McLean Bible Church pastor David Platt noted how important it is that Christians must not turn a blind eye to the urgent spiritual needs of people in remote areas, as stated in his sermon on Sunday in Virginia.

Pastor Platt to Missionaries Encountered Challenges 

According to the Christian Post, Platt encouraged missionaries, telling them that to spread the Gospel to remote areas, they must face the challenges they encounter.

"Following Jesus: Faith That Changes Lives in a World of Urgent Need" is part five of his sermon series, wherein Platt noted missionaries faced challenges.

Platt stated the following challenges: natural, geographic, developmental, linguistic, social, and political challenges, conflicts, war, economic instability, illiteracy, slavery, trafficking, violence, crime and persecution, refugee relocation, inaccessibility of clean water, and medicine.

Platt stressed that "unreachable people are unreached for a reason."

"Some of you might look at this list [of challenges faced by missionaries] and be like, 'OK, you officially talked me out of it.'… If that's you, I would just ask the follow-up question," the pastor said.

"What kind of Christianity have you bought into?" he asked.

Platt then noted that whoever follows Jesus does not 'lead to greater comfort and ease."

"That didn't come from this Book," as he points to the Bible he was holding.

Reconciliation Is What We Need

He pointed out that many Christians need God to open their eyes to the reality that they need to be forgiven for their sins. Meanwhile, Platt noted that first, they need to hear the 'Gospel of Jesus Christ.'

The report said the pastor emphasized the importance of not being frightened in facing the challenges in connection to spreading the word of God. "They won't have their sins forgiven if they never hear the Gospel," he continues.

Platt stressed that people had been ordered to 'show God's love' and 'proclaim God's Gospel' as it moves people away from Hell.

He believes that if no one makes an effort to spread the Gospel to the unreached, they will be separated from God forever.

"Do you see what's at stake here? Do we see the need?" Platt asked.

Christians Unaware of the Reality

The pastor argued that the reason Christians who do not pray, give, and spread the word of God, is mainly because they are not "opening their eyes to the reality of the unreached."

Many Christians are willing to spend their lives in the church, he said. The fact of them knowing unreached people exist or maybe not, and yet don't make an effort to end the problem.

The same report noted Platt followed the sermon with a prayer, asking God's help to make the Christians realize the 'urgent spiritual needs in the world.' 

Platt suggested that Christians can provide for the spiritual needs of people through beginning it in their community. But, spreading the word of God must not end there, he stressed.

He stressed that faith becomes worthless and dead if Christians keep disregarding the urgent spiritual need of the unreached people. Platt said he hopes many Christians answer God's call in reaching these people and that it starts without ignoring the situation.

The pastor stated that approximately half of the over 7,000 languages worldwide do not have enough to no scripture exposure.

Furthermore, numerous remote places will not accept anyone to speak about the Gospel.

"These challenges will have to be overcome," he added.