Research that Leads to Action

RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO ACTION As we look back over the last 30 years of the global mission movement, a few research projects stand out as instrumental in moving the global Church to action. OPERATION WORLD Celebrating 50 years this year, Patrick Johnstone's lifelong work, now carried on by others in WEC, has gathered and wonderfully summarized prayer information for every "Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world, There are 48,000 mosques but not a single church building.": OPERATION WORLD country, piling fuel onto the missions prayer altar. THE DEFINITIVE PRAYER GUIDE TO EVERY NATION operationworld.org ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WORLD CHRISTIANITY AND WORLD CHRISTIAN DATABASE: "In two-thirds of the world's 238 countries, Christians now form the majority." First published in the 1980s by David Barrett, this important scholarly resource provides invaluable data for those inside or outside the Chii Engdape Church. It counters myths or ignorance about the Church with the true global picture. The database is maintained at the Center for the worldchristiandatabase.org/wcd Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP (UPG) RESEARCH There are 9756 people groups globally with 4083 or 42.3% considered unreached, In the 10/40 Window almost 1400 The Joshua Project has championed the tracking and strategic planning of mission based on Unreached People Groups. It has stimulated prayer, "adoption" of people groups, engagement, and evangelism. The Joshua Project is part of the U.S. Center for World Mission. „people groups lack basic Christian resources such as JOSHUA PROJECT joshuaproject.net a Scripture portion.³ 1% THE ETHNOLOGUE 29% of the wworld's 39% SIL continually gathers and hones data on the world's 7000+ 31% 7106 languages into a continually updated reference book called the Ethnologue. This data collection is a unique and indispensable basis for all planning of Bible translations and many other aspects of mission. languages. Speak 1 of 6 "international" languages Speak 1 of 95 "national" languages Speak 1 of 4571 "widely used" languages I Speak 1 of 2434 "dying" languages“ ethnologue.com MISSIONARY RETENTION RESEARCH In the global Church, excitement about sending new missionaries has been tempered by a significant drop-out rate among those who were not adequately prepared, supervised, or supported. The Mission Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance has prompted multiple studies of this issue that have produced Too Valuable to Lose (1996), Worth Keeping (2004) and The Engage Study (2007). Among more than 1,700 field workers from 20 agencies surveyed through Engage, Fewer than half (49%) agreed that their agency acts on the suggestions of employees. And only 2 out of 5 (42%) agreed that their agency has effective ways of preventing and resolving conflict among field staff.s Engage! gmi.org/engage THANK GOD! Research information, no matter how accurate or extensive, can never be the "silver bullet" to complete the mission task, but ignorance is never an advantage. Thank God for these amazingly researched resources, pray for those who continue to refine them, and use them so you know where you should go and what to do when you get there. Sources: www.missiographics.com/researchaction-infographic.htm Sponsored by: Know your world before you go on mission. More infographics at www.missiographics.com Know & Go gmi http://www.gmi.org/products/books/ gmibooks/knowandgo/ KNOW&GO