The Bible has a great deal to say about missions. This study gathers passages from across Scripture and sets them out for reading and reflection.
What Scripture Says
The Bible’s teaching on missions begins with God’s own initiative to bless the nations. In Genesis 12:1–3, God calls Abram to leave his country and promises, “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” From the outset, God’s covenant with one man carries a global purpose: Israel is chosen not for itself alone but as a channel of blessing to every family on earth. The Psalms echo this outward orientation. Psalm 67:2 pleads, “That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations,” and Psalm 96:3 commands, “Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.” The nations are not an afterthought in Scripture; they are woven into the fabric of God’s redemptive plan from the beginning.
The prophets sharpen this vision and expose its cost. Isaiah 6:8 records the call, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” answered by the willing servant: “Here am I; send me.” Yet the same prophet is told that the people will hear but not understand, a sobering reminder that mission meets resistance. Jonah 4:2 reveals the heart of the missionary God—”thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness”—while Jonah’s own reluctance shows how easily God’s people resist that mercy for others. Isaiah 49:6 lifts the scope to its fullest: “I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.”
In the Gospels, Jesus embodies and commissions this mission. He declares in John 20:21, “as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you,” and in Acts 1:8 gives the geographical sweep of the church’s witness: “ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Matthew 28:19–20 records the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them… Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Mark 16:15 adds, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The mission is not optional; it is the risen Christ’s standing order.
The epistles and Revelation show how the early church carried this out and where it all leads. Paul describes his apostolic labor in Romans 1:14–15—”I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians”—and in Romans 10:14–15 presses the logic of proclamation: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” He labors as an ambassador, “as though God did beseech you by us” (2 Corinthians 5:20), and rejoices that the gospel is bearing fruit “in all the world” (Colossians 1:6). Ultimately, Revelation 7:9 gives the goal: “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne.” Mission ends in worship.
Living It Out
For the ordinary believer, missions is not a specialty for a select few but the natural outflow of belonging to a missionary God. Start where you are—your “Jerusalem.” The neighbor, coworker, or family member who does not know Christ is your first mission field, and prayer is your first labor. Ask God to give you the willingness of Isaiah and the compassion that Jonah lacked. You may never cross an ocean, but you can give, pray, send, and welcome those who do. Support missionaries financially and prayerfully; open your home to international students or refugees; speak of Christ naturally in daily conversation.
Let the vision of Revelation 7:9 shape your priorities. Every dollar given, every prayer offered, every conversation risked is a small participation in that countless multitude from every tongue and nation. Examine your life: is there any evidence that the Great Commission has any claim on your time, money, or prayers? Missions is not a program of the church to be admired from a distance; it is the heartbeat of God, and he invites you into it.
Reflection
- If God’s purpose from Genesis to Revelation is to gather worshippers from every nation, how does the way you spend your time, money, and prayers reflect—or fail to reflect—that purpose?
- Romans 10 asks how anyone can hear without a preacher. Who in your life is waiting for someone to speak, and what is keeping you from being that someone?