The Not-Yet Church

The Body of Christ isn’t complete—yet.

Until representatives from each tribe, tongue and nation embrace the gospel, the Church is still being formed. Scripture tells us that members of every people group on earth will worship Jesus around His throne. But some of them haven’t yet responded to the good news of Jesus. We call these people the not-yet Church.

All of us who belong to Christ’s Body were once part of the not-yet Church. Each of us has been brought into God’s family as we, by His grace, placed our faith in Christ. But many members of the not-yet Church live in communities where this good news is still unknown.

Since 1999, Christar has been using “least-reached” to describe people who don’t have access to a church that proclaims the gospel in their language and worships in a way relevant to their culture. This term clarifies our focus on seeing the Body of Christ expand into communities where the Church doesn’t exist.

We’ve started talking about the not-yet Church because we see the least-reached not as “those people over there” or “them” but as distant and disconnected family members. They are individuals God wants to adopt into His family just as He has adopted us as His sons and daughters.

Expanding the Body of Christ is a task for all of us who have become children of God. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re part of “us,” and God is inviting you to be part of His plan of redemption for the not-yet Church around the world. Every believer has a part in helping to build up Christ’s Body among those He loves and desires to be part of His family.

What is your role in making the not-yet Church a part of “us”?

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13 NIV