The preachers quoted here say missions is a central theme of the Bible and a charge laid on the whole church, not on a few specialists. They describe it as going, living among a people and seeing the church planted, reaching every people group, and they add that it begins where one is and depends on more than methods.
The first reason is that Christ commanded it. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20). "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21). The word mission comes from the Latin for sending, as apostle does from the Greek.1 William Carey's pamphlet of 1792 argued against the view of his day that this command had expired with the apostles: "This commission was as extensive as possible, and laid them under obligation to disperse themselves into every country of the habitable globe, and preach to all the inhabitants, without exception or limitation."2
The second is that it has been God's purpose from the beginning. He told Abraham, "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). The psalms pray "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations" (Psalm 67:2). The Servant is given "for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6).
The third is human need. "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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?" (Romans 10:13-14). Jesus saw the crowds and said, "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38). Paul's ambition was to preach "not where Christ was named" (Romans 15:20).
The fourth, and deepest, is the glory of God. "Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people" (Psalm 96:3).
The fifth is the certainty of the outcome. "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14). John saw "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" before the throne (Revelation 7:9). The task will not fail.
The power for it is promised. "Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The first missionaries were sent by a praying church at the Spirit's direction (13:2-3), and the motive Paul gives is "the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Corinthians 5:14).
- Strong's Greek 649, apostéllō: "set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively".
- William Carey, Writings of William Carey, "Section 01".
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
Missions is not just a little theme in the Bible.
Dick Brogden
in God Glorified: A Foundation for Missions
Listen at 10:39
Mission is when you go and you live with the people and you see the gospel planted, the church planted, and the people built up and established in the Lord.
Paris Reidhead
in The Fear of the Lord Is Wisdom (Basis for Missions - Part 4)
Listen at 34:17
The Great Commission is an invitation not just to individuals, but to local churches.
Dean Taylor
in Anabaptist History: Mission & Missiology - (Day 21)
Listen at 1:22:06
The Great Commission is not merely to take the gospel to every one of the 222 countries in the world, but to each of the at least 16,000 ethno-linguistic people groups in the world.
Peter Hammond
in The Greatest Missionary is the Bible
Listen at 6:30
Missions is not a matter only of the best methods and the best techniques and committee work and finance.
J. Edwin Orr
in The Spiritual Dynamics of Missions
Listen at 23:12
Missions is sharing Jesus where you are to begin with.
Peter Maiden
in Why Missions (12.6.1986)
Listen at 45:58
The great commission is not just for apostles and evangelist's but for prophets, teachers and pastors as well.
Keith Malcomson
in The Great Commission in the Book of Acts
Read in context
What Scripture says
- Matthew 28:18-20 go therefore, and teach all nations
- Acts 1:8 witnesses to the uttermost part of the earth
- Romans 10:13-15 how shall they hear without a preacher?
- Matthew 24:14 this gospel shall be preached in all the world
- Revelation 7:9 a great multitude of all nations, kindreds, people and tongues
How this page is made: the quotes are taken word for word from sermons on SermonIndex and checked against them by program before the page is published. The transcripts of audio and video sermons are machine-made, so follow the link to hear the words as they were spoken. The answer above the quotes is an overview with its sources listed; it is not a statement of doctrine by SermonIndex.