Missions Is About...

Finish this sentence: “Missions is about…”. What would you say is at the heart of missions?

Some might answer, “Missions is about the missionary. Our goal is to pray for and support those who are serving all over the world.” That is understandable. Without a missionary who goes, there would be no missions.

I suspect that many would say, “Missions is about the unreached, those who do not know Christ. The purpose of mission work is to make disciples of all the people groups.” That, too, is a worthy goal. Jesus commanded us to do this very thing.

There are a few who would say, “Missions is about the glory of God. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. The purpose of missions is to see God glorified as people from every tongue, tribe, and nation worship before the throne.” I am one of those few. While missions requires missionaries who go to make disciples of all people groups, the primary focus of missions is not on the missionary or the people group. The focus is first and last upon God and his glory (see Psalm 67:3-4; Isaiah 56:6-7; John 17:1-5; Romans 15:15-17; Revelation 7:9-12).

Does this really make a difference? Is it really crucial that God’s glory be at the core of mission work? As I study the Bible, I have come to the conclusion that it makes a world of difference. Focusing on the glory of God provides the fuel and the foundation for mission work. When we make the missionary our primary focus, we can easily miss the bigger picture of what God is doing by becoming attached to a person rather than to the goal to make disciples. When we make “the lost” our primary focus, we tend to operate out of guilt and obligation. But when we make God and His glory our primary focus, we value his servants who serve as missionaries and we share his love and compassion for those who have never heard.

One day missions will be no more, but giving God glory is something we can and will joyfully do throughout eternity. Missions is the means—it is not the end.