green dots, red dots, and global imbalance

I was shown this map in a "Missions & Evangelism" class this past Sunday, and I just can't seem to get it out of my head.

These colorful dots represent areas of the world that have access to the Gospel. And while it may be difficult to see all the details in the small image above, you can certainly notice major trends. Take a look at USA and India, for example. One speckled with green dots, and one so full of red you can hardly tell they're dots.

Dark green dots represent areas greater than or equal to 10% evangelical (defined here as those who believe that salvation is through faith in Jesus alone, recognize God's word as the basis for faith and Christian living, and are committed to using God's word to bring others to faith in Christ).

Red dots represent areas with no access to the Gospel or less than 2% evangelical, with limited resources and no active church plants within the past 2 years.

Does the imbalance here strike anyone else???

Surely I knew this before. Surely I knew that there were areas of the world that have never heard the name of Jesus and who have no opportunity to know Him. But seeing it fresh-- here in all these colored dots-- moved me to tears.

And it hit me that God's ONE plan for reaching the entire world with the message of His love rests on the GREEN DOTS GOING.

How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10:13-15)

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations... and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20) 

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

He could have chosen another way. But He didn't. He chose us, His green dot church of all the world, to carry His message of Love to all the world.

Red dots will be reached by green dots. There is no Plan B.

Certainly God does not need us to do His work. He is All-Powerful, and His mission is guaranteed to succeed-- whether or not we join in. It is GOD that is spreading His church, after all, and He will accomplish His purposes. One day, we are promised, people of every tribe, nation, and tongue will worship Him together. But graciously He invites us-- compels us-- to join Him in the gathering.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne of the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" Revelation 7:9

Oh, green dot church, may our hearts be stirred to recognize what we've been given and to refuse to hoard it any longer. May we respond with humble gratitude for the grace of God in our own lives that has opened our eyes to Jesus, and with glad submission to His call-- here or there, going or staying, but most definitely praying-- to spread the good news of Jesus in all the world. HE ALONE IS WORTHY.

*On a side note, I did a little research on other global imbalances, as represented in world maps, and the common trends were impossible to miss: in every category-- whether poverty or hunger or access to drinking water or human trafficking-- on every map, USA was colored among the "fortunate" top percentile. It's worth a quick Google search to check it out for yourself. Oh friends, no matter how you look at it, we have been given much... and to whom much is given, much will be required. Help us, God.