Few can dispute the impact of the 10/40 window concept coined by Luis Bush in 1990. As we closed in on the new millenium it became the rallying cry for all involved in missions. Not only was it a brilliant marketing idea and educational… it also helped to redefine strategies for mission agencies all over the world. The movement has been supported with countless conferences, books, music and other merchandise…and it’s worked…more people are aware of the overall needs of the 10/40 window than 20 years ago.
Sadly there have been a few side effects of this focus. First, other areas of the world have seen drastic reductions or even elimination of missionary presence. Areas deemed less “unreached”, outside of the window, have been crossed off the list (which doesn’t line up with Acts 1:8). Europe has seen a drastic reduction in the size of it’s missionary force while at the same time the culture has moved to be increasingly post-Christian and even more Muslim in certain countries (thanks to immigrant movement).
The other side effect is mission elitists. There seems to be a mentality that real missionaries serve in the 10/40 window and those who can’t cut it serve in Europe or South America. When we were going through training to serve in Barcelona we felt it and we heard it. Do we really think that God sees it this way? Do we really think that one guy can be more lost than another one? Will God judge the lost man from Norway differently from the lost one from Libya?
I’ve heard the arguments. “No one deserves to hear twice until all have heard once.” Where is that in the Bible? Did you respond after hearing once? Does Jesus mention that in the GC or in his final command in Acts 1:8? And actually…do any of us actually deserve the Gospel? No, we all deserve death and hell, it’s by God’s grace that He allows us to hear and respond to the Gospel. A lost soul is a lost soul, regardless of Geography. We need to get past comparing and thinking that the harder the place, spiritually and physically, the more God is pleased with our ministry. Isn’t this a Buddhist concept?
I’ve seen a lot of people come to the field because of guilt, and they don’t last long. I’ve seen alot of people feel called to Europe, Central-South America, Japan and yet feel the pressure by the mission bullies that only the real missionaries serve in the 10/40. I don’t think Jesus feels this way and I don’t think this was Luis Bush’s intention in 1990. I agree that reaching those in the 10/40 window is vital. But don’t do it out of guilt, or trying to please God with your suffering. Do it because he’s called you and remember that those serving in other places feel that same calling. There is life beyond the 10/40 window.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Great insights. Your comment concerning Acts 1:8 is right on. While I have a passion for those that we have classified as unreached people groups, that passion should never cause the exclusion of those in the US and in other post- to anti- Christian lands that have been “reached.” Thanks for the post!
It is so refreshing to find another person who knows what I have already experienced in full-time missions in Western Europe.
I would add a sub-point to the “Mission Elitists” section: Agency Elitists. As someone who is sent by their home church in the States, this appears to further aggravate those who already feel my ministry here is invalid by the points you raise. The response I get is a look that says, “Oh, so you’re a nutty lone-ranger weirdo that couldn’t get with an agency.”
The reality is that we could not find an agency (that aligned with our theology) that would send to our country–for the reasons you describe above.
indeed – very very refreshing.
I completely agree that we should not use guilt. Mission elitism is a bad thing. On the other hand I must disagree that the emphasis on the 10/40 Window has eliminated missionaries from other parts of the world. Even today there is still a huge imbalance between work done in the Window and work done in the rest of the world. Personally I would argue for splitting our work in thirds: one-third for the unevangelized portions, one-third for the evangelized non-Christian portions, and one-third for the Christianized yet apathetic or backslidden or nominal portions.
Debtor Paul,
I totally agree with you.
C. Holland,
I’m so sorry for what you’ve experienced. Our organization is allowing people to partner and be trained with us that are being sent by churches. We went through training with them a few years ago and they sensed the same type of thing. I personally love it when churches are able to send out their own, that’s the way it should be done.
Justin,
Thanks for the comment. I look forward to exploring your site as well. I cannot speak for all agencies….only for what I’ve seen in mine.
I’m currently working in the 10/40 among a PG of 3 million. There are 14 units alone on our team consisting of 17 adults. I’m moving to Europe next year to work in a city of 3 million people, with a very small church presence. There will be two units (currently none) consisting of 4 adults. Both places have 3 million people, most of which have no true Gospel witness. 17 versus 4…big difference. This is the same in alot of areas for us. My current team is larger than the entire cluster I’m moving to….while the population differences are staggering. This is an example of what I was referring to.
“No one deserves to hear twice until all have heard once.”
Nothing annoys me like that statement.
Nice blog! Looking forward to “getting to know you”! Haha!
Saludos desde México.
Man that was an excellent post Grady. I feel refreshed having read it and encouraged because there are others that have dealt with the same kinds of things we’ve dealt with. We were formerly “lone-ranger” missionaries in Ireland for almost 3 years and are preparing for our work in Portugal. We love Europe and europeans and really want to share the gospel with them. We looked at agencies for almost a year and ran into both elitism and theological issues but eventually found one that wanted to partner with local churches as those responsible as senders.
As you’ve stated we’ve encountered some 10/40 bias but mainly from people that are ill-informed about what missions is really about. Any way, thank for the post, I’m linking it to mine.
Glad someone has actually come out and voiced publicly what many of us also feel. BTW, your past 5-6 posts have all been very good. Keep up the good work.
Great post, Grady. Whenever we try and create human regulations, we end up finding ways to promote ourselves and put down others who are also trying to serve the Lord. That is clearly not of God. Thanks for writing this.
70% of short term mission trips go to the spanish speaking world, I don’t think we have a problem with the 10/40 taking missionaries from other places. We still haven’t prioritized the 10/40 like we need to.
Jim,
I tried emailing you…but alas your email is not real. So if you have some data that supports your claim….please send it on, I would love to have a look at it.
Grady
This post breaks my heart. It’s a shame. My wife and I support a missionary in Japan and I too feel like some folks think my money should go somewhere else. It’s too bad. The Japanese are on my heart. Who else would have put them there but God himself?
Thank you for this post.
Dan,
Thanks for commenting. It’s a shame that people make those serving outside the 10/40 like secondary missionaries. It’s not true, but it’s their perception. Keep supporting and know that their work is vital and worthy of your support.
Grady
2 Then the LORD replied:
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald [b] may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it [c] will certainly come and will not delay.
Great post, refreshing and interesting. The passion of the missionaries are unmatched. We at, Reformed Theological Seminary salutes all missionaries who are continuing what they believe in.
I am French and studying theology in USA right now. I had first heard of the 10/40 window last winter and recently I heard of that agian 1-2 months ago in the school I am studying. Honestly at the beginning it cuts deep when you hear that the main focus is that area. So far I have seen what is happening in the 10/40 window and I do not want at all to deny the importance of the mission there. Because of my work I was in Afghanistan and I know that the Gospel is the only thing that could stop that madness. By that you can see that I am aware of others serious issue in the world.
At the beginning I was angry, I admit it. I thought first “so that's it. In Europe we are on our own.As long as you are not poor, killed, openly persecuted or imprisoned because or not of your faith, no one pay attention so you do not exist.” Afterward I prayed, hang on to the word and realized that God designed that situation. So far I have to learn here what will be useful back home and do not count on other support than my brothers and sisters in France. That is the situation and I do not want to mourn or weep on that : it is Lord's doing and he is in control ; He will glorify his name in a mighty way because we are few.
Still, I wanted to know more concerning the reason and how the 10/40 window appears in 1990. What I discovered is that numerous data (geographic, political, demographic analysis, access to the gospel and to ressource linked to it, percentage of believers in these area, etc.) were gathered, synthesis and translated in a graphical way that made manifest the 10/40 window.
Recently I read books concerning new paradigm church and how some pastors are using marketing tools, data analysis to find the “best” place to start a church and to “guarantee” a growth rate. My goal is not to talk about this but I was stoke by the similarity o the tools employed between the 10/40 window and the church marketing way.
The goal of the 10/40 window is FAR from these fast-growing marketing style church, the goal of the ultimate goal 10/40 window is to bring the Gospel to the lost of that area and that is good. The Lord told us to go and to make disciples from any nations so do not question the goal. I do question the tool.
Second, I have a simple question : where is the place of the Holy Spirit in the that ? Does he has inspired the 10/40 window ? Certainly it helps to realize or just to discover the situation outside of our countries. Again the Lord told us to make disciples from every nations. Every. And in God there are no partiality. I am glad that there was American missionaries that came to France really prompted by the Lord. They didn't check the 10/40 window, there were checking God's will and were carefully listening to the Spirit.
Third, in Europe the situation is so serious that a pastor who is working with missionaries and pastor claimed during a conference that “our missionaries are sowing (the word) on asphalt, looking for cracks”. This is a fair picture.
Americans usually think that Europe is Christian. I discovered since I am here that the word Christian is used for any kind of group, rarely for genuine followers of Christ. For example, I checked out today to know how many people that could be seriously considering saved in France. So far it does not go beyond 4% (There are 62.000.000 inhabitants in France, one of the largest population of western Europe. Do the math). Beyond the figures, the situation is that no one really knows who is God. In fact I am surprised when someone asks me a relevant question concerning the Gospel or makes a relevant critic concerning the Gospel. Technically when I am talking with another French people, the knowledge of the Gospel is ground 0. I cannot speak for other European countries but I can reasonably assume that the situation is similar.
Now I realize that I do not have to try to convince anyone to come in Europe mission field. My prayer is that the Lord calls servants that are willing to obey him and to go, wherever it is. I rather want to see a man/woman coming and saying “I came because the Lord told me to come” rather to hear “I know there are some much need, it is why I came”.
Last, evangelizing Europe is hard and a really slow growing ministry. It takes years to see result, sometimes a decade. I heard many stories an commentaries form people and missions boards. I was talking with a sister once and she told me she wants to go to Spain. The reaction of her parents was as follow : “Why do want to go to Spain ?? Go to Africa, there are many people who are waiting for you !” It seems to me that some missions boards are results oriented ; it is part of the American culture to have things done. It is good a thing to be focus and dedicated to your task, I do not question that.
So what is the problem ? Fulfilling the expectations of my mission board concerning another country, expecting the same results than in my country… that does not work. We have seen many American missionaries coming in France. Usually they leave or blew up after 2 years or because they were discouraged (yes, France is depressing, I have to be honest) or because the mission board was not satisfied with they results. Hudson Taylor I think understood that if he wanted to evangelized Chinese people, he had to live like them. He was not task oriented while being able to be really well organized. He was not looking for results but to sow the word in order to reap a harvest.
So I am facing the situation with that mindset : is there people really Spirit driven that are willing to go in any foreign country and bring the word because the Lord asks them to do so ? Does powerpoint and databases replaced the work of the Holy Spirit ? Am I seeking recognition of others or am I willing to go in place where I become an anonymous, stripped away of the academic recognition that I might have, to do God's will? To become nothing in others eyes but faithful servant in God's eye ?
I am French and studying theology in USA right now. I had first heard of the 10/40 window last winter and recently I heard of that agian 1-2 months ago in the school I am studying. Honestly at the beginning it cuts deep when you hear that the main focus is that area. So far I have seen what is happening in the 10/40 window and I do not want at all to deny the importance of the mission there. Because of my work I was in Afghanistan and I know that the Gospel is the only thing that could stop that madness. By that you can see that I am aware of others serious issue in the world.
At the beginning I was angry, I admit it. I thought first “so that's it. In Europe we are on our own.As long as you are not poor, killed, openly persecuted or imprisoned because or not of your faith, no one pay attention so you do not exist.” Afterward I prayed, hang on to the word and realized that God designed that situation. So far I have to learn here what will be useful back home and do not count on other support than my brothers and sisters in France. That is the situation and I do not want to mourn or weep on that : it is Lord's doing and he is in control ; He will glorify his name in a mighty way because we are few.
Still, I wanted to know more concerning the reason and how the 10/40 window appears in 1990. What I discovered is that numerous data (geographic, political, demographic analysis, access to the gospel and to ressource linked to it, percentage of believers in these area, etc.) were gathered, synthesis and translated in a graphical way that made manifest the 10/40 window.
Recently I read books concerning new paradigm church and how some pastors are using marketing tools, data analysis to find the “best” place to start a church and to “guarantee” a growth rate. My goal is not to talk about this but I was stoke by the similarity o the tools employed between the 10/40 window and the church marketing way.
The goal of the 10/40 window is FAR from these fast-growing marketing style church, the goal of the ultimate goal 10/40 window is to bring the Gospel to the lost of that area and that is good. The Lord told us to go and to make disciples from any nations so do not question the goal. I do question the tool.
Second, I have a simple question : where is the place of the Holy Spirit in the that ? Does he has inspired the 10/40 window ? Certainly it helps to realize or just to discover the situation outside of our countries. Again the Lord told us to make disciples from every nations. Every. And in God there are no partiality. I am glad that there was American missionaries that came to France really prompted by the Lord. They didn't check the 10/40 window, there were checking God's will and were carefully listening to the Spirit.
Third, in Europe the situation is so serious that a pastor who is working with missionaries and pastor claimed during a conference that “our missionaries are sowing (the word) on asphalt, looking for cracks”. This is a fair picture.
Americans usually think that Europe is Christian. I discovered since I am here that the word Christian is used for any kind of group, rarely for genuine followers of Christ. For example, I checked out today to know how many people that could be seriously considering saved in France. So far it does not go beyond 4% (There are 62.000.000 inhabitants in France, one of the largest population of western Europe. Do the math). Beyond the figures, the situation is that no one really knows who is God. In fact I am surprised when someone asks me a relevant question concerning the Gospel or makes a relevant critic concerning the Gospel. Technically when I am talking with another French people, the knowledge of the Gospel is ground 0. I cannot speak for other European countries but I can reasonably assume that the situation is similar.
Now I realize that I do not have to try to convince anyone to come in Europe mission field. My prayer is that the Lord calls servants that are willing to obey him and to go, wherever it is. I rather want to see a man/woman coming and saying “I came because the Lord told me to come” rather to hear “I know there are some much need, it is why I came”.
Last, evangelizing Europe is hard and a really slow growing ministry. It takes years to see result, sometimes a decade. I heard many stories an commentaries form people and missions boards. I was talking with a sister once and she told me she wants to go to Spain. The reaction of her parents was as follow : “Why do want to go to Spain ?? Go to Africa, there are many people who are waiting for you !” It seems to me that some missions boards are results oriented ; it is part of the American culture to have things done. It is good a thing to be focus and dedicated to your task, I do not question that.
So what is the problem ? Fulfilling the expectations of my mission board concerning another country, expecting the same results than in my country… that does not work. We have seen many American missionaries coming in France. Usually they leave or blew up after 2 years or because they were discouraged (yes, France is depressing, I have to be honest) or because the mission board was not satisfied with they results. Hudson Taylor I think understood that if he wanted to evangelized Chinese people, he had to live like them. He was not task oriented while being able to be really well organized. He was not looking for results but to sow the word in order to reap a harvest.
So I am facing the situation with that mindset : is there people really Spirit driven that are willing to go in any foreign country and bring the word because the Lord asks them to do so ? Does powerpoint and databases replaced the work of the Holy Spirit ? Am I seeking recognition of others or am I willing to go in place where I become an anonymous, stripped away of the academic recognition that I might have, to do God's will? To become nothing in others eyes but faithful servant in God's eye ?