What Is a Missionary? What Is Missions?

What Is a Missionary?

A missionary is a born-again believer who is called by God and sent forth by a local New Testament church to preach the Gospel, win souls to Jesus Christ, baptize believers, teach them the Word of God, and establish sound local churches.

Although the word missionary is not found in the Bible, the work of the missionary is clearly revealed throughout the New Testament. The word describes one who is sent with a message and a mission.

The Lord Jesus said:

“As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
—John 20:21

A missionary is not merely a traveler, humanitarian worker, educator, medical worker, or social reformer. Such activities may open doors and demonstrate Christian compassion, but the central work of a missionary is the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul and Barnabas provide a biblical example of missionaries being called by the Holy Ghost and sent by a local church:

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed…”
—Acts 13:2–4

A biblical missionary is therefore:

• Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
• Called by the Holy Ghost.
• Sent and supported through a local church.
• Faithful to preach the Gospel.
• Committed to teaching the whole counsel of God.
• Seeking to establish self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local churches.

What Is Missions?

Missions is the work of the local church carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ beyond its immediate community to every nation, people, and language group.

Missions begins with God. The Father sent the Son. The Son sent His disciples. The Holy Ghost calls and empowers believers. The local church sends missionaries. Missionaries preach Christ so that sinners may hear, believe, and be saved.

The Lord Jesus Christ gave His church a clear and binding commission:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
—Matthew 28:19–20

This Great Commission contains four essential responsibilities:

1. Go into all the world.
2. Preach the Gospel to every creature.
3. Baptize those who believe.
4. Teach believers to obey the Word of God.

Missions is not complete when a person merely hears the Gospel. The missionary seeks to see sinners saved, converts baptized, believers instructed, and local churches established.

The Message of Missions

The message of missions is not politics, philosophy, education, social improvement, or religious tradition. The message is the death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
And ye are witnesses of these things.”
—Luke 24:46–48

The Gospel declares that Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Salvation is offered freely to every sinner who believes on Him.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”
—Romans 1:16

Missionaries do not go to foreign nations because certain people are more deserving of salvation. They go because all men are sinners, Christ died for all, and God commands that the Gospel be preached to every creature.

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
—Mark 16:15

The Gospel invitation is genuine and universal. Any sinner, from any nation or background, may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

The Scope of Missions

The Great Commission reaches from the church’s own community to the uttermost part of the earth.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
—Acts 1:8

Jerusalem represents our immediate community. Judaea represents the surrounding region. Samaria represents people who may be culturally, socially, or historically separated from us. The uttermost part of the earth includes every foreign nation and distant people.

The church must not choose between home missions and foreign missions. The command is to reach both the nearby and the distant. Every church should be witnessing locally while praying, giving, and sending missionaries throughout the world.

God’s purpose is that people from every nation, kindred, people, and tongue should hear the Gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

John described the redeemed in heaven as those who were purchased by Christ’s blood:

“For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”
—Revelation 5:9

He later saw:

“A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues…”
—Revelation 7:9

This does not teach that every person will be saved. It teaches that Christ will have redeemed people from every nation and people group. Therefore, the church must take the Gospel to all without distinction.

Ambassadors for Christ

Every believer represents the Lord Jesus Christ in this present world.

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:20

An ambassador does not deliver his own opinions. He faithfully communicates the message of the one who sent him. Likewise, the missionary must preach the Word of God rather than human philosophy, cultural trends, religious ceremonies, or personal theories.

The missionary’s authority is the Scripture. His message is the Gospel. His power is the Holy Ghost. His purpose is the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

Using Every Biblical Means Available

As ambassadors for Christ, believers should use every lawful and biblical means available to carry the Gospel to foreign nations.

This may include:

• Personal evangelism.
• Public preaching.
• Gospel tracts and printed Scriptures.
• Radio and audio ministry.
• Internet and digital media.
• Bible correspondence courses.
• Christian schools and Bible institutes.
• Medical or humanitarian assistance that supports Gospel ministry.
• Translation and distribution of faithful Scripture.
• Training national pastors and church workers.
• Planting independent local churches.

Methods may change, but the message must never change. Technology may assist the work, but it cannot replace personal witness, biblical preaching, discipleship, baptism, and the local church.

The church must never adopt sinful practices, compromise doctrine, or weaken the Gospel merely to gain an audience. The command to use available means does not permit worldly methods or theological compromise.

Missions Is the Responsibility of the Church

The Great Commission was given to the Lord’s churches. Mission boards and other ministries may assist missionaries, but they should never replace the authority and responsibility of the local church.

The local church should:

• Pray for labourers.
• Recognize God-called missionaries.
• Examine their doctrine and character.
• Send them with prayer and authority.
• Support them financially.
• Communicate with them regularly.
• Encourage them during trials.
• Hold them accountable to sound doctrine.
• Receive reports of the work God has done.

Jesus said:

“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
—Matthew 9:37–38

The primary problem is not a lack of lost people. The harvest is already plentiful. The great need is for faithful labourers who will surrender to God’s call and churches that will send and support them.

The Goal of Missions

The goal of missions is not merely to improve earthly living conditions. Christian compassion is important, but temporary relief cannot substitute for eternal salvation.

A person may receive food and still die without Christ. He may receive an education and remain spiritually lost. He may receive medical care and still face the judgment of God. The greatest need of every person is to hear the Gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

The goal of missions is:

• The salvation of sinners.
• The baptism of believers.
• The instruction of disciples.
• The establishment of local churches.
• The training of national leadership.
• The continued spread of the Gospel.
• The glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

A mature missionary work should produce churches that can govern themselves under Christ, support their own ministry, train their own leaders, and send missionaries to other places.

Our Responsibility

Not every Christian will be called to live in a foreign nation, but every Christian should participate in missions.

Some must go. Some must give. All must pray. All must witness.

The believer should be willing to say, as Isaiah did:

“Here am I; send me.”
—Isaiah 6:8

The church must not wait for the nations to come to its building. Christ commanded His people to go. We must cross streets, communities, cultural barriers, national borders, and oceans with the Gospel.

The Great Commission is not an optional program for a few unusually devoted Christians. It is the continuing responsibility of every New Testament church until Jesus Christ returns.

Conclusion

A missionary is a God-called believer sent by a local church to preach the Gospel, win souls, baptize converts, teach the Scriptures, and establish local churches.

Missions is the church’s obedient response to Christ’s command to take the Gospel to every creature and every nation.

God has given the church a Great Commission so that a great multitude from every nation, kindred, people, and tongue might hear the Gospel and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As ambassadors for Christ, we must faithfully use every biblical means available to reach both our own communities and the foreign nations.

The command is clear:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
—Mark 16:15