Unreached Peoples Data: Out of the Computers and into the Fields

by John Dekker

The puzzle must be put together—if churches and missions overseas are to make the best use of the data

After working 21 years with the Dani people in the highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, a stream of information started to come my way about the many unreached people groups. The Lord had originally called my wife and me to bring the good news to those who had never heard it. As a result, the Danis responded to the gospel. Not only that, they have sent out some 60 missionaries to 20 tribes all around them.

As the Lord burdened our hearts again for the millions who are as yet unreached, the question came: Where are they? I read that there were supposed to be 16,750 unreached people groups. Where? I learned that many organizations have bits and pieces of information about these groups. When I tried to find out what information actually is available, I discovered that a more or less coherent picture simply does not exist.

World Vision’s Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center (MARC) has the most complete picture in its files. I spent an afternoon at MARC and received a computer printout of all the information about the unreached people groups in Indonesia; 289 are listed. In addition, there is a file of clippings from periodicals and MARC has a small library for further study. Certain people groups are described satisfactorily in some of these books, but the majority of groups are not included.

From Gospel Recordings I received a list of more than 2,000 people groups in Indonesia, but not much factual data was included. I also have lists published in Ethnologue by Wycliffe Bible Translators, which has more information. I also consulted the peoples’ files at the U.S. Center for World Mission.

There are thousands of data pieces in "boxes," the computers and files resembling a puzzle that begs to be assembled. Many pieces of the puzzle are still missing and many other pieces still lie upside down.

I discussed the unreached peoples of Indonesia with Dr. Petrus Octavianus, president of the Indonesian Evangelical Fellowship, as well as with many other church leaders in Indonesia and the Philippines. I learned that the information that has been collected and stored in the files and computers in the West is not readily available to those who need it and want to make use of it.

Later, when I had a chance to talk about this with some of our top unreached peoples research directors in North America, they agreed that the information is not readily available in the countries where it is needed. It has become very clear to me, as I consider this matter from the viewpoint of those who need to make use of this information in their own countries, that we do indeed have a serious problem to overcome.

The problem is compounded by the fact that we lack geographical information to show us where the unreached people groups actually are located. In the "Unreached Peoples" books, they are indexed by group name, receptivity, religion, language and country. However, most people who want to be involved at the grassroots think primarily in terms of location: Where does this group live?

If we are to use the research information, we must have a geographical index as well. Such information should be available in such a form that missionaries and church leaders can handle it.

A national data base can be one of the most strategic tools for the reaching of the unreached people groups. Both in the Philippines and in Indonesia, a number of evangelical leaders have expressed the need for such information centers. As a matter of fact, the Indonesian Evangelical Fellowship in 1981 formed a department of information and publication.

Such a data base can be used by church leaders, the heads of the mission departments of theological institutions, and both local and expatriate mission leaders. These leaders should hold meetings to coordinate the work in which the different parties are involved. As it is, most mission and church groups are "doing their own thing." This results, on the one hand, in unnecessary duplication and, on the other, the neglect of needy peoples.

Such an information center can be used to inform the mission departments of the local theological institutions of the present needs and encourage the churches to pray for the same. Apart from this, it also can be used to strategize for the years ahead, so that the best use is made of the force for evangelism within each country.

The present unreached peoples information in Western files is very helpful basic data, to which the national data bases will have to add many details. But we in the West must not be satisfied with our research work until the results are in the hands of those who need to make use of it, and in a form that is easily understood by them.

The information is not available on the field because those who assemble it in the U.S. have not come up with a way to get it back to the countries where it can be used. Unfortunately, those who fill out the MARC questionnaires do not always keep a copy. Some of the responses are dashed off so hurriedly that the information is partial and sometimes incorrect. When files are kept on the field, this information is not shared.

We can be thankful for the sources of data that are available to us, but we still have a long way to go before we have something that is helpful to the local church leaders and workers. We must help our brothers and sisters develop a tool-a data base in their own countries-that they can use to reach the unreached peoples.

My observation about Indonesia, for example, is not that the churches are hindered from reaching out to lost tribes because they can’t get the needed data about these tribes. Rather, there are many churches that should be involved and many theological students that should be praying about the unreached people groups. These churches and students must be challenged with the facts.

They have no access to the facts, such as those in the MARC files. Thus the larger need, not only in Indonesia, but in other countries as well. The unreached peoples picture is still an incomprehensible puzzle for many people.

After working 21 years with the Dani people in the highlands of Irian Jaya, Indonesia, a stream of information started to come my way about the many unreached people groups. The Lord had originally called my wife and me to bring the good news to those who had never heard it. As a result, the Danis responded to the gospel. Not only that, they have sent out some 60 missionaries to 20 tribes all around them.

As the Lord burdened our hearts again for the millions who are as yet unreached, the question came: Where are they? I read that there were supposed to be 16,750 unreached people groups. Where? I learned that many organizations have bits and pieces of information about these groups. When I tried to find out what information actually is available, I discovered that a more or less coherent picture simply does not exist.

World Vision’s Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center (MARC) has the most complete picture in its files. I spent an afternoon at MARC and received a computer printout of all the information about the unreached people groups in Indonesia; 289 are listed. In addition, there is a file of clippings from periodicals and MARC has a small library for further study. Certain people groups are described satisfactorily in some of these books, but the majority of groups are not included.

From Gospel Recordings I received a list of more than 2,000 people groups in Indonesia, but not much factual data was included. I also have lists published in Ethnologue by Wycliffe Bible Translators, which has more information. I also consulted the peoples’ files at the U.S. Center for World Mission.

There are thousands of data pieces in "boxes," the computers and files resembling a puzzle that begs to be assembled. Many pieces of the puzzle are still missing and many other pieces still lie upside down.

I discussed the unreached peoples of Indonesia with Dr. Petrus Octavianus, president of the Indonesian Evangelical Fellowship, as well as with many other church leaders in Indonesia and the Philippines. I learned that the information that has been collected and stored in the files and computers in the West is not readily available to those who need it and want to make use of it.

Later, when I had a chance to talk about this with some of our top unreached peoples research directors in North America, they agreed that the information is not readily available in the countries where it is needed. It has become very clear to me, as I consider this matter from the viewpoint of those who need to make use of this information in their own countries, that we do indeed have a serious problem to overcome.

The problem is compounded by the fact that we lack geographical information to show us where the unreached people groups actually are located. In the "Unreached Peoples" books, they are indexed by group name, receptivity, religion, language and country. However, most people who want to be involved at the grassroots think primarily in terms of location: Where does this group live?

If we are to use the research information, we must have a geographical index as well. Such information should be available in such a form that missionaries and church leaders can handle it.

A national data base can be one of the most strategic tools for the reaching of the unreached people groups. Both in the Philippines and in Indonesia, a number of evangelical leaders have expressed the need for such information centers. As a matter of fact, the Indonesian Evangelical Fellowship in 1981 formed a department of information and publication.

Such a data base can be used by church leaders, the heads of the mission departments of theological institutions, and both local and expatriate mission leaders. These leaders should hold meetings to coordinate the work in which the different parties are involved. As it is, most mission and church groups are "doing their own thing." This results, on the one hand, in unnecessary duplication and, on the other, the neglect of needy peoples.

Such an information center can be used to inform the mission departments of the local theological institutions of the present needs and encourage the churches to pray for the same. Apart from this, it also can be used to strategize for the years ahead, so that the best use is made of the force for evangelism within each country.

The present unreached peoples information in Western files is very helpful basic data, to which the national data bases will have to add many details. But we in the West must not be satisfied with our research work until the results are in the hands of those who need to make use of it, and in a form that is easily understood by them.

The information is not available on the field because those who assemble it in the U.S. have not come up with a way to get it back to the countries where it can be used. Unfortunately, those who fill out the MARC questionnaires do not always keep a copy. Some of the responses are dashed off so hurriedly that the information is partial and sometimes incorrect. When files are kept on the field, this information is not shared.

We can be thankful for the sources of data that are available to us, but we still have a long way to go before we have something that is helpful to the local church leaders and workers. We must help our brothers and sisters develop a tool-a data base in their own countries-that they can use to reach the unreached peoples.

My observation about Indonesia, for example, is not that the churches are hindered from reaching out to lost tribes because they can’t get the needed data about these tribes. Rather, there are many churches that should be involved and many theological students that should be praying about the unreached people groups. These churches and students must be challenged with the facts.

They have no access to the facts, such as those in the MARC files. Thus the larger need, not only in Indonesia, but in other countries as well. The unreached peoples picture is still an incomprehensible puzzle for many people.

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