I had mentioned in my previous Blog that I will be writing more about the origin of the 10/40 window in our midst. Here’s an excerpt from my book, The Kingdom in our Midst:
In 1990, Luis Bush coined the phrase “10/40 window,” which refers to the section of the world that is least reached by the Gospel. These regions have roughly two-thirds of the world’s population. Many governments in these countries formally or informally prohibit Christian teachings. Thus, the term “window” was used because of the window of opportunity to evangelize these countries.
According to Wikipedia, approximately 77% of the U.S. population was Christians in 2009, down from 86% in 1990. This should not surprise us since the U.S. has become too secularized in its approach to life. The country that has the motto “In God We Trust” on its currency is now divided in its approach to Christianity. If the trend continues at its current rate, Christians could be the minority in the decades to come. We may be looking at the next 10/40 window right in our own backyard.
My recent conversations with a few local Christian denominational leaders revealed that about 10%-20% of the congregations tithe and are active in the works of the church. This means that about 85% of Christians are church-goers (I heard someone referred to them as half-baked Christians or part-time Christians), but are not actively involved in sharing the Gospel and are not being discipled. In general, who are the Christians in this country? Do they reflect Christ in their lives? Can we easily distinguish a Christian in a crowd? Or is it getting harder and harder to identify them?
In my next Blog, I will share more excerpts from my book relating to the same topic with a view from the Old Testament.
PS/ You order my book at www.amazon.com www.createspace.com on the 12th OR you can pre order it now at www.merlingonzales.com
