10/40 Window

The 10/40 Window is a region of land roughly between the 10th and 40th latitudes where there is little Christian influence, and a lot of the world's population.

"Approximately 4.75 billion individuals residing in an estimated 8,463 distinct people groups are in the revised 10/40 Window.  5,915 (62.5 %) of these people groups are considered unreached and have a population of 2.91 billion (61.3 %). The 10/40 Window is home to some of the largest unreached people groups in the world such as the Shaikh, Yadava, Turks, Moroccan Arabs, Pashtun, Jat and Burmese." Joshua Project

Let's put a spotlight on the 10/40 window. Half of the worlds population is in the 10/40 window, but it contains only 1% Christian influence. Of every dollar donated by Christians, you could take a penny and cut it into 100 slivers. Only 7 of those slivers go for the unreached. Counting up church workers, including preachers, youth pastors, etc., there is one missionary working among the unreached people of the world compared to 140 (yes, one hundred and forty) serving the people who have heard the gospel over and over again. Why is this the case since the Gospel commission is to go into ALL the world?

Why is it so completely hard to penetrate these areas with the precious truths of the Gospel? “The 10/40 Window includes numerous spiritual strongholds. The billions of people who live in the 10/40 Window have suffered not only the ravages of poverty and disease, they have also been kept from the transforming power of the Gospel. They are poignant examples of the truth expressed in 2 Corinthians 4:4, which states that ‘the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’” Joshua Project

It is hard. The 10/40 window people have not been neglected because the spread of the Gospel is easy. This vast area of the world has been blinded to the Gospel because there are powerful forces at work to keep it in darkness, poverty, pain, war, suffering and disease. I don't think the ultimate answer is found in foreigners like us coming over for a short trip. The work in these areas likely needs to be locals who have seen the beauty and kindness of Jesus who will spread that love to their fellow peoples. We realize in this respect, we are not even the "match". But a spark is what we pray for in the 10/40 Window.

But if we could help show the need, through video and photography then perhaps we could help fan a smoldering wick to flame. Perhaps we could assist ASAP Ministries in the support of local workers to then reach out to their own people groups. Perhaps we can share some of our heart with these lands, and then as we return, we keep them in more fervent prayer that God will send forth laborers into His harvest.

Pray with us for a spark.