Why Do Frontier Missions Matter?
Frontier missions are about bringing a personal and tangible witness to peoples who have little to no access to the gospel of the Jesus Christ. Unlike the vast majority of missions, which most often statistically support pre-existing churches, frontier missionaries focus on unreached people groups (UPGs) — communities without a critical mass of indigenous people who have made Jesus Lord. Within unreached people groups there are no self-sustaining indigenous disciple-making disciples or self-supporting churches that have the ability to send and support. Many of these people groups are in the 10/40 Window, a region spanning North Africa, the Middle East, and large segments of Asia.
At the heart of frontier missions is pioneer church planting—starting committed communities of brand new disciple-making disciples from ground zero. This isn’t easy and comes with a price tag that most are unwilling to pay. It requires long-term commitment in very hostile regions of the world where cross-cultural evangelism, discipleship and underground church planting often cost frontier missionaries their lives or physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Creative Access For Frontier Workers
It is often very difficult to gain long term access to these people groups. Many frontier missionaries gain access by starting businesses, providing healthcare, education, and economic development services, showing Christ’s love through tangible, pragmatic actions. In places where Christianity is completely unknown or even opposed, these efforts help break down barriers and open doors for the gospel of the Kingdom to enter the culture.
Frontier Missions in the Bible
Frontier missions are deeply rooted in the New Covenant. From day one as the Good News of Jesus began moving forward in power, right after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the upper room as recorded in Acts 2:8-13, at least 15 different ethnic and regional groups heard the gospel in their own languages. This moment was significant because it symbolized the gospel being for all nations, a trajectory that would continue throughout the book of Acts up until today.
Jesus commands us in Matthew 28:19-20 to “make disciples of all nations.” The Apostle Paul said in Romans 15:20 that he wanted to preach Christ where He wasn’t yet known. And ultimately, Revelation 7:9 gives us a glimpse of the end goal—people from every nation, tribe, and language worshiping God. Paul’s mission in Romans 15:20 was simple — he wanted to proclaim Jesus to people who had never heard of Him before, instead of building on what others had already started. This by definition is frontier missions, and connects directly to Revelation 5:9 and Revelation 7:9, where we see the bigger picture of God’s plan can be seen in its completion.
In Revelation 5:9, all of heaven is worshipping Jesus as the only One who is worthy because His sacrifice made it possible for people from every nation, tribe, and language to be part of God’s family. This fulfills the promise God made to Abraham in Genesis 12:3. Then again, in Revelation 7:9, we get a glimpse of the future where countless people from every nation, language and culture of the world are standing before God, worshiping Him together as His newly adopted family made possible by Jesus Christ’s sacrificial atonement and resurrection from the dead!
There is a special grace on frontier missionaries. Their work takes great patience, resilience, and a lot of faith. They are called not to shrink back from death but to continue to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony (Rev. 12:11).
