North Carolina is changing fast. Currently, at least 154 unreached people groups (UPG) have been identified with sizeable populations here in North Carolina. Today, upwards of 15 percent of North Carolina’s population — that is 1.5 million people — are foreign-born or are the children of foreign-born immigrants. Almost all of these people have never heard the gospel clearly presented either in their home countries or since they planted their lives in North Carolina.

This January, you will have the opportunity to learn about these peoples, pray for them and let God use you and your church to take the gospel to them through the “30 Days, 30 Peoples” prayer emphasis.The emphasis includes several resources, including a prayer guide, daily emails and daily text messages. Learn more by visiting ncbaptist.org/30days30peoples. To receive daily text message prayer prompts in January, text the word “PRAYPND” to 474747.

As you learn more about  these people groups, may you be moved to pray fervently for believers will take the gospel to them and their willingness to receive it. 

Here are three reasons why you should pray and get involved.

God is sovereign.
While in Athens, the apostle Paul declared, “And made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him” (Acts 17:26-27). Scripture teaches that God has brought these people here so they might hear and respond to the gospel. For each of these 30 days, you can rest and reflect upon the sovereignty of God and how He is using churches across North Carolina to reach the nations that are living right here.

God responds to prayer.
Elisabeth Elliot said, “Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth.” We can take great confidence in knowing that prayer is a part of God’s plan for you and His plan of salvation – which has always included the nations. Each day, you can pray for a specific UPG, that Christians will answer God’s call to live near these UPGs and share Christ’s love with them.

God equips His people.
In Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul said that God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry and for building up the body of Christ. As this verse testifies, the very purpose of the ministry is to equip the saints and to advance the kingdom.

As we go to the Lord in prayer, it may be that God chooses you as the answer to your own prayer. The vision of the Peoples Next Door NC ministry is that for every one of the top 10 UPGs in each of the eight population centers across North Carolina, at least 10 churches would be trained and adopt those UPGs for prayer. This involves a corporate decision of a church to make a commitment to consistently, strategically and sacrificially pray for that UPG over an extended period of time, usually two to five years or longer. This is something that’s worth our effort – to impact lostness through disciple-making.