Missions Mandate
At the heart of every part of the Bible is God's desire to bring people to himself and establish his reign in the world. In fact, this theme of redemption so permeates the Scriptures that it is too exhaustive to catalogue all the occurrences here. However, there are several key verses that especially form the foundation for the world-wide missionary effort. These verses will be listed below, and it is our hope that every missionary, member, and missions candidate will study, memorize, and ponder each of them so that they can understand God's heart for all peoples of the world.
Matthew 9:35-38 (hover to read, click to close)
People are broken and God is calling us to work on his behalf by introducing people to the true Shepherd and meeting their physical needs.
Matthew 28:18-20
This verse, known as the Great Commission, is also repeated in similar forms in Mark 16:15-16 and Luke 24:46-47. Jesus commands his followers to make disciples among peoples of all nations.
Luke 4:17-21
The mission of Jesus was to proclaim the good news, set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim God's activity in history.
Acts 1:8
The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread God's word throughout the whole world.
Romans 10:13-15
We must send people who will tell others about the Lord because this is the only way for people to be saved from the coming judgment.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20
God has established a forgiving relationship with us, and as a result, he has given us the job of bringing others into this new relationship with God.
1 Timothy 2:3-6
God wants his gospel to go to all peoples because Jesus is the only one who can bring people into a renewed relationship with God.