Research
When William Carey looked at a map of India, he saw the needs of a people far away. He left the comfort of England and went to India, inspiring countless others to follow. Hudson Taylor saw a map of China and was struck by the fact that the majority of the Chinese people were far from the coastal cities. He left the western settlements on the coast and moved inland, founding China Inland Mission. I believe that having the information about distant lands and people allowed these men and others to pioneer new ministries and reach the unreached. There are still people who have not yet heard of Jesus. There are still people with physical needs unmet. People without access to clean drinking water. People without decent medical care. People without hope for anything different.
As it stands today, the poorest regions of the world are also the least reached. Is there a reason for this other than the unwillingness of missionaries to give up their comforts?
In order to become more strategically accurate in meeting needs, I believe that more data needs to be gathered and analyzed. In building His Kingdom we need the right tool for the right job.
I do not know what the data analysis will look like. I do know that better information will give ministries better tools to meet needs. So with this in mind, as a long term project I am gathering data across nations, demographics, and people groups.