In many Christian circles, “missions” is often viewed as a specialized career path for the few—the courageous souls who pack their lives into suitcases and move to distant, often dangerous lands. We see them as the spiritual “special forces,” while the rest of the church cheers from the sidelines. However, a closer look at Scripture reveals a startling truth: Missions is not a department of the church; it is the purpose of the church.
The mandate given by Jesus wasn’t a suggestion for a committee; it was a command for every follower. Here is why involvement in missions is the “Great Obligation” for every believer.
1. A Mandate of Identity, Not Just Activity
In John 20:21, Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” This statement binds our identity to His. Just as Christ came as a missionary from heaven to earth to reconcile humanity to God, we are sent into our world as His representatives.
Being a Christian means being “sent.” Whether you are sent across the street to your neighbor or across the ocean to an unreached people group, your primary identity is that of an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). You don’t just do missions; you are a missionary in whatever field God has placed you.
2. The Urgency of the Harvest
Jesus often used the metaphor of a harvest to describe the state of the world. In Matthew 9:37-38, He noted that “the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”
A ripened crop has a limited window. If it isn’t gathered, it spoils. Today, billions of people remain “unreached,” meaning they have no access to the Gospel within their own culture or language. For these souls, the “harvest” is not a future event—it is a present, urgent crisis. When we ignore missions, we are essentially allowing the harvest of God’s Kingdom to go to waste.
3. The Debt of Compassion
In Romans 10:14, the Apostle Paul asks a series of haunting questions: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”
Every believer is a product of someone else’s obedience to the Great Commission. Someone prayed, someone gave, or someone “went” so that you could hear the Truth. This creates a “debt of grace.” We do not share the Gospel because we are superior, but because we are “beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.” To keep the message of eternal life to ourselves is the ultimate act of spiritual selfishness.
How Can Every Believer Get Involved?
You don’t need a plane ticket to fulfill your missionary calling. Involvement generally falls into four categories:
- Praying: Interceding for the “unreached” and for the protection and boldness of those on the frontlines.
- Giving: Investing your resources to fuel the work. Financial partners are the “supply lines” of God’s army.
- Mobilizing: Helping others “catch the vision” and find their place in the harvest force.
- Going: Whether short-term (like a Kingdom Spy) or long-term, stepping out in faith to share the Gospel where it isn’t known.
Conclusion: The Goal of History
The Bible ends with a vision of the finish line: a great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language standing before the throne (Revelation 7:9). Missions is the vehicle God uses to bring history to this glorious conclusion.
When you get involved in missions, you aren’t just joining a program; you are joining the grandest move of God in the universe. You are helping to ensure that the Lamb of God receives the full reward of His suffering.