North America is hosting the World Cup this year, meaning teams and their fans from around the world, many from unreached nations, are descending upon the continent. An estimated 6 million fans will travel to North America during the largest, single-sport tournament in the world.
And in two years, the nations will once again gather in the United States as Los Angeles hosts the Olympics and Paralympics in 2028.
This has caught the attention of churches that have recognized the unique opportunity to reach unreached peoples who have come to their backyard. Many churches are hosting outreach events to meet fans from other countries and share the gospel with them. The short timeline of these international sporting events has created an urgency to capitalize on this rare opportunity.
But after the games conclude and the fans return home, that urgency doesn’t have to end. Though much of North America is reached with the gospel, unreached people groups still live within its borders. The United States alone has millions of unreached people.
So when the World Cup or other international sporting events are over, you can still reach the unreached at home. Here are some of the largest unreached people groups in the United States.
English-Speaking Jews
Most American Jews were born in the States, but culturally, they maintain a degree of separateness. They follow the traditions passed down through their families and communities, including observing Jewish holidays and dietary restrictions. Though some are devout in their beliefs, an exceptionally high percentage are functionally atheistic. New York City has the largest Jewish population, followed by Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C.
With more than 4 million Jews in the United States, they are the largest unreached people group in America. You can read more about Judaism and sharing the gospel with Jewish friends.
South Asians
Millions of South Asians have made America their home. This includes the Gujarati, Hindi-speaking, and Urdu-speaking people groups. South Asians tend to live in some of the busiest cities in the United States, including Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Jose, Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Philadelphia.
While a number of South Asians are Muslim, many practice Hinduism, a family of diverse traditions that emerged in South Asia over thousands of years. Most Hindus are henotheistic, meaning they worship one deity, known as Brahman, while recognizing other minor deities. You can read more about Hinduism and sharing the gospel with Hindu friends.
Persians
Persians are native to Iran. A large number of Persians immigrated to the United States in the 1980s following the Iranian Revolution. Most Persians are Shiite Muslim, a branch of Islam that believes Muhammad’s son-in-law was the only one who could succeed the Muslim prophet after his death. However, many Persians who migrated to America have become disillusioned with the state-enforced religion in Iran. Because of this, most are either culturally Muslim or secular. More than 300,000 Persians live in the United States.
You can read more about Islam and sharing the gospel with Muslim friends.
Khmer
Many Khmer people from Cambodia fled to countries like the United States and Canada in the 1970s and 1980s after the Cambodian government fell to the Khmer Rouge. Many refugees experienced suffering under the Khmer Rouge that led to post-traumatic stress disorder. The Khmer people practice Buddhism mixed with animism and ancestor worship. But some heard and accepted the gospel after fleeing their homeland. When Cambodia formed a new government, some Khmer believers returned to take the gospel to their former communities.
Today, more than 260,000 Khmer people live in the United States. You can read more about Buddhism and sharing the gospel with Buddhist friends.
Reaching the Unreached at Home
These represent a small number of the nearly 100 unreached people groups residing in the United States. They may live close to churches and Christians, but they are unlikely to learn more about Jesus unless someone tells them about the gospel.
So take advantage of the international events that bring the nations to your backyard. Then, explore your neighborhood and city to find the unreached who are already here.
A Guide to Unreached People Groups
In the United States, a person would not have to travel far to find a church or a person who can explain the basics of the gospel. That is not the case in other areas of the world. In some places, there are entire populations of people who have never seen a church, a Bible, or even heard the name of Jesus. These are unreached people groups. Learn more about the unreached below.
