80% of the world’s evangelical Christians live in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Over the last 50 years, God’s church has grown exponentially in these areas.

These regions have tremendous mission sending potential to help bring the gospel to unreached peoples, but they currently send only 20% of the world’s cross-cultural missionaries!

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Total Number of Evangelicals

Cultural Bridges to UPGs

Regional Access to UPGs

Religious Freedom

Prosperity

Current Sending Abroad

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Custom Mobilization Potential

Number of Evangelicals

Cultural Bridges

Strategic Access

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Current Sending

This infographic provides a visual score for seven data points ranked on a 0 to 100 scale. Faded icons show scores for other countries on the mobilization index. See below for actual scores and country-specific insights.

ADDITION

FINANCIAL DEPENDENCY

INACCESSIBLE

LIMITED MISSION FORCE

DISTANT AND FOREIGN MISSION FIELD

THE WORLD IS THE MISSION FIELD

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I&rsquo;ve often wondered if advocacy and commendation occur so much in scripture because the context reflects near Eastern cultural values. Although self-advocacy is seen to express confidence and assertiveness in male majority (white) cultures, it can be disrespectful in communities of color. For example, most non-majority cultures are relational and group-oriented. Things get done through relationships and networks &ndash; folks support people they know. Without someone they trust making the introduction, you are an outsider. Because there is strong loyalty to the community, when someone vouches for you as one of the community, members of the group are more inclined to support you. Another dynamic is that Latino, Black, and Asian-American communities are more hierarchical and patriarchal. It is hard for a younger person or a woman to speak since they have little authority. However, because elders/leaders are respected, what they say is valued. Having an older leader/influencer the church as an advocate for you makes a powerful statement to the community. Asian cultures have the value of &ldquo;saving face.&rdquo; This concept doesn&rsquo;t exist in majority cultures where making a direct request and receiving a direct &ldquo;no&rdquo; is okay. In Asian cultures, saying &ldquo;no&rdquo; to someone produces disharmony in the relationship, causing both parties to lose face. However, when an advocate asks on your behalf, no loss of face occurs because the person asking is not the recipient. It is similar in Latino cultures where honor and dignity are critical in relationships. Similar dynamics affect women raising support. When women engage in self-advocacy they may be seen as pushy or unfeminine. In conservative churches, it may be inappropriate for a woman to speak out. A younger woman may struggle to have her carefll to ministry taken seriously and a single woman may be expected to seek marriage rather than mission. In these settings, receiving the endorsement of a respected leader raises awareness and lends credibility to her request. Ministry advocates are often the key to opening doors to partnership where traditional support raising fails.

Via Generosity

Advocates Open Doors for Women and Ethnic Minority Missionaries

Advocates Open Doors for Women and Ethnic Minority Missionaries

By: Betty Barnett

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