Important milestone achieved towards finishing the Great Commission and reaching the Unreached Peoples: Finishing the Task 2018

Aliso Viejo, CA:  Finishing the Task (FTT) and The Issachar Initiative are delighted to report the achievement of a major milestone in the effort to fulfill Jesus’ command to “make disciples of every nation.”  At this year’s Finishing the Task Conference, every remaining known unengaged, unreached people group (UUPG) was adopted for gospel engagement in the coming two years.  A UUPG is a group of people without a single known worker doing evangelism and church planting in their people groups.  In many cases UUPGs don’t have a single believer and have never had an opportunity to hear about Christ’s love and forgiveness.  

The conference started by presenting 343 UUPGs to those in attendance.  Leaders asked the over 600 missionaries, strategists and pastors in attendance to “roll up their sleeves” and spend the week praying, planning and working to get laborers to each of the 343 UUPGs on the FTT list.  “It’s time for the Church to stop debating the Bible and start doing it,” said Rick Warren of Saddleback Church.  The mood in the room was one of action and urgency.

When final commitments were made, organizations and churches far exceeded the faith goals for the conference.  In all, 603 unique people group adoptions were indicated. Many UUPGs were adopted twice, three times and even four times, increasing the likelihood of the people group receiving a team of missionaries soon, or even multiple teams of missionaries.

Those in attendance also experienced many moments of Spirit-filled unity.  All-together 280 different organizations attended FTT, each coming in a spirit of cooperation and partnership for the greater glory of Christ.  Perhaps the best illustration of this was when a young 30-something missionary from East Asia came to the microphone and said “I’m only one man.  I don’t lead hardly anyone compared to most in the room.  But I would like to adopt all the remaining people groups in my country if you will help me.”  Four mission agencies followed this young man’s faith and approached him to partner together to see every group in that country reached.  The young man and the four agencies stayed overtime at the conference to continue praying and strategizing together.

Perhaps it was the increased focus on prayer and repentance that led to this unity.  Within two hours of the event kicking off attendees spent an entire session praying through the Lord’s prayer together.  “Who have you harmed?  Who do you need to forgive?  What needs to be made right in your heart today?” the prayer leader asked.  On the second day of the conference attendees removed shoes and walked on a near football field-sized map of the world to pray for every person in every nation.  In some instances, pools of tears were seen on the map as God led people to cry out for those who’ve never heard of Jesus in their land.            

The body of Christ will now take the next steps in the work; that of recruiting, training and sending nearby workers into these 343 people groups.  The commitments of these first missionaries will begin the process of making disciples in those people groups, thus hastening the day when the Apostle John’s vision of “a great number of people” “from every nation, tribe, people and language of the earth” “standing before the throne” of God is finally realized.”

Dusty Hoffman This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For more information on the Finishing the Task effort, seewww.FinishingtheTask.com

Please note: There are still over 5000 Unreached People Groups that are less than 5% Christian and a hard core group of about 4700 of these that are less than 0.1% Christian (one believer per thousand) that need our prayer and attention in mission outreach. Please pray for the efforts of the FTT coalition of mission agencies and also that all the remaining UPGs will be adopted for prayer and mission engagement.