The population of Alaska in 2005 was estimated to be 663,661. It is ranked 47^th out of the 50 states with only Vermont, North Dakota and Wyoming having slightly lower total populations. In terms of population density, Alaska is by far the least populated state in the union at 1.1 people per square mile.

 

   Alaska Natives comprise about 16% of Alaska’s total population located in all of Alaska’s cities as well as approximately 200 village communities located around the state. Alaska Natives are divided into 11 distinct cultures and speak 20 different languages; Aleut, Alutiiq, Inupiak, Central Yup’ik, Siberian Yup’ik, Tsimshian, Haida Tligit, Eyak, Ahtna, Dena’ina, Deg Hit’an, Holikachuk, Upper Kuskokwim Koyukon, Tanana, Tananacross, Upper Tanana, Gwich’in, and Han.

 

   85.7% of Alaska’s residents speak English at home. The next most common languages are Spanish (2.88%), Yupik Eskimo (2.87%), Tagalog (Philippino) (1.54%), and Inupiaq Eskimo (1.06%). Approximately 7% of Alaskans speak a variety of as many as 30 other languages as their main language at home!

 

   70% of Alaska’s residents are white, 3.7% are black, 4.6 are Asian, .6% Islander, 5.1% Hispanic, 16% are American Indian and Alaska Native.

 

 

   Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all nations…” (Ta Ethne, in the original Greek). In other words the ‘Great Commission’ of the church is to take the Gospel message to all the various ethnic people groups of the entire world. Jesus also said, “This Gospel of the Kingdom of God shall be proclaimed as a witness to all nations (ta ethne) and then the end shall come. The job or mission of the church will not be complete until a representation of virtually EVERY nation; tribe and language are followers of Jesus.

 

   If we live in Alaska, then we need to make sure we are bringing the Gospel to ALL the people of Alaska. If we live in Outer Mongolia, we make sure we are doing the whole job there as well.

 

 

   Did you know that Alaska send missionaries all over the world bringing the Good News of Jesus to people in the furthest reaches of the globe? I personally know of missionaries from Alaska in; Australia (my daughter), Mexico, Mongolia, Burkina Faso, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Japan and literally dozens of other places. There are missionaries from Alaska in Iraq and yes, Iran also! There are Alaskans right now in China-reaching out to North Korean refugees.

 

   But while God is sending Alaskans OUT, He is also sending the nations IN. Alaska’s Universities have numerous students brought here by the hand of the Lord to hear the Gospel and eventually bring the love and light of the Gospel back home with them. God has brought numerous refugee communities here to live amongst us that we might show them the transforming power of the Gospel.

 

    Many of these immigrant communities have missionaries working to share the Gospel with US. There are Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Hmong, Philippino and Spanish communities living in the Anchorage area (and perhaps other areas as well) who regularly meet and pray that the Lord would revive America and bring us back to God! God is bringing the Gospel to Alaska from all angles!

 

   In at least one church in Anchorage, the Gospel is being translated each Sunday in three different languages with more on the way. The church is the ONLY place where people of all races, backgrounds, languages, economic classes, and social status, gather together in total harmony and truly call themselves brothers and sisters without prejudice. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is good.

 

   Very quietly without the world even realizing it. Jesus is building His Kingdom totally off of the UN’s radar. He is doing it without guns, or armies or bombs. He sends His people out to the nations far away and right next door with the message of His Good News. While the nations of the earth bicker and argue and the storm clouds of war gather, Jesus quietly extends His kingdom, uniting brothers and sisters together from all the people groups of the earth into the family of God.

 

   This Gospel thing started with a handful of believers in Jerusalem nearly two thousand years ago. They were given a command to go to the ends of the earth with a message from God to all the people of the earth. Now, here in Alaska we look back on where we are and how far we have come. One amazing observation stands out to me as I consider it all; We are an awfully long way from Jerusalem! Could it be that WE are the ends of the earth and now God is working FROM Alaska to wrap up the job so we can be done and get outa here? ---Cool.