Reaching the Least Reached
Midland Free has adopted three people groups as part of our global efforts to engage the world. These groups are among the least reached with the gospel, having little to no access to Christian witness. We partner with various individuals, indigenous churches and other organizations in these Sowing Fields.
In many of these areas it is dangerous to be a missionary, to openly evangelize, or to become a Christian. However, prayer can reach beyond these barriers to open hearts and doors of opportunity.
THE TATAR
The Tatar are a Turkic people numbering an estimated 7 million world-wide. While a majority live in their homeland of Tatarstan, a republic within the Russian Federation, there are significant enclaves in Siberia and Crimea. In addition, smaller numbers of Tatar are scattered throughout Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union.
“To be Tatar is to be Muslim,” is a common saying. Only less than one half of one percent of Tatars identify as evangelical Christians.
With support from Midland Free, both the Old and New Testaments are now available in the Tatar language (Read or Listen).
PRAYER FOR THE TATAR
Sign up to receive weekly prayer emails at prayfortatarstan.org or contact the Contact the Tatar Focus Team.
Learn more about the Tatars, our mission, and our partners.
THE SHAN
There are somewhere between 6 and 8 million Shan people, primarily living in Myanmar (where they are the largest minority) as well as in Thailand, China, and Laos. Their language, also called Shan, is in the same linguistic group as Thai and Lao.
Buddhism is the dominant religion among the Shan people. Less than one percent are Christians.
PRAYER FOR THE SHAN
To inquire about the most up to date prayer requests, Email the Shan Focus Team.
THE ADOPTED PEOPLE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
This people group numbers about 18 million people spread primarily across countries in Southeast Asia. They are predominantly Muslim, with less than one percent being Christians (and only half of those being evangelicals).
There are multiple spiritual and cultural barriers to the gospel and persecution in various forms is high. This people group is not named due to security concerns.
- Fourth Thursday – Extraordinary Prayer for the Unreached, 7:00-7:30 via Zoom. Email the seafocusteam@mefchurch.org for a link.
“We talk of the Second Coming; half the world has never heard of the first.” ~ Oswald J. Smith
SOWING FIELDS
People Groups are individuals with similar ethnic, language, caste or other cultural distinctives. Midland Free considers the least reached of these as Sowing Fields. Our goal in these fields is to see the gospel spread and to see self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating churches established. Our prayer is that these peoples would eventually grow and mature so that they become Harvest Fields, sending their own into new fields.
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't.” ~ John Piper