How to Rally Others for Those Yet to Receive a Witness

It is difficult to believe there are people groups in our world without access to the knowledge of Jesus. Many barriers keep followers of Jesus from sharing their testimonies. Politics, family traditions, national religion, and geography are examples. Perhaps, no one is aware of a particular people group existing in a remote area… or crowded city.

If this is true, who should seek out these hidden people? Who should go to the hard-to-reach communities? Jesus asked ordinary people to be his witnesses. What are some first steps any of us can take to reach out to difficult-to-access people groups? Six things come to mind.

6 Ways to Rally Others for Those Yet To Receive a Witness

1) Become aware and feel a burden.  In this way, we join the heart of Jesus. He “saw the crowds and had compassion on them.” He saw people “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt. 9:36). Thinking leads to a desire for action.

2) Our first action is prayer. Jesus instructed, “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” (Mt. 9:38). We may be the answer to this prayer! Pray for His kingdom to come to earth (Matt. 6:10) and reach every nation, tribe, people, and language (Rev 7:9). 

3)  Invite others to join in. Begin the conversation with other believers.  We need to multiply our efforts in God’s mission. Include others in praying to God, who can do more than we can ask or imagine (Eph 3:20). He will open doors that surprise us.  Together we envision who God is calling us to see.

4) Take inventory. Look around.  Are there immigrant workers in our city? Are there refugees who are fleeing a war or disaster? Are there people groups who have less access to the Gospel but live within 10-20 kilometers of our community?  Do not think, I need to get money, I must go to another country, I need professional training. Jesus’ disciples began with those who came to them from other nations (Acts 2:1-12).

5) Adopt a people group who may not have access to the gospel. Consider a group that God has already given you the ability to access. Later God may increase your territory (1Chron. 4:9-10). Who is God already placing on our hearts?  Who have we overlooked near us that God wants us to see? 

6) Gather knowledge about the people group you wish to adopt. Visit joshuaproject.net and peoplegroups.org to gather information about particular people groups. Are there marketplaces or important sites that an adopted people group frequents? Can we find some information about their histories from travelers?

A Group of Sudanese Believers Pray, Plan, and Go

More than a year ago, a group of Sudanese Christians became burdened. They learned there were still people groups in their country that had not heard about Jesus. They were from different cities and villages but this burden brought them together. Their prayers and passion knit their hearts together. 

Volunteers went to villages over several months. They asked questions, met, talked with village leaders, and made friends. When they returned, they reported three things. First, there were no Christian disciples in some remote places they visited. Second, the villages consisted of cultural Muslims. Third, there were more people groups in the region than outsiders had realized.

Their report led other Sudanese disciples to join in prayer. Together they sought God’s plan for people without access to the Gospel (unreached people). The disciples received some training, but no money to go and witness about Jesus. They were not sure what obstacles they would face. Some observers wondered if these disciples would be able to persevere.

The team of praying Sudanese followers of Jesus set out two-by-two on foot. They traveled to different village areas. Little did they know the many ways God was already going ahead of them. 

A man from the remote Tumtum people group had been having a recurring dream. In his dreams, he saw two Sudanese strangers with “a man in white.” When two disciples arrived at his village the Tumtum man exclaimed, “I know who you are! You are the two men in my dream!”

The two disciples introduced eighty villagers to “the man in white.” Members of a new people group became followers of Jesus.

Is there a people group without access to the good news of Jesus God asking you to dream about?