GETTING TO THE CORE OF THE CORE
The core of the people of our world not reached with the good news about Jesus Christ live in an imaginary rectangular window, which extends from West Africa to East Asia. This area extends from ten degrees north to forty degrees north of the equator and has become known as the 10/40 window.
This specific region contains billions of souls who have not heard the Christian message. If we are serious in our commitment to provide a valid opportunity for every person to experience the truth and saving power of Jesus Christ, we cannot ignore the compelling realities within this region.
The 10/40 Window confronts us with several important considerations:
- The historical and Biblical significance.
- It contains the least discipled countries in the world
- A large proportion of the world’s poor
- The least-discipled mega cities
- Strongholds of Satan
1. The historical and Biblical significance.
In this area so many biblical events took place:
- Adam and Eve
- The tower of Babel
- Noah’s ark
2. It contains the least discipled Christians in the world.
In this area, Christians have a minimal knowledge of the Gospel and little opportunity to respond and grow in their faith.
Facts:
- Nearly two-thirds of the world's people live there with a total population near to 4 billion.
- This area constitutes one-third of earth's total land area and 61 countries are wholly or partly included.
- Of the 50 least-discipled countries, 37 are within this region.
- These 37 countries comprise 95% of the total population.
- It contains 700 million Hindus
- It contains 800 million Muslims
We want to share the liberating truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We want Christians to firmly know that the Son of God died and was resurrected in order that every person who believes in Him will be saved.
Over 2 billion people in India and China:
India is a nation that is overwhelmed with poverty and ravaged by disease. Here, fattened cows roam freely among emaciated humans. There is a huge need for Christians to be infused with Biblical truth and Holy Spirit power so that they can proclaim that Jesus came to give us life, and give it abundantly.
China, although officially an atheistic country since the Marxist revolution of the late 1940s, is nevertheless influenced deeply by its Buddhist roots. In actuality, religion in China is a mixture that includes folklore, mysticism, animism, and occult practices. Among the 1.2 billion Chinese, many have heard and responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ but they are in desperate need of being discipled.
3. A large proportion of the world’s poor.
Of the poorest of the poor, more than eight out of ten live in the 10/40 Window. On average, they each exist on less than $10 per week. Although 2.4 billion of these people live within the 10/40 Window, only 8% of all missionaries work among them. It is said that “the poor are the lost, and the lost are the poor” because the majority of the undiscipled people live in the poorest countries of the world. The law, the prophets, the wisdom books, and the teaching and ministry of Jesus all stress God's concern for the materially poor and our consequent duty to defend and care for them.
4. The least-discipled Mega Cities
Mega cities are those that have a population of over 10 million and many are found in the 10/40 window region. This fact alone underscores the need for prioritizing our efforts to reach each of these great metroplexes with Christ's love and truth.
5. Satan’s 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. 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. 2 Corinthians 4:4
Jesus has given us power to intervene. In 2 Corinthians 10: 3-4: Paul says: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. George Otis, Jr., has concluded that two powerful demonic forces, with great biblical significance, stand at the epicenter of the unreached world - the prince of Persia (Iran) and the spirit of Babylon (Iraq) - and both must be penetrated with the gospel before the Great Commission can be completed.
We must find the most innovative ways to reach billions of people within the 10/40 Window with the love and truth of Jesus Christ and this we are doing using modern technologies such as satellite and internet.