The 10/40 Widow, stretching from northern Africa into the Middle East and Asia, is home to two-thirds of the world’s population, most of the world’s least-reached countries and people groups, and the fewest Christians.
Take a look at the list below of the world’s 10 largest urban metropolitan areas.* Many things could be said about them, but one of the most notable points for someone interested in mission is that 7 of them are in the 10/40 Window, which is where a huge majority of the world’s unreached people live.
While 6.5 of 10 people on the planet live in this window, only 1.5 out of 10 Adventists are in that same window. We have work to do!
The good news about cities is that due to their diversity, those who live there are often more open to new ideas, including new ideas about God. So these top 10 metropolitan areas, with more than 20 million people each, represent a tremendous opportunity for mission. With so many people in these places, we know that God’s heart is drawn out to them. Is yours?
Will you pray or maybe even go? Will you give to support urban mission? Will you stake a claim for Christ where the need and opportunity are greatest?
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1Guangzhou metro area
- Country: China
- Population: 48,600,000
- Adventist members: 28,492†
- Churches/companies: 146
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 332,877 people.
[Photo credit] istock/huad262 -
2 Tokyo metro area
- Country: Japan
- Population: 39,800,000
- Adventist members: 2,385
- Churches/companies: 11
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 3,618,182 people.
[Photo credit] istock/SeanPavonePhoto -
3 Shanghai metro area
- Country: China
- Population: 31,100,000
- Adventist members: 7,531
- Churches/companies: 37
- Mission challenge:
- Each church must reach 840,541 people.
[Photo credit] istock/zorazhuang -
4 Jakarta metro area
- Country: Indonesia
- Population: 28,100,000
- Adventist members: 21,742
- Churches/companies: 86
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 326,744 people.
[Photo credit] istock/Herianus -
5 Delhi metro area
- Country: India
- Population: 26,400,000
- Adventist members: 3,520
- Churches/companies: 42
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 628,571 people.
[Photo credit] IndiaPicture/Alamy Stock Photo -
6 Seoul metro area
- Country: South Korea
- Population: 24,400,000
- Adventist members: 78,375
- Churches/companies: 116
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 210,345 people.
[Photo credit] istock/AsianDream -
7 Karachi metro area
- Country: Pakistan
- Population: 24,300,000
- Adventist members: 2,899
- Churches/companies: 65
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 373,846 people.
[Photo credit] istock/PPI-Images -
8 Manila metro area
- Country: Philippines
- Population: 23,300,000
- Adventist members: 11,552
- Churches/companies: 126
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 184,921 people.
[Photo credit] istock/Simon Podgorsek -
9 Mumbai metro area
- Country: India
- Population: 23,200,000
- Adventist members: 10,000
- Churches/companies: 74
- Mission challenge: Each church must reach 313,514 people.
[Photo credit] istock/Extreme-Photographer -
10 Mexico City metro area
- Country: Mexico
- Population: 22,100,000
- Adventist members: 58,629
- Churches/companies: 176
- Mission challenge:
- Each church must reach 125,568 people.
[Photo credit] istock/erlucho * Source for metropolitan populations: Thomas Brinkhoff, “Major Agglomerations of the World,” Internet Archive, accessed February 21, 2017, https://www.citypopulation.de/world/Agglomerations.html.
† Source for Adventist church statistics: “It’s Time!” GC Urban Conference 2013 and the Seventh-day Adventist Church world division “Mission to the Cities” reports, 2015-2017. copy