Unreached People Group Focus (UPG)

Unreached People Groups (UPGs)

Didasko focusses on providing training that will inspire and help Christians to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), especially those people groups who have not yet had the opportunity to hear the good news yet (Romans 15:20). Such people groups are called the Unreached People Groups (UPGs). See also Romans 10:13-14.

A “People Group” is a group of individuals, families, and clans who share a common language and ethnic identity. When Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Mat 28:19), he was not referring to nation states, but rather to what we call “People Groups” today. The original Greek word for “nations” in this place is ethné, from which we get the English term “ethnic groups”.

The Bible clearly states that people from every nation, tribe, people and language will be worshipping before God’s throne (Rev 7:9). This means that we will have to complete the task Jesus gave us before His return (see Matthew 24:14).

Out of around 16,000 People Groups on earth, almost 7,000 have very little or no witness to Christ (see Joshua Project). These are called the "Unreached People Groups" (UPGs).

In order to complete Jesus’ Great Commission, Christians will have to have made disciples among each of these UPGs. The topic of UPGs is covered extensively in the first module of our “The Bible and Missions” course.

The importance of other lost individuals

The fact that we focus on training Christians to help reach the UPGs, does not mean we don’t care about other lost people. Quite the opposite. After all, the Lord does not want anyone to perish, but would prefer for everyone to come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9).

There is an essential difference between individuals of a UPG and lost individuals who live among Christians. The lost people who live among Christians will presumably have a chance to hear the good news from their neighbours in their lifetime. Individuals living in a UPG will never hear the gospel, unless Christians intentionally take the step of obedience to overcome the barriers of language and culture in order to take the good news to them.