GCOWE ’97 (Global Consultation on World Evangelization)

On June 30, 1997, thousands of Christian leaders gathered in Pretoria, South Africa, for GCOWE ’97, a landmark consultation focused on fulfilling the Great Commission. In a nation still learning to heal after apartheid, Pretoria became a setting for visible unity—pastors, mission executives, church planters, and intercessors meeting across languages and denominational lines. The tone was not merely strategic but worshipful: extended prayer, public repentance, and renewed consecration shaped the agenda as participants sought God’s cleansing and guidance for global witness.

GCOWE ’97 emphasized cooperation rather than competition. Agencies shared research, field realities, and best practices, urging the church to strengthen partnerships that outlast conferences. The consultation’s call was practical and personal: believers were urged to go with courage, give with generosity, and intercede with perseverance, trusting that Christ is worthy of worship from every people.

Luis Bush and the “10/40 Window”

Mission strategist Luis Bush, who coined the term “10/40 Window” in 1989, served as senior consultant to GCOWE ’97. His framework highlighted a vast belt stretching from North Africa through the Middle East and into Asia—regions where poverty, oppression, and entrenched spiritual strongholds often converge, and where many unreached peoples have little or no access to the gospel. By naming the challenge, Bush helped leaders see the world with sharper spiritual focus: not to reduce people to statistics, but to stir compassion, urgency, and sustained prayer.

The “10/40 Window” language became a rallying point for churches to adopt peoples, support Bible translation, train local leaders, and stand with believers facing pressure and persecution. In this sense, heroism at GCOWE ’97 was often quiet: faithful servants choosing costly obedience, and intercessors bearing burdens for nations they may never visit.

Legacy and Ongoing Call

GCOWE ’97 renewed confidence that mission is God’s work, carried forward by Spirit-empowered witnesses. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37). The consultation echoed the willing surrender of Isaiah: “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). Its enduring message remains clear: until every people has heard of Christ, the church must pray, plan, and persevere together.