God’s Program in Missions
Becoming World Christians
When Jesus told His disciples, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), He was not simply giving them something to do in their hometown. He was revealing the expanding reach of God’s mission. Their witness would begin where they are and expand to ultimately reach “the ends of the earth.”
That raises an important question for every follower of Jesus: What does God want me to do about His global mission?
The answer is not for every Christian to become a missionary. According to scripture, that is a separate calling that requires sending out (Acts 13:1–3). But there is a calling that belongs to every believer: we are called to become World Christians.
A World Christian is a follower of Jesus whose understanding of God’s heart for the nations shapes the way he or she lives, prays, gives, serves, witnesses, sends, and participates in God’s work throughout the world. It means learning to see the world through God’s eyes and asking, “How do I fit into what God is doing?”
A World Christian may never become a missionary but understands that God’s purposes extend beyond personal faith and local church life to people and peoples throughout the world.
Jesus commanded His followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Revelation 7:9 gives us a glimpse of the destination: people from every nation, tribe, people, and language worshiping before God’s throne. If that is where God’s story is going, shouldn’t we care about how that story is unfolding?
Becoming a World Christian begins with awareness.
We learn about cultures, languages, religions, missionaries, national churches, and unreached peoples. We discover that many people around the world have little access to a biblical church or a meaningful opportunity to hear the Gospel. Awareness changes perspective. What once seemed distant becomes part of our concern.
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Then comes prayer.
Jesus told His disciples to pray for laborers because the harvest was plentiful (Matthew 9:38). We can pray for missionaries, church planters, translators, persecuted believers, national pastors, and unreached peoples. Prayer moves missions from information in our heads to compassion in our hearts.
Then comes participation.
This is where Acts 1:8 challenges us. Our witness begins where God has placed us, but “where we are” should never become the boundary of our concern.
The Evangelism E-scale developed by Ralph Winter helps us ask how far our vision reaches: E-0, those within the church; E-1, our community; E-2, people across cultural, ethnic, linguistic, or social barriers; and E-3, peoples who remain unreached with little access to a biblical church.
The question is no longer simply, “Am I witnessing?” It becomes, “How can I participate in God’s mission?”
Allow God’s vision for the nations to become part of your vision. This complements the lifestyle stewardship model. How can I change my life and desires so that I can give and participate in reconciling others to God?
Some will go. Some will send. Some will pray. Some will give. Some will welcome. Some will cross cultures. Some will plant churches. Some will strengthen existing churches. All can bear witness.
God’s program is bigger than any one role. His mission is moving toward a day when people from every nation, tribe, people, and language will worship before His throne.
We are not spectators waiting to see how the story ends. We are invited to participate.
Perhaps our prayer should be, "Lord, open my eyes to Your mission. Show me what You are doing, show me where I fit, and give me the willingness to participate wherever You lead.”
That is the heart of a World Christian.
