The Overwhelming Task Of Missions & The Need For Effective Evangelism

Evangelism can be intimidating. World missions can be overwhelming. When Jesus commissioned us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel,” He set before us a monumental task. It can equally inspire and unnerve us! It can even be paralyzing. Even if we don’t admit it openly, we do think to ourselves, “I can’t do this!”

The world is a BIG place.
God’s view of the world is not merely as a planetary system orbiting through space. He views the world as persons to be rescued and harvested,[1] by means of the proclamation of the word of His grace for His glory.[2]

Consider this. There are seven continents in the world. There are 7.9 billion[3] persons currently on planet earth. Nearly 250,000 births daily.[4] Over 100,000 deaths daily.[5]

It is incalculable the total persons who have lived and died since creation.[6] Life and death are daily realities. Each person is born in sin[7] and in need of the Savior.[8] Without Christ, each one is destined for an eternity without Christ[9] to perish in their sin.[10]

It is clear that God loves the world of people,[11] as demonstrated in the manner of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.[12] This world, comprised of continents, countries and nations, is filled with “tribes, and tongues and peoples.”[13] It is the purpose of God that His glory be known among the nations and peoples.[14] He is Creator, Savior and coming Judge of the nations.[15]

In our Lord’s great commission statement, the nations were clearly in mind. Each of the gospels and the book of Acts record this heart focus of our Lord on “all nations,”[16] framed also as “all the world” and “the whole creation.”[17] This commanding commission is further defined with geo-ethnic specificity as “Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.”[18] The unfolding development of the proclamation of the gospel is put on display throughout the content and context of each of the Epistles.[19]

It has been stated, “The gospel spreads despite barriers of geography, ethnicity, culture, gender, and wealth. Many of these barriers appear so inviolable that when the gospel is preached to a new segment of society, riots ensue. But Luke makes clear that no one is beyond the scope of God’s saving power, nor is anyone exempt from the need for God’s redeeming grace.” [20] So, in faithful obedience to our Lord’s commission, how do we actually reach the world?

Effective Evangelism – A Process of Discipleship – Person to Person
First, we recognize that the world and nations of the world belong to the Lord.[21] The task is really His, and as such He has commissioned us to declare the message He will bring about. Secondly, we are not called upon to it all at once, by ourselves. We evangelize:

• One place at a time. We simply need to be faithful to do our part in that part of His world where He has called and placed us.
• One day at a time. Day by day “proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.”[22]
• One person at a time. “Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.”[23]The “peoples” infers individual persons.

The return of Christ is certain. He will come again as He promised. “This same Jesus”[24] will return for His own and as Judge of the peoples of the earth.[25] Until He comes again, we must focus on Christ - focus on Christ as Creator, focus on Christ as Savior, focus on Christ as coming Judge.

Effective evangelism in obedience to our Lord Jesus is not a clinical rehearsal of “The Four Spiritual Laws” or another system such as Evangelism Explosion, for example. Biblical evangelism is a discipleship process and not a single event. A system or resources that helps us actively explain the gospel of Christ can be helpful and ought not be dismissed out of hand. Yet, what our Lord is calling us to goes beyond notches on our evangelistic belt. It is first an obedient act of worship from the heart of love for the Savior.

The first disciples were also told to “get going!”[26] Literally, “as you are going about” declare the message of Jesus Christ and “make disciples” – make learners and followers of Christ even as you have come to learn and follow Christ.[27] Rather than passively gazing into the sky,[28] we labor until He comes … as He surely will![29]

As I think about my efforts at evangelism over the years, I recount many varied ways of “going about.” It has included handing out tracts, door-to-door visitation and surveys, on college campuses and in airports; youth events and senior citizen nursing homes; high school campuses and youth camps; family devotions and visits with neighbors; formal church services and missions conferences, and impromptu conversations at the grocery store and restaurant. The Lord brings to Himself in many places and many ways those “appointed to eternal life,”[30] from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation.[31]

Editor note: It is encouraging to see missions as simply faithfulness to God and know that He works. The author continues his points further in an article that we will bring to you next week.  


[1] The field is the world. . . (Matthew 13:38).[2] Psalm 96:3.

[3] https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Genesis 3:15.

[7] Psalm 51:5; 58:3.

[8] Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-9.

[9] Ephesians 2:12.

[10] John 3:18; Heb. 9:27, 28.

[11] John 3:16.

[12] Romans 5:8.

[13] Revelation 7:9.

[14] Psalm 96:1-3.

[15] Psalm 96:11-13.

[16] Matthew 28:19.

[17] Mark 16:15.

[18] Acts 1:8.

[19] Romans-Revelation 2-3.

[20] Notes: ESV Gospel Transformation Bible, 1450.

[21] Exodus 19:5; Psalm 46:10.

[22] Psalm 96:2

[23] Psalm 96:3

[24] John 14:3; Acts 1:10-12.

[25] Psalm 96:13.

[26] Acts 1:10-11.

[27] Acts 11:26; 1 Corinthians 11:1.

[28] Acts 1:10-11.

[29] Titus 2:13.

[30] Acts 13:48.

[31] Rev. 5:9; 7:9.

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