A global appeal on behalf of the more than 2 billion people around the world who have yet to hear the gospel is to ring out May 20 when supporters mark the Third Annual International Day for the Unreached (IDU, dayfortheunreached.org ).
The challenge for greater involvement in efforts to share the good news of Jesus is to be made from Focus on the Family’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., and live-streamed around the world from the organizing Alliance for the Unreached’s Facebook page (facebook.com/dayfortheunreached).
To be hosted by singer and American Idol finalist Phil Stacey, who will also perform, the 90-minute event will feature video reports from unreached missions workers around the world, updates from alliance leaders and a panel discussion about the unreached challenge. It will also be broadcast on media outlets in other countries, including parts of Kenya and Uganda.
The Alliance for the Unreached’s goal is to draw attention to the 2 billion-plus people around the world with no easy access to the gospel. Having shared their message with more than 11 million people last year through social media, a Facebook event and other avenues, organizers are hoping to double their audience this year.
The son and grandson of preachers, Stacey has traveled abroad in support of missions, including a 2017 trip to Ghana to see firsthand some of the work of alliance member Reach Beyond.
“It’s an honor to join this group to celebrate the International Day for the Unreached,” he said of his part in the May 20 event. “If we believe the Scriptures to be true, we must concede that reaching the unreached is paramount to the mission Christ has given us. If we believe that Jesus is the hope of the world, it must become our highest priority as a church.”
Alliance members are “delighted that Focus has joined the effort to publicize the Day for the Unreached,” said Reach Beyond’s Jon Fugler, the event chairman. “Not only are they making their facilities available for the live event, but they are lending their expertise for the live streaming of the event across the Internet.”
IDU is being celebrated on May 20 because it is Pentecost Sunday—the day when the Holy Spirit fell upon the early church, empowering members to take the Good News to the ends of the earth.
As part of its campaign, the Alliance for the Unreached is urging reclamation of the real meaning of the word “unreached,” which it says has been diluted and so lost its impact. Unreached peoples are not just all non-Christians, members emphasize, but rather those who have yet had no access to the gospel because of political or religious barriers, geographical location, or simple neglect.
“The ‘unreached’ are those who have not yet had the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel,” said Fugler. “We’re not talking about our friends, family, neighbors or co-workers who may not be Christians. These people are not unreached, because they have us. The truly unreached live in places where no one is there to tell them about Jesus.”
Colorado Springs-area residents can participate as audience members for the live event, which will be held from 6:00-7:30 pm at Focus on the Family’s headquarters, 8605 Explorer Drive in north Colorado Springs. Free tickets are available at.dayfortheunreached.live.
The IDU alliance is composed of Bibles For The World, Frontier Ventures, The Joshua Project, Missio Nexus, OM-USA (Operation Mobilization), Mission Network News, Partners International, Reach Beyond, William Carey International University, World Mission, ZimZam Global and InChrist Communications.
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