Ken GuentherThe Long Road to Breakthrough
If you’ve served among unreached people groups for any length of time, you know the ache of waiting. You know the weight of sowing seeds year after year, often with little visible fruit. You know the tension between hope and disappointment, between faith and frustration. Furthermore, you know what it is to pray for a breakthrough—a moment when the gospel finally takes root and begins to spread, when a church is born, when the kingdom of God becomes visible in a new place.
But how long does it take for a breakthrough to come? And what do we do in the waiting? Most importantly, who is the true author of every breakthrough?
This post is for those of you who are laboring in hard soil, tempted to lose heart, and wondering if your efforts will ever bear fruit. What have we learned about breakthroughs? And let’s fix our eyes on the Master of breakthroughs—God Himself.
The Myth of Quick Success
In our results-driven world, we are often drawn to stories of rapid church growth and explosive movements. We hear about “miraculous breakthroughs” and long for the same in our context. But the reality for most missionaries is far less dramatic and far more drawn out.
Dick Brogden, a veteran missionary and leader in the “Live Dead” movement, has observed that breakthroughs among unreached people groups typically require a decade or more of sustained, incarnational work. In a podcast interview cited on a post on this blog, Brogden said that it typically takes 10 years to gain traction among an unreached people group. Only after a decade does a missionary begin to see significant fruit. If workers leave prematurely, after five or even eight years, they, and the people they serve, may never see the harvest that was ripening.
This is not just Brogden’s experience. It is echoed by many who have labored among the least reached. The average missionary career, however, is only about seven years—and that number is declining. Many leave before they see the fruit of their labor.
Why does it take so long? Why does God seem to delay? And what does it mean to persevere in faith when the breakthrough is still far off?
Breakthroughs Are God’s Work
First, we must remember that God is the Master of breakthroughs. The Bible is full of stories where God alone could bring the victory. David, after defeating the Philistines at Baal-perazim, declared:
“The LORD did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means ‘the Lord who burst through’).
2 Samuel 5:20, NLT
Upon reading this passage, I was surprised to see the name Baal in the place name. Baal was the name of a Canaanite god, and therefore a rival to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Why would David use “Baal” in the name of a place where he won a victory over the Philistines? But Baal simply means owner or master. Perazim means “breakthrough” or”breech”. Baal-perazim could be translated “The one who owns breakthroughs” or “Master of breakthroughs”.
David celebrated this breakthrough in defeating the Philistines, maybe the first breakthrough after the Philistines had defeated the Israelite army in the battle that killed Saul and his sons. But he does not attribute the honor to himself but rather to the one who is the Master of breakthroughs, the one who is unstoppable and makes a way when it looks like there is no way forward. David knew that the breakthrough was not his own doing. It was not his strategy, his strength, or his perseverance that brought the victory. It was God who “burst through” the enemy lines.
In the same way, every true breakthrough among the unreached is a work of God. We may labor, we may sow, we may water, but it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). We are jars of clay, holding a treasure that is not our own (2 Corinthians 4:7). The power belongs to God, not to us.
Why Does God Take So Long?
If God is the Master of breakthroughs, why does he so often delay? Why does he require years—sometimes decades—of faithful, hidden labor before the gospel takes root?
1. God is forming us as much as he is forming a movement.
Perseverance is not just about waiting for fruit; it is about being transformed in the waiting. James writes:
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:4
God is not only interested in the salvation of the unreached; he is also deeply invested in the sanctification of His messengers. The long, slow road of missions is God’s crucible for forming Christlike character in us.
2. God’s timing is perfect.
We are often in a hurry, but God is not. He is never late, never early. He is always on time. The “delay” we experience is often God’s way of preparing the soil, the people, and the circumstances for a harvest that will bring him the most glory.
3. God wants the glory.
If breakthroughs came quickly and easily, we might be tempted to take the credit. But when they come after years of prayer, tears, and apparent failure, we know beyond a doubt that the Lord did it. The breakthrough is his, not ours.
What Do We Do in the Waiting?
1. Persevere in Faith
The Scriptures teach us to persevere in faith, even when we see little fruit. The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 “did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance” (Hebrews 11:13). Yet they persevered, trusting that God would fulfill His word.
2. Pray for Breakthroughs
Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). This is a prayer for breakthrough—a prayer for God’s reign to invade the darkness.
But Jesus also gave us a specific prayer request for the advance of His kingdom:
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Matthew 9:37-38
Pray for breakthroughs. Pray for more workers. Let’s pray for God to “burst through” in places where the gospel has never been heard.
3. Celebrate Small Beginnings
The Scriptures remind us not to despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10).1 See my blog post, “Don’t Dismiss Small Beginnings.” Every new believer, every home welcoming a Bible study, every step toward transformation is a sign that God is at work. Celebrate the small victories, knowing that they are often the seeds of a future breakthrough.
4. Keep Learning from your Failures
Along with celebrating our small wins, we need to recognize that we are also learning from our failures. We may not ever find the “silver bullet” that leads to rapid acceptance of the Gospel throughout the people group. Finding a redemptive analogy like the one that Don Richardson discovered among the Sawi people of Papua may seem elusive.2 See the book “Peace Child“. Nevertheless, even in our less than successful attempts to effectively communicate the love and message of Jesus to this people group, we can learn more about their culture. We will deepen our understanding of what does and does not make sense to them.
Of course, this requires an attitude of humility and a commitment to lifelong learning. We need to be listening to their questions and objections, and noting their looks of confusion and disbelief. Wisdom in how to most appropriately communicate the Gospel in their context comes to those who are listening to the Word, to the Spirit and to the audience.
5. Stay Long Enough to See the Harvest
If breakthroughs typically require 10 years or more, commit to staying long enough to see the harvest. Resist the temptation to move on when things get hard or when fruit is slow in coming. The harvest may be just around the corner. See my blog post on “Resilience and fruitfulness” for further discussion on this topic.
6. Trust God with the Results
Ultimately, we must entrust the results to God. We are called to be faithful, not necessarily successful by human standards. As Paul wrote:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
The Master of Breakthroughs Today
Throughout mission history, the greatest breakthroughs have often come after years of apparent failure. William Carey labored for seven years in India before seeing his first convert. Adoniram Judson spent six years in Burma before baptizing his first believer. Hudson Taylor faced years of hardship in China before the China Inland Mission saw a harvest.
In each case, the breakthrough was God’s doing. The missionaries persevered, but it was God who “burst through” the barriers.
God is still the Master of breakthroughs. He is still at work among the unreached. He is still calling his people to persevere, to pray, to sow, to wait, and to trust.
If you are laboring in hard soil, take heart. Your work is not in vain. The breakthrough may be years away, but it is coming. And when it comes, you will know that the Lord did it.
Fix Your Eyes on the Master
As you labor among the unreached, remember:
- Breakthroughs are God’s work, not ours.
- They often require a decade or more of faithful, hidden labor.
- God is forming you as much as he is forming a movement.
- Persevere in faith, pray for breakthroughs, celebrate small beginnings, and stay long enough to see the harvest.
- Above all, fix your eyes on the Master of breakthroughs.
May the Lord of the harvest “burst through” in your context, in His time, for His glory.
Questions for Reflection:
- Where have you seen God “burst through” in your ministry or in the stories of others?
- What helps you persevere when the breakthrough seems far off?
- How can you encourage your team or your supporters to pray for breakthroughs among the unreached?
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