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160 Contrasting Philosophies and Strategies of Mission
that lies between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north of the equator and stretches
from North Africa to China and Japan. Drawing attention to the missionary task
yet to be done, the visually dramatic 10/40 Window concept has inspired many
to offer themselves for missionary service. Two-thirds of all people on earth live
within the 10/40 Window. While not all unreached people live there, almost all
of the 55 least-evangelized countries are located there. Even though Bush coined
the term 10/40 Window, he has also used Patrick Johnstone’s resistant belt phrase
to refer to the same area. Christians living in this part of the world often suffer
physical persecution. In several resistant belt nations, conversion to Christianity
is punishable by death. In addition to being relatively unreached with the gospel,
that area of the globe is home to 8 out of 10 of the poorest of the poor. The
10/40 Window concept has fostered the development of specialized forms of
missionary service for creative access areas, including such things as running
restaurants to provide places where people can meet inconspicuously.
Case Study of a Tool: The JESUS Film Project
The JESUS Film in Mevali, Tanzania
The whole village came to watch the film. As it reached the point
where Christ began to suffer, we heard weeping in the crowd. When
the whip fell across Christ’s back, women began to cry out with each
cruel blow. The sight of our Lord being dragged through the streets of
Jerusalem on His way to Calvary brought more sobbing from the
crowd. The crowd watched as the Roman soldiers put Jesus on a
cross and drove nails through His hands and feet. The crying turned
to wailing, and we felt God’s convicting Holy Spirit on the audience.
Pastor Righton Kyomba grabbed my arm. “Now is the time for
the invitation!” he exclaimed. “The Spirit of God is here!”
I stopped the film and turned on the lights. Pastor Righton invited
the people to come forward. Within moments people were throwing
themselves to the ground beneath the screen. They wept bitterly,
calling out in the night to ask God’s forgiveness of their sins. I saw
children praying in loud voices with such conviction in their hearts.
Young people knelt in obedience in the Spirit and poured out their
struggles at the foot of the Cross where Christ still hung suspended
on the screen. More than 125 people came, seeking forgiveness . . .
The Spirit of God swept through the crowd for almost 20 minutes
before we gathered the people in the church for counseling. 17
—Tim Eby
In the 1970s, Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, dreamed
of producing a film of Christ’s life that would be an evangelistic tool. The re-