of each person as a unique, God-made individual. Additionally, every believer would recognize their personal responsibility in taking the gospel to others. The mission would no longer be the task of a select few but a shared calling for all, with each new generation embracing its role in spreading the gospel.
- Disciple-Making Churches for Every People and Place: A truly collaborative approach would result in the establishment of disciple-making churches in every people group and location. These churches would be fueled by prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit, with new, culturally relevant worship expressions emerging as people from diverse backgrounds come to Christ. Local believers would plant and lead house churches, contextualizing the gospel in ways that speak directly to their communities. The Church would also understand that the Great Commission is a collective responsibility, not just the work of missionaries. Every congregation would view itself as part of the global mission to reach the unreached.
- Christ-Like Leaders in Every Church and Sector: Leaders would focus on equipping and sending their congregations, empowering believers to actively participate in the Great Commission. Leaders would shift from focusing on maintaining power to empowering others, creating movements of discipleship that extend far beyond the walls of their churches and organizations. This would promote unity rather than competition among churches and denominations, as they collaborate toward the common goal of reaching the unreached. Leadership would become less about individual prominence and more about empowering others to take on roles of responsibility, with leaders making themselves dispensable.
- Kingdom Impact in Every Sphere of Society: God’s Kingdom would influence every sphere of society—business, politics, education, media, and more. Believers, whether teachers, doctors, engineers, or entrepreneurs, would see their everyday work as part of their ministry. Christians would create shifts toward Kingdom values within their individual spheres of influence.
Creating a Way to Close the Gap
To ensure that the gospel reaches every people, the global Church must take intentional and strategic steps to embrace radical collaboration, pursue community transformation, leverage modern technology, and prioritize prayer and praise. By focusing on these things, we will build global unity, overcome obstacles, and mobilize every believer.
Ways to make the gospel accessible to every people include:
- The Radical Collaboration and Sharing Information
Radical collaboration is key to overcoming the silos in current mission efforts. Denominational and cultural differences should be set aside for the shared vision of seeing all peoples worship Jesus.
Partnership should replace competition, with church and para-church organizations recognizing that their collective efforts will accomplish more than isolated work. When we share our time, information, resources, wisdom, and treasures with each other, we can create greater church multiplication movements.
By celebrating each other’s strengths and encouraging one another (Heb 10:24-25), we can create a culture of collaboration where the global mission takes priority. We must build on the successes of former unreached groups who are now sending missionaries and continue to raise local leaders. Encouraging radical unity and a “we need you” mentality will strengthen our effectiveness and our testimony (John 17:20-21). - Community Transformation
A gospel-centered mission is about holistic transformation. Churches and believers must address the physical and emotional needs alongside the spiritual needs of communities. Serving the poor, widows, orphans, and marginalized demonstrates the love of Christ within a community. In some regions, believers can also serve the sojourners or refugees within their communities. We can create lasting change in places of brokenness through offering medical care, agricultural knowledge, and political advocacy. We can establish Kingdom-focused businesses that create jobs while making disciples. Christians in every sector (politics, media, education, etc.) can use their influence to create cultural shifts toward justice, peace, and unity. - Mobilization
Resources should be sacrificially committed to missions, focusing on developing self-sustaining, local movements that do not rely on outside financial aid. Churches throughout both the Global South and the Global North must teach and emphasize the biblical basis of missions, helping each believer recognize his or her unique role in the Great Commission. This local ownership will ensure long-term sustainability and deeper engagement with the mission.
Churches should send and care for workers that they send, or partner with other ministries to provide member care and training. Training should be done in one’s heart language and be easily reproducible so that disciple-makers can teach their disciples. Important training topics include biblical literacy, disciple-making, and building cultural competence. Security and resilience training will also help workers persevere during hardship and persecution. - Leveraging Modern Technology
Technology is a powerful tool in modern missions. Platforms such as Zoom, WhatsApp, and Signal allow for digital training and discipleship. AI-driven Bible translations can help bridge language barriers between two people and quicken Scripture translation. We can establish digital prayer networks, gatherings, meetings, and other means of connecting with the Global Body for learning, growth, and fellowship. - Focus on Prayer and Praise
A commitment to prayer is central to all these efforts. Prayer, fasting, and praise should be the core components of every mission strategy. The Church must pray for workers, for unity in the mission, and for the gospel to reach the unreached. Intercessory prayer is especially important, asking God to open hearts and overcome spiritual, physical, and political obstacles. A sister from Ivory Coast said that to be at the same table sharing and praying with people from countries that her church has been praying for for decades was a sign of God’s love and faithfulness!
Communicating a Prayerful Proposal
The desire to expand God’s Kingdom is stronger than ever. (Participants in the collaborate discussion were energised and motivated—eager to brainstorm actionable plans. There was an awesome moment when a woman whose heart was passionate about reaching Tunisians came into the room and was able to sit next to the only pastor from Tunisia at the Congress!) Relevant conversations for mission advancement called for:
- Interdependent, Global, and Multi-Generational Collaborate Teams: There is a need for interdependence (1 Cor 12:12-27). The challenges of reaching the least reached require a unified, strategic approach; diverse groups of leaders from multiple organizations must come together to form strong, global collaborative teams (or CATS). Cross-cultural collaboration must be rooted in respect, avoiding ethnocentrism or domination. True global collaboration in mission requires building relationships of trust and understanding. The Church must empower one another—listening to diverse perspectives and creating a shared mission that transcends cultural boundaries. By integrating the wisdom of older generations with the energy and creativity of younger ones, we ensure a more resilient and effective mission strategy. Effective global partnership in mission work means prioritizing mutual learning, freely sharing our information and ideas, co-leading training, and forming teams. Essential is the inclusion of indigenous movements and local leaders in the areas we hope to reach. By working together, we can use all available resources to overcome barriers hindering the spread of the gospel while living out the testimony of a Kingdom mindset.
- Recommit to Bible Translation and Training: Bible translation is a vital part of missions that needs more collaborative teams. Reaching the least-reached means providing access to Scripture in their heart language. We must invest in translation efforts, training, and consulting to ensure no language group is left behind. Bible translation is foundational for discipleship and the long-term growth of the Church in every culture. We should leverage technology and AI for greater access to oral and written translations.
- Mobilize the 99%: The Church must reframe its understanding of ministry and evangelism. Evangelism is not just for a select few; it is God’s plan for all believers. Training congregations to see ministry as a natural expression of service empowers the 99% of Christians to live out the gospel in their daily lives and workplaces. When church members understand that mission is not just for the “heroic” but for everyone, we mobilize the whole Church to take the whole gospel to the whole world.
- Partner with Marketplace Ministries: Traditional mission organizations must partner with marketplace ministries. The marketplace is essential for equipping individuals with practical skills and providing access to unreached people groups. For example, business for (church) movements is a practical approach that empowers both cross-cultural and indigenous workers. Using job-placement agencies can also create opportunities for workers to go to the unreached with the ability to support themselves and minister to their co-workers and customers.
- Celebrate God’s Power and Grace in Hardship: Often, we hear the brilliant “success stories” from mission organizations. Our tendency is only to celebrate the growing number of churches, converts, and baptisms in the areas in which we work. However, God often works through our failures, brokenness, and sacrifices. As a sister from Pakistan said, suffering is a way to identify ourselves with Jesus. For her, to be together with everyone in our gap was a deep sign of God’s love and care and a reminder when we suffer for Christ that we are not suffering alone! Humility allows us to witness God’s power at work, even amidst persecution, when our plans fail, and when there is no “fruit” we can perceive. Our prayer is that mission teams and CATs will keep the focus on Jesus’ power to transform lives and restoration, as well as celebrate God’s sufficient grace that covers the shortcomings in our strategies and motives.
Addendum to Imagining a Preferred Reality
The Ambiguous by Patrick Brittendon
One thing that I’m still struggling with is how important ‘efficiency’ is in the mission endeavour of the church. The words ‘efficient’ and ‘effective’ were used liberally throughout the Congress in the context of using and embracing technology. There’s no doubt that the Bible calls us to be good (faithful) stewards of all the resources the Lord gives us and that there is SO much waste, duplication, even incompetence and of course sadly, competition in so many of our mission endeavors. However, where does ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’ actually sit in the Christ-like virtues of scripture? After all, Jesus’ choice of his motley crew of twelve disciples doesn’t seem very efficient or effective to me? And isn’t so often the case with how His mission is accomplished… through brokenness, failure, powerlessness and sacrifice?
It was in this context of my internal wrestling with this tension and prompted to engage more constructively with technology (especially AI), that on the first evening I wrote this poem (The Five Loaves and Two Fish) exploring that tension.
“Five Loaves and Two Fish”
They say the mission’s too great,
The world is vast, the hour too late.
But I see hands stretched wide, open hearts, Not broken walls, but brand-new starts.
Church, we’ve been called, you and I, To reach the corners where shadows lie, Not with towers of strength or perfect plans, But with the offering of humble hands
Like the boy with five loaves, two fish— Small in size, but great in wish— He didn’t know how it would multiply, But he trusted the hands that reached to the sky.
And in those hands, Jesus breaks the bread, Feeds the hungry, where hearts are led. He reveals Himself to those who seek, To the lost, the weary, the wandering meek
Yes, we’ll need our skills, our minds, our means, Our strategies, teams, and organizational schemes. But don’t mistake them as the key to the door, For the power that moves is something more.
It’s not innovation that sets hearts free, But faith in the God of eternity. Yet still, we bring all that we know, Trusting He’ll breathe life into what we sow.
The whole church, to the whole world—He calls, Across borders and lines, breaking walls. A gospel for every tribe, every tongue, A song of redemption, yet to be sung.
A united body, from all generations, Bridging cultures and professions, nations. Elevating Christ in unity’s might,
As one, we reflect His glorious light. It’s not about riches, or the biggest nest, But each soul offering up their best. God’s strategy, it’s not ours to see,
It’s not about riches, or the biggest nest, But each soul offering up their best. God’s strategy, it’s not ours to see, He asks us to give, and trust faithfully.
Because five loaves can feed a multitude, Two fish can change the world’s attitude. When hands unite, when faith takes flight, The least reached will be reached tonight.
So bring what you have, your voice, your song, Your heart’s small gift won’t steer you wrong. In a world connected, heart to heart,
Together, we can do our part.
The whole church, with the whole gospel in hand, To reach every soul, in every land.
Acknowledgements
Content Specialists & Co-Catlaysts
Mary Ho (All Nations International), Zazá Lima (PMI, COMIBAM)
Facilitators
Pastor Joel Kubwimana, Daniel Kyungu Tchikala, Clara Litzsinger
Affinity Hosts
Dan Sered, Sarah B., Sam Cho, Jesselyn Ng, Melody W.
Steering Team Volunteers
John Becker (AIM), Dave Datema (Frontier Ventures), Andres Abraham Duncan (Frontiers), Pat Brittenden (Hikma Partnership), Andres Abraham Duncan (Frontiers), Allan Matamoros (Vision 5:9), Peter Oyugi (Movement for African National Initiatives), Erwin Waelchli (Frontiers)
Authors
Mary Ho | mho@allnations.international
Mary is the international Executive Leader of All Nations, a global Christian missions organization with workers making disciples and planting churches in 45 countries. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, co-leading a three-year doctoral program on ‘Mission, Development and Leadership in the Global Christian Context’. She received her Doctor of Strategic Leadership degree from Regent University in Virginia (US), in 2016.
Zazá Lima | zaza@psmail.net
Zazá is a Theologian and Psychologist who has been involved in church planting, discipleship, and community transformational development for the past 30 years in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. She currently serves on the Steering Group of the Hikma Partnership and holds leadership positions within different organizations, such as COMIBAM and PMI, as well as serving on various mission boards and networks.
Clara Litzsinger | clitzsinger@allnations.international
Clara works at All Nations International and has a dual role of Executive Assistant and serving on the Global Support Team. Involved with Perspectives for the World Christian Movement, she is passionate about inspiring others to engage in mission work. She enjoys traveling to collaborate with the Global Church to share ideas and experiences.