Mar 27, 2010
The 10/40 window is a term used to refer to the countries in the 100 to 400 latitude north of the Equator – the countries from north-west Africa, and across the Middle East and Asia as far as China and Japan – basically the Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and Chinese communist world.
In this heavily populated “window” there has been an amazing work of grace in recent years. Here are some 2009-10 reports from various sources:
Egypt
During the 1990s, the Egyptian Bible Society used to sell about 3,000 copies of the JESUS FILM each year. In 2008 they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape in Arabic and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament. A huge cave on the outskirts of Cairo accommodates the largest church in the Middle East; 10,000 meet weekly for worship, and a prayer conference there in 2005 hosted 20,000 believers.Iraq
More than 5,000 Muslims have come to faith in Christ over the past four years. There are 14 new churches in Baghdad and dozens more in Kurdistan, some with up to 800 members.Afghanistan
Eight years ago there were only 17 known Muslim background followers of Christ. Today there are more than 10,000.China
In 1950, when China closed to missionaries, there were about one million Chinese believers. Today there are an estimated 100 million believers and 28,000 new Christians in China every day! There are as many followers of Christ in China as in North America.The Communist government has printed 40 million Bibles over the past 20 years at its official Amity Press. The Bibles and New Testaments are distributed at 55,000 distribution points throughout the country. But still many in rural areas have no Bible, but they share handwritten portions with many believers.
Iran
At the time of the Iranian Revolution in 1979 there were possibly only 500 Shi’ite background followers of Christ! Today, many Iranian pastors suggest there may be as many as one million. More Iranians came to Christ between 1980 and 2005 than in all the previous 1,000 years.Turkey
One-third of the converts to Christianity in Turkey say they came to Christ because He appeared to them in a dream. God is at work even where there are no missionaries!Sudan
In 1960 only about 5% of southern Sudan was Christian. Today, after decades of terrible warfare and persecution, the figure is close to 70% Christian.Indonesia
More than 60,000 house churches have sprung up in recent years. The last religious census in the country was taken in 1979, when it was determined that 20% of the population were followers of Christ. That statistic so concerned government leaders in this populous Muslim country that there has not been another religious survey since.Nepal
Over the past two years the Hindu monarchy has been removed, and Nepal has been declared a secular nation. Today, the Gospel is spreading rapidly across this Himalayan republic. 40 years ago there was only 75 known Nepali believers in Nepal.Today there are around one million, and 8000 churches throughout the country. In Kathmandu alone, there are 500 churches and 300 fellowships. Growth is amazing. A group will start with a few believers, and within a couple of months it can number 50; and growing.
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