A mountain village with no written language now reads Scripture, forms elders, resolves conflict biblically, and plans outreach to nearby villages. We share how literacy, translation, discipleship, and tested leadership turned an unreached people into a sending church.

• creating an alphabet and literacy from field linguistics
• translating Scripture and building a full curriculum
• Junior and Jess’s conversion and contagious witness
• joy and sorrow as fuel for mission
• women launching and stewarding kids’ ministry
• conflict resolved by Ephesians 4, not custom
• preparing elders through counseling and peacemaking
• guarding against false teaching with open Bibles
• six-month service before titles for new elders
• missionaries transitioning to itinerant support and consulting

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Dr. Todd Ahrend delivers a thought-provoking comparison between Christianity and major world religions, demonstrating the fundamental uniqueness of Jesus Christ among religious founders and belief systems. Through engaging stories and clear explanations, he dismantles the popular notion that all religions teach essentially the same truths while revealing the distinctiveness of Christianity's message, founder, and holy book.

• Islam focuses on submission to Allah with salvation through the Five Pillars, explicitly rejecting Christ's divinity and crucifixion
• Hinduism centers on escaping karma and the wheel of suffering through devotion to various gods
• Buddhism identifies desire as the root of suffering, seeking nirvana (annihilation) through the Eightfold Path
• Confucianism addresses social harmony through education rather than spiritual reconciliation
• Christianity uniquely offers grace rather than works, forgiveness of sins, and a resurrected founder
• Jesus alone claimed divinity, forgave sins, performed miracles to validate his authority, and conquered death
• While other religious founders' graves can be visited, Jesus' tomb remains empty
• The Bible stands unparalleled in its coherence despite being written across 1,500 years by 40 authors in 3 languages

Connect with us on Instagram @UnreachPodcast or email us at [email protected] to learn more about reaching the 3,100 language groups still without access to Scripture.

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Chris Clayman, CEO of Joshua Project, shares the surprising journey from the organization's humble beginnings to becoming the definitive resource for tracking unreached people groups worldwide. Though it has informed global missions strategy for 30 years, Joshua Project has operated with minimal staff and resources while maintaining the world's most trusted database of unreached peoples.

• Chris's personal journey began in a mud hut in Mali before medical emergencies led to an unexpected path
• Meeting the first Wassoulou convert in New York who came to faith through a dramatic vision of Jesus
• Joshua Project has operated with just 2-4 staff members for most of its 30-year history
• The biblical basis for people group focus traces from Genesis to Revelation
• Current estimates show approximately 10,000 distinct people groups with 4,000 still unreached
• Modern challenges include tracking diaspora communities and leveraging technology for global access
• Joshua Project is expanding from 5 to 30 staff across 15-20 countries with plans for internationalization
• Technological upgrades are needed to make data accessible in multiple languages
• Anyone can contribute updates by emailing [email protected] or using the website submission forms

"Research is information that creates awareness, and awareness creates a sense of responsibility."

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

GSI stands out as "the Navy SEALs of the mission world," going where it's hardest to reach with the gospel and facing daily persecution and risk to share God's word with unreached people groups in closed countries.

• Growing up in missionary families versus discovering missions as adults
• Learning multiple languages to effectively share the gospel
• The challenge of reaching people in places entirely hostile to Christianity
• Why language acquisition is critical—knowing 70% isn't enough
• The extensive training and preparation needed before field deployment
• Experiencing the privilege of sharing Christ with people who've never heard
• Presenting the Bible chronologically creates powerful "aha" moments
• A Central Asian church plant that grew to 55-60 believers
• How businesspeople can support missionaries running platform businesses
• The story of Lina, who was thrown out of her home for following Jesus
• Churches should maintain direct involvement rather than just "pay, pray, and get out of the way"
• Why missions in closed countries requires supernatural intervention

The task remaining includes over 7,000 unreached people groups. Whether you go, send, pray, fund, welcome, or mobilize – everyone can play a vital role in fulfilling the Great Commission.

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Jake Carlson shares how his AI-powered chatbot is revolutionizing global evangelism by providing biblical answers in 192 languages across 125+ countries. His journey from missionary kid in China to tech innovator demonstrates how cutting-edge technology can be harnessed for the Great Commission, particularly in reaching unreached people groups.

• Built Apologist.ai after years in software development at Oracle and Apple
• Chatbot answers theological questions using content from trusted ministries like GotQuestions.org
• Customizes responses for different worldviews and cultural contexts
• Reaches places traditional missionaries cannot access, including closed countries
• Users feel comfortable asking sensitive questions they wouldn't ask another person
• Developing voice interfaces for illiterate populations and offline capabilities for areas without internet
• Partners with missions organizations to create white-labeled versions that match their branding
• Identifies spiritual openness in conversations to help focus on receptive seekers
• Technology serves as a bridge to human relationships, not a replacement
• Already seeing usage among highly unreached people groups without any targeted advertising

Visit apologist.ai to try the chatbot yourself or alim.apologist.ai for the Muslim-focused version. Reach out to Jake if you're interested in discussing how AI can amplify your ministry's impact among the unreached.

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Steve Richardson and Nathan Burns from Pioneers share their organization's extraordinary journey of bringing the gospel to unreached people groups around the world. Through personal stories and strategic insights, they reveal how cross-cultural understanding, team-based approaches, and innovative methods are accelerating global mission work.

• Founded 46 years ago, Pioneers now has 3,000 workers serving in over 100 countries among 441 unreached people groups
• Steve grew up in a tribe of cannibal headhunters in New Guinea, witnessing his father's breakthrough using the "Peace Child" cultural concept
• Teams typically aim for three couples/singles initially but can grow based on the size and needs of the target group
• Pioneers focuses on matching missionaries' unique gifts with strategic needs rather than forcing standard roles
• Mission work increasingly leverages technology, business partnerships, and involves people of all ages and backgrounds
• Former mission fields are becoming mission forces – Mongolia now sends about 40 missionaries through Pioneers
• Pioneers' 10-year vision aims to engage 250 additional unreached people groups beyond their current 441
• Steve is writing a book called "Silver and Bold" challenging those 55+ to invest 5-10 years in missions

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Rodion shares his powerful journey from Ukrainian dentist to missionary serving Ukrainian refugees in Austin, Texas.

• Grew up in a small Ukrainian village where American missionaries introduced him to Christ as a teenager
• Served as worship leader in his Ukrainian church for 15 years before war forced his family to flee
• Describes the traumatic experience of leaving everything behind with just an hour to pack
• Arrived in the U.S. through the "Uniting for Ukraine" program with his wife and children
• Discovered a community of displaced Ukrainians in Austin needing practical help and spiritual guidance
• Now leads Bible studies in Ukrainian and helps refugees navigate American systems and culture
• Transitioning from dental assistant to full-time missionary work with Reliant
• Sees his displacement as God's way of positioning him to reach fellow Ukrainians with the gospel
• Shares stories of Ukrainians coming to faith through simple, authentic Christianity

You can support Rodion's ministry to Ukrainian refugees by visiting www.reliant.org/rodion to donate or learn more about his work.

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Steve Sanford, leader of Ethnos 360, shares his powerful journey of bringing the gospel to the previously uncontacted Joti tribe in South America, and how this isolated people group developed into a mature, evangelistic church community.

• Growing up as a pastor's son, Steve developed a passion for reaching remote tribes
• The Joti were one of the last uncontacted people groups in northern South America
• Despite being feared as "the ha-ha people" who would spear outsiders, the Joti were actually peaceful and likable
• The missionaries had to learn the Joti language without translation aids as they were completely monolingual
• Creating an alphabet and teaching literacy to the entire village became a gateway to Scripture
• The Joti had no word for love in their language, requiring creative translation solutions
• All 150 people in the village embraced the gospel after hearing the complete message
• New believers described Jesus as "like Noah's Ark" and "the stairway man" from their understanding of Old Testament stories
• The Joti developed into evangelists who taught literacy and Scripture to other Joti from surrounding areas
• After six years with the believing community, the missionaries were expelled by the government
• Today's estimate puts Joti believers at approximately 50% of their population
• Ethnos360 works in about 40 countries with strategies for both open and restricted access areas

If you feel called to missions, you don't need to have everything figured out. Start by connecting with your local church, getting Bible training, and reaching out to organizations like Ethnos360 that provide structure, training and experienced mentorship.

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Dr. Todd Ahrend takes us deep into understanding the mission of God from Genesis to Revelation, revealing how we are called to prioritize reaching the 7,000 unreached people groups around the world with the gospel.

• God's mission begins in Genesis 12 when He promises to make Abraham into a great nation that will bless all nations
• Israel was meant to be God's "treasured possession," "kingdom of priests," and "holy nation" to show who God is to all nations
• Where Israel failed in their mission, Jesus prevailed perfectly, then established the church to continue reaching all peoples
• The five Great Commission texts together command us to go make disciples in every people group through the power of the Holy Spirit
• From approximately 17,000 people groups worldwide, about 7,000 remain "unreached" with no sustainable gospel witness
• The "1040 Window" contains most unreached peoples, dominated by Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and animistic religions
• Every Christian is called to be a "global Christian" by welcoming internationals, praying strategically, and supporting missions efforts
• We must shift our priorities from polishing our "rocks" (savings, safety, resume, relaxation) to participating in God's global purpose

You can find "The Abrahamic Revolution" by Dr. Todd Ahrend at the link below. 

https://www.amazon.com/Abrahamic-Revolution-Todd-Ahrend/dp/1935651277/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LTdpfJRWcKVmRFHUuMbKwPJmRzBQ5GCM5xLv7TEcZ5c6B1PSducQBWBTZcncztPHru3uU78BhMK6b-UfpJ1W9g.QKZZiHc-dm8adHQOZiWM_bdZZncZwh7FBK3fVGdLkzg&dib_tag=se&qid=1747336175&refinements=p_27%3ATodd+Ahrend&s=books&sr=1-4

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].

Craig Bradley, founder of AO Lab, introduces the revolutionary Seed Bible platform that enables communities to create customizable, shareable digital Bible experiences with integrated multimedia content and collaborative features.

• Creating digital Bibles that communities can fully own and customize
• Building technology that works globally and offline through web-based solutions
• Enabling "playlists" of scripture with integrated videos, links, and resources
• Giving families tools to create generational Bible legacies with personal reflections
• Supporting Bible translators with free-use frameworks and distribution tools
• Working with non-Christian developers who have opportunities to encounter the gospel
• Addressing copyright barriers that restrict Bible distribution and accessibility
• Partnering with organizations like E10 (Every Tribe, Every Nation) to reach the unreached
• Making all technology free without monetization strategies, ads, or data harvesting

If you want to support this ministry or learn more, visit helloao.org where you can watch demonstrations and see monthly updates about this revolutionary gospel tech platform.

Check out this video from Craig to get even more info!
https://youtu.be/KWDSWSpzplo

A note from our team here at UNREACHED...

If this podcast adds value for you, and we hope it does, would you please rate and review the podcast wherever you listen.
Also SHARE with your family, your friends, your church, your life group, small group, D group, wherever you do life.
And if you want to connect with us, find us on Instagram @unreachedpodcast or email us at [email protected].