We are thrilled to announce that our new operations directors just joined Within Reach Global! But before we get into the details of their story, let’s back up a bit.
In October, we will celebrate ten years of God’s faithfulness through the ministry of Within Reach Global.
We have shared the Gospel with thousands of unreached peoples, seen hundreds of salvations and baptisms, discipled new believers, planted over 25 churches, and established eight outreach centers.
All this, God accomplished through weak and unassuming vessels—the founders and missionaries serving in foreign fields.
But when we look out at the ripe fields encompassing the homes of unreached and unengaged people groups, our hearts burn for more to come to salvation.
Why has the global Church so overlooked nearly three billion people, unwilling to share God’s grace and glory with those on the fringes of our evangelistic efforts?
The answers are, of course, nebulous. But we confidently contest that the unfinished task is merely a matter of priorities.
Did you know…
- Christians gave $677 billion (96.8% of total Christian giving) to pastoral ministries (mostly in Christian nations);
- $20.3 billion (2.9%) went to “home missions” in the same Christian nations;
- $2.1 billion (.3%) went to the unevangelized non-Christian world (this is different than “unreached”);
- An estimated $450 million was designated toward unreached peoples.
What do these statistics mean in real time? The $450 million given to missions among unreached peoples—only 1% of total Christian giving—went to ministry among unreached people groups. That is only .001% of the $42 trillion income of Christians. Better stated:
For every $100,000 that Christians make, they give $1 to the unreached.
(To see more statistics regarding the missions and the unreached, Check out The Traveling Team here.)
These staggering numbers are overwhelming. Our heart in sharing this reality with you is to inform you that the Church’s misplaced priorities are evident in these statistics. If we genuinely desire to see the return of Christ, we will turn our eyes toward the ripe harvest fields of the earth, publicize the name of Jesus, and play our part in finishing the Great Commission task.
What does that mean for us at Within Reach Global?
We need more harvest hands! We need more missions giving directed toward those waiting for a witness of the Gospel. We need prayer warriors to stand in the gap and implore the Spirit of God to open eyes to the Gospel.
Jacob and Betsy Smith, along with their four children just arrived in Thailand after many years of ministry in South Africa. They served at Impact Africa, helping grow the amazing ministry taking place on the African Continent. Less than a year ago, they felt the Holy Spirit rekindling their zeal for the unreached world. These long-time American friends have now joined us as our new operations directors.
We believe that God’s timing is perfect, and expect to see many new breakthroughs and open doors as we dream together.
Jacob will be helping us create a better structure to host the move of God in and through the ministry of Within Reach Global. We believe we must get better before we get bigger. This new structure will enhance short-term teams, empower long-term missionaries, and open new doors to serve among the unreached people groups we are targeting at Within Reach Global.
Please pray that God will continue to bless our relationship with unity and vision. At the end of the day, we desire to honor God and reach unreached people groups. We want to see many more names written in the Lamb’s book of life! Join us in prayer and giving on this matter.