International Day for the Unreached: Let the Peoples Praise You
"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations." — Psalm 67:1–2
Psalm 67 is more than a psalm of thanksgiving—it is a global invitation. Its opening line may seem to request God's blessing for a local community of worshippers alone. But the psalmist quickly clarifies: God’s blessing is meant to overflow beyond us—to make His ways known across the entire earth.
This vision—of all peoples, in all nations, praising God—is at the heart of global missions. It’s also Avant’s heart. Our driving passion is to see the nations of the earth worship God and glorify Him for eternity. We do this by planting and developing churches among the unreached.
On the International Day for the Unreached (in June), we call attention to these realities. While some might assume that everyone has had a chance to hear the Good News by now, the truth is sobering.
Consider…
While global missions has made strides, population growth and the spread of other religions have outpaced the Church’s reach. Barriers like persecution and political instability only raise the stakes.
Avant’s focus aligns with this. While we serve in 50 countries, our goal is reaching distinct people groups. These groups often span multiple countries or migrate globally. Geography has shifted, but the call of Scripture has not.
"Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!" Psalm 67:3 is more than a prayer—it’s a missionary cry.
Avant’s work spread through North and West Africa—reaching the Bambara and Berber peoples—and into Central America with H.C. Dillon’s 5,000-mile trek identifying unreached groups. Ministry in South America soon followed, with outreach to the Quichua, Shuar, Achuar, and Waodani peoples.
To date, more than 5,000 churches have been planted in Latin America alone—and hundreds more in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, impacting lives in more than 200 distinct people groups over the past century and a quarter.
We define “unreached” as places where 2% or fewer are evangelical believers. This shared benchmark keeps our focus clear: take the gospel where it’s least known.
In 2025 we talk about Avant’s cross-cultural workers in some 50 geopolitical nations, yet a significant aspect of our global ministry has always focused, and remains focused, on bringing the light of the gospel to the world’s unreached people groups.
Psalm 67 calls us to lift our eyes beyond our own blessings and comforts and to pray—and act—for the nations. Let’s not be content while a third of the world still waits for access to the gospel.
On this International Day for the Unreached, you can help bring the light of the gospel to the least reached in meaningful ways:
Let the peoples praise You, O God. Let all the peoples praise You.
Give
Psalm 67 is more than a psalm of thanksgiving—it is a global invitation. Its opening line may seem to request God's blessing for a local community of worshippers alone. But the psalmist quickly clarifies: God’s blessing is meant to overflow beyond us—to make His ways known across the entire earth.
This vision—of all peoples, in all nations, praising God—is at the heart of global missions. It’s also Avant’s heart. Our driving passion is to see the nations of the earth worship God and glorify Him for eternity. We do this by planting and developing churches among the unreached.
A Third of the World Is Still Waiting
Despite more than a century of global ministry, a third of the world still lacks access to the gospel:- No Bible in their language.
- No churches nearby.
- No known believers.
- No one sharing the message of Christ.
On the International Day for the Unreached (in June), we call attention to these realities. While some might assume that everyone has had a chance to hear the Good News by now, the truth is sobering.
Consider…
- 500 people groups still have no Christian presence.
- 70,000 people die each day without knowing Christ.
- 465,000 villages in India alone have no church or believers.
- 3 billion people have seldom or never heard the name of Jesus.
While global missions has made strides, population growth and the spread of other religions have outpaced the Church’s reach. Barriers like persecution and political instability only raise the stakes.
From Psalm 67 to the Great Commission
When Jesus said, “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), He used the Greek phrase panta ta ethne—meaning all peoples. The biblical concept of “nations” speaks of ethnic groups, not just countries.Avant’s focus aligns with this. While we serve in 50 countries, our goal is reaching distinct people groups. These groups often span multiple countries or migrate globally. Geography has shifted, but the call of Scripture has not.
"Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!" Psalm 67:3 is more than a prayer—it’s a missionary cry.
A Legacy of Reaching the Unreached
In 1792, William Carey launched the modern missions movement. One hundred years later, Avant—then World’s Gospel Union—was founded to carry that vision forward. That same year, co-founder George Fisher stepped onto the shores of Sierra Leone, calling it “the soil of our prayers, our tears and our hopes.”Avant’s work spread through North and West Africa—reaching the Bambara and Berber peoples—and into Central America with H.C. Dillon’s 5,000-mile trek identifying unreached groups. Ministry in South America soon followed, with outreach to the Quichua, Shuar, Achuar, and Waodani peoples.
To date, more than 5,000 churches have been planted in Latin America alone—and hundreds more in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, impacting lives in more than 200 distinct people groups over the past century and a quarter.
From Everywhere to Everywhere
Acts 1:8 reminds us to be witnesses near and far—in our own communities and the ends of the earth. With global migration, the reality of missions today is “from everywhere to everywhere.” Take the Druze people, once localized in the Middle East, now found in the U.S., Brazil, and even Australia. Avant’s strategy embraces this global reality, using a polycentric model that empowers churches from many nations to reach the world.Take Action: Pray, Give, Go
Avant is proud to partner with the Alliance for the Unreached. In the last five years, Avant has served among 15 of the 50 largest unreached people groups listed by the Joshua Project—impacting nearly 200 million people.We define “unreached” as places where 2% or fewer are evangelical believers. This shared benchmark keeps our focus clear: take the gospel where it’s least known.
In 2025 we talk about Avant’s cross-cultural workers in some 50 geopolitical nations, yet a significant aspect of our global ministry has always focused, and remains focused, on bringing the light of the gospel to the world’s unreached people groups.
Psalm 67 calls us to lift our eyes beyond our own blessings and comforts and to pray—and act—for the nations. Let’s not be content while a third of the world still waits for access to the gospel.
On this International Day for the Unreached, you can help bring the light of the gospel to the least reached in meaningful ways:
- Pray for unreached people groups by name
- Give to support workers planting churches in hard-to-reach areas
- Go, or help someone else go, to where the gospel is not yet known
Let the peoples praise You, O God. Let all the peoples praise You.
Take Action
You can participate now by giving to help in reaching the unreached.Give
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