When Jesus commanded His followers to “make disciples of all nations” in Matthew 28:19, He was not referring to political nations. The word Jesus used for nations in Greek is “ethne,” from which we get the English word “ethnic.” Jesus commanded us to make disciples from every ethnic people group. In Matthew 24:14, He said, "And this Gospel will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." Until we accomplish this, the task is unfinished.
Reach Beyond is committed to helping the global Church to make disciples among unreached people groups (UPGs). These are cultures and locations where Jesus Christ is largely unknown, and the church is relatively insufficient to make Him known in its broader population without outside help.
According to Joshua Project, there are still 7,000 UPGs, making up over 40 percent of the world’s population. The map below shows where the unreached are primarily located, but we also know we have the opportunity to reach displaced people groups in our own countries.
We want unreached people everywhere to hear about Jesus, see Him in action and learn how to follow Him. Because of our strengths in media, Reach Beyond has prayerfully decided to prioritize the 1900 largest unreached people groups of 100,000 or more in population.
Weekly UPG Prayer Focus
Country: India | Population: 602,000 | Language: Hindi | Main Religion: Hinduism | Evangelical: Unknown
The Baiga people are part of the larger linguistically-linked group known as Romani. They have maintained a mystical lifestyle that keeps them somewhat socially separate from their surrounding communities. They have high moral standards, and many incorporate folk beliefs into their Hindu practices. Most live in poverty, and an unsanitary lifestyle has created many physical needs among them. The quality of health care, nutrition, and education is poor. Most children do not attend school because their families are always on the move. Pray that the Baiga would want to be part of God’s family and choose to follow Him.
Country: Nigeria | Population: 34.8 million | Language: Hausa | Main Religion: Islam | Evangelical: 0.1%
The Hausa are the largest ethnic group in West Africa and are very influential politically and culturally. The Hausa have been doing long-distance trading throughout Africa and the Middle East for many centuries. As a result, Islam was introduced to the tribe sometime prior to the 16th century. Hausa culture is very strongly tied to Islam which makes it difficult for them to be reached with the Gospel. These deep religious ties have also led to intense persecution of Hausa believers. Pray that God would encourage and protect the Hausa believers. Ask God to send Christians to share His Good News with the Hausa in Nigeria. Pray that God would establish a vibrant and thriving Hausa church.
Country: Bangladesh | Population: 2,805,000 | Language: Bengali | Main Religion: Hinduism | Evangelical: 0.1-2.0%
The majority of Namassej are day laborers, while others work as rickshaw-pullers or poultry farmers. They are hard-working people who are very lively, enthusiastic, and conscious of their own identity. Their literacy rate is low, though it has improved in recent years. The Namassej are practicing Hindus who primarily worship Laksmi and Parameshwar. Pray that the Namassej would value education and send their children to school. Pray for the Good News of Jesus to reach their communities through radio, films, and recordings. Pray that they would truly come to know who Jesus is and follow Him fully.
Country: Chad | Population: 1,051,000 | Language: Kanembu | Main Religion: Islam | Evangelical: 0.0-0.1%
The Kanembu live in the arid desert region of northwest Chad and were once the most powerful tribe in central North Africa. The king converted to Islam in the 1200s and then conquered and converted many neighboring tribes. The dynasty went into decline in the 1500s and ended with the arrival of the French in the 1900s. However, there are still sultans and traditional rulers who hold more power and influence than government officials. The majority of Kanembu are farmers, while many others work at salt mines. Most are illiterate, or may only read and write the Arabic that they learn in Islamic schools. Kanembu is not yet a written language. Pray that God would take away the stony hearts of the Kanembu and give them new hearts and a new spirit in them. Pray that God would call workers to come live among the Kanembu in Chad. Pray that the Kanembu would choose to walk with Jesus and then share their new faith with other tribes.
See more Weekly Featured Unreached People Groups: Alphabetical List or By Date
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