Realities Book Cover

I began slowly working on this book with the hope that, by sharing my story, you might be encouraged to personally examine the reality of unreached people groups. Much of this book is based on my journey over the past two decades and how the reality of the unreached has become more personal in my life. I share experiences where I have witnessed the spiritual poverty of the nations. The lack of access to the gospel. The lack of Scripture in their native language. In some places, there is no church presence at all!​

This book is intentionally divided into three parts. ​ First, I will share the first time I heard about unreached people groups. It’s hard to make something you don’t know about personal to you! When I heard that 42% of the world’s population had never heard of Jesus, a sense of urgency ignited in my heart.​

In the book’s second part, I briefly share some personal stories of my encounters with men and women who heard about Jesus for the first time and their struggles to learn how to follow Christ. These stories are not written chronologically but focus on the four major religious groups among unreached people groups: the Buddhist world, the Animist world, the Muslim world, and the Hindu world.

The final part of this book is focused on you, dear reader. When we know that our reality in Christ Jesus is only different because we have had access to the good news of the gospel, we need to ask ourselves: How does God want to use my new reality in Christ to impact the reality of those who have never heard about the love of Jesus? ​

My prayer and hope is that God will use this book to awaken in you the same curiosity and urgency for unreached people groups that He has awakened in me. ​

Have a great journey among the unreached people groups!

About the Author

Ken Katayama is a Great Commission influencer and an advocate for unreached people groups. He serves as Crossover Global's second president, succeeding the leadership of the Founder, Dr. Bill Jones. Ken began serving with Crossover Global in 1999.  

Born in Brazil, Ken has made his home in the US since 2005. In 2010, Ken became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He has traveled and ministered in 37 countries and speaks fluent English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Ken is a passionate communicator, and his passion for planting churches among unreached people groups is the topic he most enjoys when speaking to churches, organizations, and individuals. He also enjoys speaking about strategy, teamwork, leadership, and practical ways to become involved in missions at any level, as well as discovering potential and calling in life. 

He has the honor of volunteering as Deputy Leader for the WEA Mission Commission and serves on the board of Columbia International University. He has also served on the board of COMHINA, Missio Nexus, and Ezra Journey. Additionally, he has the privilege of serving as a Perspectives instructor since 2007. Ken holds a Bible Certificate from the Word of Life in Brazil, a Bachelor of Arts in Bible, and a Master of Arts in Muslim Studies, both from Columbia International University in Columbia, SC.   

Ken resides in South Carolina, USA, with his wife and four children