Over 7 billion people that share our planet today. About 2 billion of them claim to share our faith in Jesus Christ. Not all share exactly what we believe, but let’s keep it at 2 billion for a nice round number. That leaves 5 billion. They do not wake up each morning looking forward to walking through the day with the creator of all days. Many have never heard his name. Others have heard, but not in a way they can understand.
Paul shared this same concern when he wrote:
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
That is where Kay and I come in. We have been sent. And we are also in the sending business. What if we can mobilize the 2 billion to reach out to the 5 billion?
What would it take to develop a systematic outreach among the 5 billion in every language, every demographic group, every business? It would take a permanent group that meets regularly, that loves Jesus, and is committed to living righteously and telling others about him. This a church.
We have thought this through. Most rural villages are about 1,000 people in size. Most suburban neighborhood developments are about 1,000 people. Most urban high-rise apartments are grouped into about 1,000 people. So if we put one of these missionally-focused churches among every 1,000 people, 5 million churches are needed among the 5 billion. We need them evenly distributed so there is a light among every cluster, so that the church of Jesus is available to every person that shares our planet.
That is why we have set a goal of 5 million new churches, a church in every urban high-rise, every suburban neighborhood, every rural village, and every digital community.
Thanks for keeping a vision before us. Thanks for all that you do!