For the past several months I have been meeting regularly with our mission teams to Mexico and Philly.  We are now only a few weeks away from building two homes in Mexico and about a month and a half away from working with a church in Philly doing evangelistic outreach.  In light of these upcoming events I’d like for us to think about “why” we do missions.

You see, if the local church is to function as God has intended missions must be a healthy and vibrant part of its practice. A church that lacks a desire for missions lacks in their understanding of what the church is to be doing until the return of Christ. Often churches begin with the “how” of missions before they have established the “why” of missions. The word “theology” is often one that makes people cringe and yet everyone has a theology, whether it is biblical or not.

Missions isn’t about what we want to accomplish, it is about what God desires. We don’t set the agenda for missions, God does! Effective missions has less to do with the fruit seen by the laborer and more to do with whether or not the mission is carried out according to God’s plan. So what theological principles, revealed in Scripture, ought to motivate God’s people to commit their lives, money, time, etc. to the work of missions? Though there are many, I would like to emphasize three main principles that ought to drive each of us towards greater involvement in the work of God.

Principle #1: A Passion for the worship of God.

As stated above, our motive for missions must be God’s motive for missions. We must seek to join God in His passion and work for seeing missions done. John Stott noted “The highest of missionary motives is neither obedience to the Great Commission…nor love for sinners…but rather zeal…for the glory of Christ” (Stott, Romans, 53). Stott certainly viewed the Great Commission and a love for sinners as important, but none more important that a desire to see Christ worshipped and glorified in our efforts.

God’s first and foremost passion is to see Himself honored and glorified in the work of his people (Eph 1:4-6, Jer 13:11, 1 Cor 10:31, John 17:24.). There is little value in seeking a global strategy and an obedient heart if our chief desire is not the honor and worship of a holy God. 

I am teaching my son catechisms.  I ask him, “Who made you?” and he answers “God.”  I ask, “What else did God make?” and he answers “everything.”  “Why did God make you and everything?”  He answers, “For His own glory!”  That is what I want my son to know…all things are motivated by the glory of God!

John Piper states it this way, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is” and then he goes on to add, “Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man” (Piper, Let the Nations be Glad, 17). Therefore, our goal is worship, because God’s goal is worship. What motivates us for missions is the worship of God.

Principle #2: A Passion for people of all nations.

Another theological force is that God has people throughout the world who need to hear the gospel. The idea of “the people of God” chosen to be a missionary community “to all peoples” is the Bible’s central theme (Terry, Missiology, 9). One cannot avoid this biblical theme in light of Revelation 5:9. Here we see a people who have been purchased for God from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. This fact alone must compel our mission strategy to be global. A proper mission program must have all kinds of people within its target. This does not mean the local church is able to focus on all people. They are, however, expected to focus on different peoples.

Principle #3: A Passion for faithfulness to God’s commands

While obedience to God only, without a passion for His glory or His people, could lead to dry legalism, the realty of God commanding His people to a global task cannot be avoided either. Just as the Bible is clear about a passion for God’s glory seen in all peoples, it is also clear that God has commanded us to be obedient. Our love for God is related to our obedience to God (John 14:15, 1 John 5:1-3).

When God commands us to “go into all nations and preach the gospel” our desire for faithfulness to God’s commandments ought to compel us to go. Therefore, another driving force behind our desire for missions strategy should be the desire to be as obedient as possible to the work God has given His church to do.

These 3 principles are foundational to any mission involvement. The “why” we are going is just as important as the “what” we are doing. May the Lord continue to grant us a passion for His name, a passion for all peoples, and a passion to remain faithful to all that He has given His church to do.

On Mission with you,

Pastor Wes