It was wonderful to be at the Reaching the Nations Summit this past weekend. It was a blessing to meet some new people and reconnect with old friends. If you were not there, I hope you took advantage of the livestream link I shared on social media.
As promised to those of you in the chapel (or watching), you may find my slides HERE. I hope they will be of assistance to you in making disciples of all nations.
Yes, the slide showing the updated numbers of unreached peoples and unengaged-unreached peoples is included.
Dr. Bryan Galloway,Senior Research Analyst with the International Mission Board’s Global Research, shared them with me. Keep in mind the research is still being conducted for the U. S. and Canada (and posted at peoplegroups.info), and these present numbers are likely to be off by 1-5 people groups. If you compare them to last year (and when I published Strangers Next Door), you will see the differences provided by better research. 
The United States and Canada make the top-six list of countries in the world with the largest numbers of unreached people groups (defining an unreached people as less than 2% evangelical).
An examination of the 282 and 167 unreached people groups in these two countries reveals a more troubling set of numbers–the unengaged-unreached people groups.
An unengaged-unreached people is a group that is less than 2% evangelical AND there is no evangelical church planting strategy being executed to reach that group. The present UUPG count is 207 for the U. S. and 141 for Canada.
These are our present North American realities. Some of us have been sharing these number for a few years, calling the Church to give priority to church planting activities among the unengaged and unreached peoples of North America. However, the reality remains: In North America, the expectation is that church planting is to take place among reached people groups.
If you are a church or denominational leader, I want to ask you to question your present reality. If you are not familiar with your denomination’s (or network’s) church planting activities, then I would encourage you to contact your leaders and inquire about the work among unreached peoples in North America. Then ask why the highest priority is not with the unengaged and unreached.
Our priority in North America is to shuffle the sheep around in the Kingdom in order to add another local church to the country. Our theology and missiology expects churches to be planted instantly with long-term Kingdom citizens, rather than from the harvest with 100% conversion growth (i.e., Acts 13-14). Our ambition is to preach the gospel where Christ has already been named and build upon someone else’s foundation.
And yet an ancient model calls to us across the ages:
“Thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand'” (Romans 15:20-21, ESV).
What research are you looking at that states there are 207 UUPGs in the USA?
Steve, as I mentioned in the post, it is from Global Research of the International Mission Board. This may also be found at the link referenced in the post.
Amen! And we need new strategies like DMM to lovingly reach out these communities in ways that fit their cultures. For these UUPGs are extremely reticent to enter a “normal church.”
Thanks, Dave, for sharing.
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This past 12 months we have seen 700 people come to faith outside the walls of the church. It has taken place through discipling people of peace primarily in prison and jail settings as well as their families. We have seen 21 generations of believers in one jail pod
Praise the Lord, Phillip! Keep up the great Kingdom work!
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Can I get a list of these Unreached -Unengaged people groups?
I do not have it at the moment, Michael. Contact the Global Research Department of the International Mission Board.
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You edition is noted, David, and posted as you clarified.
I am Pastor P. S. Moneyman-King, founder of Universal Salem Missions (USAM) with a vision to reach the unsaved people group(s) of the world through sponsoring of missions and building church(es) in such area(s). I am more inspired after reading a Book titled, “Unveiled at Last – Discover God’s Hidden Message from Genesis to Revelation” written by Bob Sjogren. I want information and guidance in locating unreached people group(s) and to co-work with Christian groups that would go to such areas as I am very much interested in sponsoring missions which is actually my vision.
I would be grateful to hear from you soon.
Thank your for sharing, pastor. See peoplegroups.org and peoplegroups.info and joshuaproject.net for lists of unreached people groups.
Hi, I am a general aviation pilot and I want to reach to them through small airplane just like MAF. Especially, some unreached group of people who live in Alaska area. I need some information to do this. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing. The best resource at this time on people groups in North America is found at peoplegroups.info
Hello,
My husband and I have had a burden for Maine for eight years. Would you say that Maine Qualifies as an unreached people group? If so, which areas are most in need?
Any information you could send me would be so appreciated.
Thank you for your research.
Very sincerely,
Heidi
Thank you, Heidi, for our question, and heart for Maine.
A state is not an unreached people group. It is a geographical location that contains a variety of people groups, some unreached. A few years ago, Maine was listed at 4% evangelical. Other than the metro Portland area having a low evangelical percentage, I have no additional information.
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Can you tell me of an unreached unengaged people group near Gadsden, AL.
Daniel,
Check out peoplegroups.info. That would be the place to look–if the research has been conducted.
Thank you for sharing. I have known this for some time. I would like to have this information to share at my church.
Thank you, Lyndon, for your comment. At this time, peoplegroups.info is the best source of information on unreached peoples in the United States.
Do you have a chart for Canada similar to chart of fit US showing the unreached ?
I only have what has been posted.