Bible Verses About Missions

What does the Bible say about missions?

It’s a serious thing to talk about missions and it should be treated as such. As missionaries, we are bringing the gospel to dead men. We won’t stop until the flag of Jesus Christ is raised in every nation.

As missionaries, we are building up the bride of Christ in another country so she can become stronger and better equip others.

Many people go on mission trips and do absolutely nothing. Most believers are wasting time in their own country so it’s not a surprise when they waste time in another country.

We have to live with an eternal perspective. We have to take the focus off of ourselves and put it on Christ. Then, we will get to understand what missions is all about. It’s about Jesus and laying down our life for the advancement of His Kingdom.

When you’re a missionary, you put it all on the line whether that means being bruised, battered, and bloody. Missionary work gives us a greater appreciation for what we have here in America. We are so focused on God changing others that we forget that God also uses missions to change us.

Christian quotes about missions

“Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” CT Studd

“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” William Carey

“If you had the cure to cancer wouldn’t you share it? … You have the cure to death … get out there and share it.” – Kirk Cameron.

“It’s hard to grow your faith inside your comfort zone.”

“We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” -John Stott

“The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to him, the more intensely missionary we become.” Henry Martyn

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

“I cannot tell you what joy it gave me to bring the first soul to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have tasted almost all the pleasures that this world can give. I do not suppose there is one that I have not experienced, but I can tell you that those pleasures were as nothing compared to the joy that the saving of that one soul gave me.” C.T. Studd

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.”

“Missionaries are very human folks, just doing what they are asked. Simply a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.” Jim Elliot

“To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him.” John Piper

“Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.” David Platt

“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on God being with them.” Hudson Taylor

“The command has been to ʻgo,ʼ but we have stayed—in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth. But 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland.” Robert Savage

“Answering a student’s question, ‘Will the heathen who have not heard the Gospel be saved?’ thus, ‘It is more a question with me whether we who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not, can be saved.” C.H. Spurgeon.

“Prayer alone will overcome the gigantic difficulties which confront the workers in every field.” – John R. Mott

 “I want the whole Christ for my Savior, the whole Bible for my book, the whole Church for my fellowship and the whole world for my mission field.” John Wesley

“The book of Acts is the best aid in approaching our work. We do not find there anyone consecrating himself as a preacher nor anyone deciding to do the Lord’s work by making himself a missionary or a pastor. What we do see is the Holy Spirit Himself appointing and sending men out to do the work.” Watchman Nee

“The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.”

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” John Piper

“The concern for world evangelisation is not something tacked on to a man’s personal Christianity, which he may take or leave as he chooses. It is rooted in the character of the God who has come to us in Christ Jesus.

“I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you Lord Jesus.” Jim Elliot

These bold brothers and sisters weren’t just willing to live for Jesus; they were willing to die for Him. I asked myself—as I have a thousand times since—why are so few of us in America willing to live for Jesus when others are so willing to die for Him? Seeing Jesus through the eyes of the persecuted church transformed me. Johnnie Moore

“You will never make a missionary of the person who does no good at home. He that will not serve the Lord in the Sunday school at home, will not win children to Christ in China.” Chalres Spurgeon

“The missionary heart: Care more than some think is wise. Risk more than some think is safe. Dream more than some think is practical. Expect more than some think is possible. I was called not to comfort or success but to obedience… There is no joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving him.” Karen Watson

The mission of sharing the gospel 

God has invited you into the wonderful privilege of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you listening to the Lord? God says, “go!” That means go and allow Him to use you for the advancement of His Kingdom. God doesn’t need you but God is going to work through you for His glory. Are you eager to do the will of God? We don’t need to be motivated anymore. We’ve been motivated enough. God tells us to go out and witness. It’s either we do it or we don’t.

We treat missions like youth pastors trying to find someone to close in prayer. The only way someone wants to close in prayer is if they are picked by the youth pastor. In the same way, it’s like we’re waiting on God to pick us so we can share the gospel. We’re all thinking the same thing. We all think He’s going to call someone else. No, He’s calling you! God has given you the privilege of sharing His glorious gospel with others. Now go, and if you lose your life in the process glory be to God!

We should be eager to talk about Jesus Christ. When you truly understand the power of the blood of Jesus Christ if God asked, “Whom shall I send?” Your response would be, “Here am I. Send me!” It’s all about Jesus! You don’t have to go miles away to do missions. For most of you, God is calling you to do missions with people who you see every day and you know they are going to hell.

1. Matthew 28:19 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.”

2. Isaiah 6:8-9 “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

3. Romans 10:13-14 For “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”

4. 1 Samuel 3:10 “The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

5. Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

6. 1 Chronicles 16:24 “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

7. Luke 24:47 “and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.”

Love and Missions 

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

There are some people who never open their mouth to spread the gospel and they expect people to be saved by their kindness, which is false. However, genuine love opens doors for witnessing opportunities. On my recent missions trip, my brothers and I went to the beach in St Louis du Nord, Haiti. Although it was beautiful it was filled with poverty.

Many people were digging sand so they can sell. My brother said, “let’s help them.” We both grabbed shovels and we started helping them dig. In a matter of seconds laughter erupted on the beach. People were filled with joy and surprised Americans were being put to work. Everyone gathered around to watch. After 10 minutes of digging, we noticed the hand of God. It was the perfect opportunity to witness. We told everyone to come over so we can preach the gospel to them and pray for them.

In just a few seconds we were surrounded by attentive eyes. We preached the gospel and prayed for people one by one and someone got saved. It was such a powerful moment that stemmed from a small act of kindness in our eyes. The people on that beach were so thankful. They knew we cared for them and that we were from the Lord. Evangelism is dead when there is no love. Why do you go on missions? Is it to brag? Is it because everyone else is going? Is it to do your Christian duty and say, “I did that already?” Or is it because you have a heart that burns for the lost and the broken? Missions are not things that we just do for a while. Missions last a lifetime.

8. 1 Corinthians 13:2 “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

9. Romans 12:9 “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

10. Matthew 9:35-36 “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.”

The importance of prayer in missions

Don’t expect God to move when you’re not getting alone with Him.

We can’t expect to do God’s will in the arms of the flesh. No wonder we go to the mission field and nothing gets done! God is the one who saves not us. We have the privilege of planting a seed and God works through it. Prayer is needed. We must pray that He grows the seed that was planted.

We don’t pray and when you don’t pray your heart is not aligned with God’s heart. There is something that happens in prayer that is so amazing. Your heart begins to align with the Lord. You start to see how He sees. You start to love how He loves. God starts sharing His heart with you. One thing I love about Paul Washer and Leonard Ravenhill is that they make it clear, you can’t share someone else’s prayer life. If you’re not intimate with the Lord it’s going to be evident in your life and it’s going to be evident on the mission field.

Sometimes God is going to lead you thousands of miles away to save one person or to impact one person in that area so they can go on and impact a nation. Do you believe in the power of the Holy Spirit working through men? I don’t care if you’re a cessationist or continuationist, why do we have a low view of the power of God? It’s because we don’t know Him and we don’t know Him because we don’t spend time with Him.

God makes a missionary through prayer. John the Baptist was alone with the Lord for 20 years! He shook up an entire nation. Today we have far more resources than John the Baptist but instead of us shaking the nation the nation is shaking us up. God finds praying people and He breaks their heart because His heart is broken by what He sees. They are not overcome by emotion or by concern but they are overcome by anguish that lasts. They become bold, full of zeal, and filled with the Spirit because they’ve been alone with the living God. That is how a missionary is born!

11. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

12. Acts 13:2-3 “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

13. Nehemiah 1:4 “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

14. 1 Corinthians 3:6–7 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth.”

15. Romans 10:1 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.”

16. Jeremiah 33:3 “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.”

Preaching the whole gospel

Preach the full gospel and be willing to die for what you believe.

Christianity was built on the blood of men. There is nothing worse than when someone preaches a sugarcoated gospel. In return, you will get false converts. Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, William Tyndale, Stephen, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, and more lost their life preaching the gospel. They put it all on the line. In Haiti, I met a missionary woman who was in severe pain for three weeks. She has been in Haiti for 5 years. She might die for the gospel!

Is what you’re living for going to be worth it in the end? Put it all on the line. Preach your heart out. Start now! Stop hiding behind other believers. Stop hiding behind your parents. Stop hiding behind your church. The question at the end of the day is are you personally going out there and sharing Jesus? You don’t have to be big or have many talents. You just have to follow and allow Christ to work through you.

If there are people who you see every day who do not know that you are Christian, then you should not go miles for missions. Missions start now. God has placed you in certain places for missions. Sometimes God allows trials for missions. Wherever you are at go share the gospel and if some people don’t like you for it, then so be it. Christ is worthy!

17. Luke 14:33 “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”

18. Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

19. Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

God’s love is your motivation for missions.

On the last day of our conference in Haiti, we were asked what motivates us to do missions? My answer was Christ and the love of God. If God wants me to go do something I’m going to do it. In humiliation, in pain, in blood, in tiredness, it was the love of the Father that drove Jesus to keep going.

Missions can put a toll on your body. You might get caught in the rain. There are some nights that you might not eat. Unbelievers might discourage you. You might get sick. When the worst things happen to you, it’s the love of God that keeps you going. As a missionary, you learn to imitate the One who you gave your life to. Also, you want other people to see that love no matter the cost.

20. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

21. John 20:21 “Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, so I am sending you.”

22. Ephesians 5:2 “and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel

When we share the Good News, it glorifies God and it pleases Him. Missions are so precious to God. Not only are they precious to God but they are also precious to others. One thing I noticed on my mission’s trip is that people’s eyes lit up. Just our mere presence gave many people joy. We gave the hopeless hope. We allowed the lonely and those who felt forsaken to know that they were not alone. We even encouraged other missionaries who were going through hard times.

Take a second to picture it now. Beautiful feet walking with the sole purpose of bringing the gospel of redeeming grace to those who are headed to hell. The time to allow God to use you is now. Now go!

23. Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

24. Romans 10:15 “And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

25. Nahum 1:15 “Behold, upon the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah; fulfill your vows, for never again shall the worthless pass through you; he is utterly cut off.”

Bonus

Matthew 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”