Where
to Begin?
Adopting an unreached people group
1. Pray for guidance.
It is important that church leaders bathe the process in prayer. You
need to know that God has led you and not feel like you have been
“assigned” a project. When you sense God’s leadership,
you will be motivated by obedience to Him rather than trying to humanly
implement a “program.”
2.
What expectations do you have of the "adoption?"
Adoption means different things to different people. For instance:
Are you looking for a UPG that you can make the focus of your prayer?
Do you ever plan to take a volunteer trip to “your” UPG?
Are you seeking to pray for a UPG and find ways to involve others?
Are you wanting to join (or form) a team to promote the needs of
an UPG to other churches and Christians?
Are you seeking to join the field team by going on Vision Trips,
Prayerwalks and other volunteer trips that may be needed to make
a path for Gospel?
3.
Discover your church’s Natural Affinity (DNA).
Who has God placed in your church membership?
What are their skills and gifts?
What connections do they have with other parts of the world?
Are there Ethnic Groups that have moved into the region around your
church (check out the “7-11” or local motels)?
Sometimes these things will give you direction, sometimes not. It
may be that there is just a place in the world that keeps coming
to your mind.
4.
Talk to your church leaders.
Is there a particular part of the world that God has laid on the
heart of a church leader?
Do they see the need for a balanced approach to reaching the unevangelized
as well as attempting to find ways to take the Gospel to those who
have little/no access to the Gospel?
5.
Identify the “Champion.”
Who will become the “point person” to communicate with
the field?
Is this person willing to be trained in security measures to allow
communication to restricted areas?
Can this person help influence the congregation to focus on the
UPG?
6.
Investigate Opportunities.
Do you have a direction to a region or a country?
Which UPG needs the most help?
Do we want to form a team where no one is assisting or do we want
to join an existing team?
Check this website to learn of some needs: www.peopleteams.org
7.
Decide on People Group.
Can you sense God’s direction to a specific UPG?
Prayerfully agree to follow His leadership.
8.
Celebrate the Direction.
Find ways to bring the whole church into the process.
After meeting with various church leaders, find a way to publicly
celebrate the direction.
Consider an Adoption Weekend (a suggested plan is available).
9.
Communicate, Follow Through and Keep Your Commitments!
This process will cause you to enter into a relationship with field
personnel and other churches.
Keep the communication lines open until you find your church’s
niche on the team.
If you make commitments to the field (or to other churches on the
PG team), do what you say you will do!
Trust must be built over time. Follow through will lead to more
opportunities.
Evaluate your role every year. If God leads you another direction,
find ways to communicate this to the field and other churches that
have joined in this effort.
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