THE 10/40 WINDOW

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

THE 10/40 WINDOW

(Mat 9:36) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

Thoughts from the Taipei, Taiwan airport: The old saying states that when there is a window of opportunity we should seize it because it might not present itself again. We as Christians have a wonderful window of opportunity as we seek to climb into the 10/40 Window and win multitudes for Christ.

What is the 10/40 Window? The 10/40 Window is an area of the world that contains the largest population of non-Christians in the world. The area extends from 10 degrees to 40 degrees North of the equator, and stretches from North Africa across to China. Two-thirds of the world's population -- more than 4.4 billion people -- live in the 10/40 Window. 90% of the people living in the 10/40 Window are unevangelized. Many have never heard the Gospel message even once. The strongholds of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, and pagan animism are also centered within the 10/40 Window.

Unless something changes soon, most of these unreached people will never hear the Gospel. Why? Because it has estimated that only about one and a quarter percent ( 1.25% ) of Christian mission giving is going to missions work in the 10/40 Window. Open evangelism is difficult and even impossible because of governmental restrictions in many 10/40 Window countries.

We have so much Christianity in the West and then we hear of the 10/40 Window. Something’s not right about this disparity. "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." (Oswald J. Smith) So what can we do?

- First we can pray: (Matthew 9:36-38) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary[a] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

- Next, we can support the missionary enterprise there. We can get behind a missionary or a missionary organization that serves in this region. Perhaps one of us will be called to go?

- We can also visit a missionary there and see the work of the Lord firsthand. Maybe we can even do a mission project there. Our dollars can go a long way to help out. There are needs in education, fighting poverty, fresh water, medical, teaching English, and the list goes on. Let’s make the 10/40 Window our window of opportunity to serve the Lord and rescue the perishing!

Louie (Job 35:9-10; Psa 41:1-3; Eccl 4:1; Rom 10:13-15)

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