Utica, New York. That’s not a city that has a cool ring to it. Tell people you are going to Utica and watch the look on their faces. Why would anyone want to make disciples and plant churches there? Two reasons: unreached people groups and least-reached area.
The world is a big place with seven billion people–including over two billion who have never heard the gospel and 3000 people groups among whom there is so intentional church planting strategy.
So, where do we begin? With the Great Commission, of course. We are told to go into all the world. The wise church planter goes to build on a foundation that has not been established (Rom 15:20). Therefore, without a specific word from the Lord about a particular people or place, we prioritize according to those with the greatest need for the gospel and in the least-reached areas (I spend more time addressing this HERE and HERE.). In such areas, few evangelicals are preaching the gospel and access to the good news is limited. Given these two realities, the greatest needs are outside of North America. Period.
However, I recognize that most people reading this blog are serving within the United States. The principle applies to us as well. Who are the unreached people groups living in the least-reached places? While there are many such examples, today I want to draw your attention to Utica.
Here is an article on the growing refugee population in Utica. Note the unreached people groups listed here. Yes, while we are looking for creative ways to reach them in other lands–often with great difficulty–they are living in Utica. Utica! Unreached peoples in the United States–now, let’s couple this reality with a least-reached place.
A few months ago, I published the free ebook Unreached Peoples, Least Reached Places: An Untold Story of Lostness in America. HERE is a link to the pdf. On page 21, I noted that the Utica-Rome, NY metro area is only 4% evangelical. This is a community that is 96% lost–a least-reached area in the United States.
Most church planting efforts in North America are taking place among reached people groups–even in least-reached areas. Such is not the way of the Kingdom steward. If you are looking for a place to send a church planting team from your church, consider Utica. And once you do, go to the unreached people groups living there.
(image credit: Microsoft Office)
Thank you for the post and links. I’ve been church planting in the Utica area for the last 15+ years. Maybe we can get together sometime for coffee and talk!
Sounds great! And keep the the work in Utica!
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