Ministry Focus

Unreached People Groups & 10/40 Window

 

Unreached people groups (UPGs) are generally defined as people groups that have less than two percent evangelical Christian representation and less than five percent nominal Christian presence. In a practical sense, they are people groups and places where Christ is largely unknown and there is not a church with adequate resource to help make him known in the broader population without outside help.

According to the Traveling Team, UPGs make up 42.2% of the world’s population, or more than 3.14 billion people. The vast majority of them are Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus living in the 10/40 Window, and 86% of them have never had a meaningful conversation or relationship with a Christian. Yet the staggering reality is that less than three percent of foreign missionaries work among this massive segment of humanity.

By the evaluation of Finishing the Task, there are 218 UPGs that are both unengaged and unreached, meaning that they have no church accessible to them, and no missionary or mission agency working among them. They are truly the least-reached ethnic groups, and represent more than five million individuals in need of the saving knowledge of Christ.

There is also remarkable overlap between the poorest countries of the world and those that are least evangelized. Barriers to reaching people groups in these places are diverse, such as physical distance, lack of infrastructure, or limited resources in their languages, or spiritual challenges such as hostility or significant gaps in comprehension of a loving, present, and personally-invested Savior.

Because of these challenges, in as many cases as possible, it is our goal to come alongside local believers or in support of a local church, to help with its church-planting efforts, as they can be more effective in winning their neighbors and communities to Christ in their context. The Live Global ministry arm of ABWE focuses on partnering with national missionaries working predominantly in countries that are inaccessible to ABWE missionaries, often in the 10/40 Window. And beginning 2022, ABWE’s Open Initiative marks a new effort to help those with a heart for the unreached gain access to hard-to-reach places.

Your Passion for Reaching the Unreached

UPGs are often hard to get to, can be difficult to live among, and require patience, perseverance and good training to see churches planted among them. But it can be done, and the joy of seeing such fruit is great! There are many ways to minister to unreached people groups on the mission field, including:

  • Art & Crafts
  • Bible Studies
  • Children’s Ministries
  • Church Revitalization
  • English Clubs
  • Evangelism/Discipleship/Church Planting
  • Healthcare
  • Orphan Ministries
  • Refugee Relief
  • Small Business Ministry
  • Women’s Ministry
  • Youth Ministries

Perhaps God is calling you to take up the cause of reaching the unreached and unengaged—those who are truly without a gospel witness. Join us in making disciples of every nation, tribe and tongue.

 

Is God calling you to use your skills on the mission field?

Opportunities

Agricultural Development

Serve as a coordinator for developing agricultural programs that help tribal people move from slash-and-burn farming methods to stable hillside gardens and orchards.

AV Program Coordinator

We are seeking a audio-visual program coordinator to help develop a strategic communication plan for our organization's ministry in South Asia.

Bible Academy Professor

The Position Our Bible school (Japan Bible Academy, an affiliate of The Master’s Academy International), located in the heart of Tokyo, is looking for qualified professors for our school. A qualified professor would need to have at least an M.Div from an accredited theologically conservative seminary, be able to sign off on our doctrinal statement

Projects

Open Toronto Initiative

The Open Toronto Initiative is all about making disciples among unreached people groups. More than 50 percent of people living in the Greater Toronto Area were born in another country. Many of them come from places with no Gospel witness. God brought these people to Canada, and we want to share the love of Christ with them.…

The Global Gospel Fund: Celebrate Christmas by Sending Missionaries

God created humanity to know and enjoy him (Isaiah 43:7). Yet billions remain lost in sin, with over two billion people worldwide who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus commissioned his church to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).…

Merge 2025

Great things are in progress on the mission field through this ministry! Our missionaries will be sharing more project details shortly and look forward to how you might get involved. If you need to get in touch immediately, let us know at info@abwe.org…

El Roi University Center Togo

El Roï was created to reach a specific population of unreached/under-engaged Islamic Students who currently study at the University of Kara through various services who are then invited to join a bible study group with the ultimate goal of a church plant in their own village or city by their own people group.…

RAU Uganda Ministry Operations

RAU (Reaching Africa’s Unreached) Uganda Ministry center is located in northern Uganda along the border of South Sudan. The center teaches farming as a business as well as church leadership/pastoral training. It serves as a base for evangelism and community engagement through agriculture.…

Hospital of Hope – Chaplaincy Program – Mango

Every year the team of chaplains at the Hospital of Hope provides spiritual care both in the hospital and in surrounding communities. More than 1,000 audio Bibles and hundreds of printed Bibles will be given out this year. These materials are made available in 8 languages to new believers or those seeking the Hope that comes from knowing Christ.…

Live Global | Nea Zoi (Greece)

Motivated by Christ’s love, Nea Zoi volunteers weekly visit the red light districts of Athens, offering friendship, advice, and opportunities for change, believing that a relationship with a loving God is the foundation for lasting transformation. Central to their ministry is outreach, also known as street work.…

Hôpital Baptiste Biblique (HBB) Chaplain Ministry

Hôpital Baptiste Biblique (HBB) provides quality, compassionate healthcare in Jesus' name. It is our highest priority that each patient also hears the gospel during their hospitalization. HBB needs more chaplains to minister to our Muslim patients, women and children, and to follow up with patients and their families at their homes after leaving the hospital. …

Reaching Rural Burmese with Suan and Lyn (Myanmar)

Suan and Lyn have been sharing the Gospel with Buddhists and animists since 2009. Now in 2021, they plan to extend their ministry to villages in a southern state of Myanmar. Suan and Lyn have used "The Ancient Path," a small Gospel booklet that explains God’s plan for mankind in a way that is appealing to people groups in Southeast Asia.…

Live Global | Sponsoring Kids for School (Middle East)

In many parts of the Middle East, kids experience harsh childhoods. Often, when families are short on money or have gone into debt, they will offer their children as workers instead of sending them to school. In many cases, children are at risk of working in the harsh conditions at a brick factory or doing hard physical labor of another kind.…

Media & Discipleship (Middle East)

Social Media as Ministry Samuel and Ruth are a dynamic couple who truly understand discipleship in our very modern times. They have raised up a team of young people to love Christ and share Him with others. This team utilizes social media platforms to share Jesus in closed nations.…

LG Leadership and Refugees with Robin and Salina (Middle East)

The gospel is going out into Syrian refugee communities through compassionate care and trusting relationships. This passionate couple understands the languages and cultures of the Middle East. Together, Robin and Salina use their perspective to serve refugees and displaced Majority communities within the region in a near neighbor country.…

LG National Ministry Leader Training Initiatives

Live Global is endeavoring to respond to this need for training among national church leaders in several ways. The challenge is that many of these national pastors do not have the resources to gain the training they need and desire, so we are bringing the training to them.…

ABWE International Worker Fund: Afghan Initiative

After the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban quickly took control of the country. This left thousands of people exposed to terrorists, and Christians were in danger. Afghan pastors and ministry leaders were persecuted. Others were forced to flee for their lives. Still others gave their all for Christ because of their faith.…

Open Initiative Syrian Refugees

Would you consider partnering with us to reach Syrian Refugees? Now in its 11th year, the Syrian refugee crisis remains the largest refugee and displacement crisis. Today there are approximately 6.8 million Syrian refugees and asylum-seekers scattered throughout Europe and the Middle East with another 6.7 million people displaced within Syria itself.…

Open Initiative Caribbean Basin

Would you consider partnering with us to reach the unreached in the Caribbean Basin?  The Caribbean consists of more than 700 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. It is a melting pot of cultures. While Christianity is the predominant religion, pockets of Unreached People Groups in the Caribbean Basin (UPG-CB) are located throughout the region.…

Open Initiative Tokyo/Kanto

Would you consider partnering with us to reach the unreached in Japan? The Japanese people of the greater Tokyo area have a unique set of beliefs that blend ancient traditions and newer western practices. While Shinto and Buddhism are widely practiced, they are not widely believed.…

Open Initiative South Asia

Would you consider partnering with us to reach the unreached in South Asia? The Unreached People Group in South Asia (UPG-SA) live in a land of great beauty and history. Their culture is complex and diverse, as many different cultures have blended into one unique and modern way of life.…

Open Initiative West Africa Fulani

Would you consider partnering with us to reach the Fulani? The Fulani people are spread across 19 Central and West African countries. With over 38 million people belonging to the Fulani, they are the world's largest nomadic group and almost 100% of the population follow Islam.…

Open Initiative – Southeast Asia (UPG-SEA)

Would you consider partnering with us to reach the unreached in Southeast Asia?  Unreached people groups in Southeast Asia (UPG-SEA) present the most challenging, dynamic, and rewarding locations in missions. The region is home to islands and islets abounding in tropical beauty as will as bustling metropolises.…

The Gambia Community Health Evangelism (CHE)

Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministries are working to transform the well-being of rural communities in The Gambia through evangelism, discipleship, health education, health prevention, and community development. Our team applies CHE principles and lessons alongside our existing adult literacy ministry. There are CHE lessons that can apply to almost any skillset.…

Discipling Believers (North Africa)

North Africa is largely hostile to the Gospel. Yet amidst the persecution, God is raising up young nationals to know Him and lead churches and ministries in His name. From their training center, they go out to countries across the region to places where they are uniquely gifted to serve with their appearance, language, and cultural understanding.…

Japan Bible Academy Operations

Japan Bible Academy (JBA) is a theological institution that works closely with like-minded local churches to help them mature in Christ and provide them with the shepherds they need. JBA is accomplishing this through its annual preaching conference, seminars, and Lay Leadership Training classes, a two-year Expositor’s Training Program for those pursuing or engaged in pastoral or teaching leadership ministries, and book translation work.…

Open Initiative

We at ABWE believe that God is raising up a new generation to go to some of the farthest frontiers of missions. We’re so encouraged to know you share our desire to reach the unreached with the good news of Jesus! Here are some important things you should know: 1/3 of humanity has yet to hear the good news of Jesus.…

Live Global | Ministry

Live Global passionately cultivates edifying relationships between the North American Church and ministries across the globe to multiply Gospel impact on their communities and beyond. Live Global doesn’t start, lead, or own ministries overseas. Rather, we come alongside indigenous brothers and sisters leading their own ministries and serve them.…

4 Christ Films

4 Christ Films is a collaborative project founded by ABWE missionaries to assist national partners and other ministry colleagues with evangelism and teaching efforts through filming on-site gospel films at Biblical locations. The project has aided in the production of films in the Dari, Pashto, and Urdu languages, viewed by people in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Iran and many other places — including by Muslims in North America and Europe.…