What is our missions as Christians? Eighty Bible verses
in the New Testament speak to the issue of world evangelism.
Sixteen of the New Testament books contain at least one
verse relevant to world missions with a total of almost five dozen.
The first New Testament verse relevant to world missions is in Matthew 4; the last one is in Revelation 21.
Twenty-five verses in the Gospels and at least seventeen verses in Paul's epistles are germane
to world evangelization.
Prayer: The mission of the
church
"O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth
and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near.
Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you. Bring the nations into your fold.
Pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your Kingdom through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen."
— Book of Common Prayer
(Anglican)
"We must choose this day whether we will hide our eyes from the need and close our
ears to the call or whether we will tackle with new decisiveness, mixed with humility and
devotion, the unchanging command of a faithful God who is still seeking." —
Ralph Winter in Faithful in Christ Jesus: A mission reader
Harvest passages:
New Testament verses that support a call to global oureach
Why missions? We have a mission to fulfill: New Testament
Biblical passages dealing with world evangelism
Are you working on a missionary sermon or message?
Do you have to do a Bible study on missions? Has someone asked the question: Why
missions? Why should I be concerned about the global harvest of souls?
Sacred Scripture is full of explicit as well as implicit references to God's will for world
evangelism. Most evangelical believers know the
Great Commission: "Go ye into all
the world."
The Great Commission is a powerful reason for God's people to be involved in global
missions. There are also many other missions verses in God's Word. Here is a
partial listing of missionary scriptures — scriptures concerning missions — from
the New Testament. Use these to campaign for a clear missionary vision. Several of the passages
have links to where they are cited on other pages of this website.
Some of these Bible phrases relating to missions would
make great Faith Promise convention themes.
John 21:4-14 — Some Biblical commentators have said the 153 fish equals the number of all the tribes and nations which the ancients thought existed on
earth.
Romans 15:10 "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (Deuteronomy 32:43]
Romans 15:11 "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (Psalm 117:1)
Romans 16:26 — So that all nations might believe
1 Corinthians 1:24 — "To those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks"
2 Corinthians 4:15 — "Grace that is reaching more and more people"
2 Corinthians 10:16 — "So that we can preach the gospel to the regions beyond you" — blog post in Engage magazine
Galatians 3:8 — "The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations
will be blessed through you.'" (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18)
Galatians 3:14 — "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles." —
blog post in Engage magazine
Ephesians 1:10 — "To bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."
Ephesians 2:11-19 — "You are no longer foreigners and aliens"
Philippians 2:10 — Every knee shall bow
1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 — "To keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved"
Hebrews 6:13-14 — God's promise to Abraham
2 Peter 3:9, 12 — "Not wanting anyone to perish"
1 John 2:2 — "He is the atoning sacrifice . . . for the sins of the whole world"
Revelation 5:9 — "You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation"
Whatever groups we divide humanity into — races, nations, languages, cultures
— it is clear that God loves all of them and wants people from all those groupings to be
reconciled to Him.
In the top-line blessings/bottom-line responsibilities categories of Don Richardson and Bob
Sjogren, many of these scriptures are in the bottom-line responsibility group.
"The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest
to send out laborers into His harvest" — Luke 10:2 (New King James Version)
Video: "Making disciples in all nations" (13 minutes)
"I was amazed to see that God placed missions all throughout His word, from
Genesis to Revelation! I cannot believe that I missed the multitude of verses on the topic before!"
-- Allie M., Nazarene Bible College student
The barbarians become Christian
In the years 400-800, the Germanic tribes of
central Europe embraced Christianity in great numbers. [ more
]
-- Howard Culbertson,
Top Ten World Missions Verses in the New Testament
One possible list
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV): "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age."
Mark 16:15 (NIV): "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all
creation.'"
Acts 1:8 (NIV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth."
Romans 10:14-15 (NIV): "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without
someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"
Romans 15:20-21 (NIV): "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ
was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is
written: 'Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will
understand.'"
2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV): "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were
making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."
Galatians 3:28 (NIV): "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there
male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
John 4:35 (NIV) " Don't you have a saying, 'It's still four months until harvest'? I tell you,
open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. "
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV): "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the
name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father."
Revelation 7:9-10 (NIV): "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that
no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and
before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to
the Lamb.'"
These ten verses (chosen subjectively) affirm the importance of spreading the gospel to all nations and peoples, as well as the universality of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Reflection Questions
Am I personally responding to the Great Commission?
Do I see world missions as a central theme throughout Scripture?
How am I praying for the global harvest?
Am I aware of the spiritual needs of people beyond my own culture and context?
Is my church or Christian community fulfilling its world mission mandate?
Harvest passages:
New Testament verses that support a call to global oureach