To the Ends

Last updated on: October 17, 2012 at 9:00 am by Josh Daffern

To the Ends 2012-10-17T09:00:45-06:00 Josh Daffern

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

BIG Idea: Our work isn’t over until everyone hears.

This is the last installment of the “World Mandate” series I preached back in January. In Acts 1:8, Jesus gave his disciples the World Mandate that has changed the course of human history, “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.” Today we’re going to talk about the ends of the earth.

It’s amazing to recount just how Christ has fulfilled his prophecy to the church and brought the gospel to the ends of the earth. To start with, look at where church tradition has the twelve disciples giving their lives as martyrs for the gospel: only James was killed in Jerusalem. The others were scattered throughout the ancient world: Syria, Turkey, Greece, Rome, Iraq, Ethiopia, Iran and India. The disciples literally gave their lives fulfilling this World Mandate.

What has the Holy Spirit done since then? In their book 2020 Vision, Bill and Amy Stearns share some incredibly encouraging statistics:

Every day another approximately 74,000 people across the globe come to faith in Christ. That’s 3,083 new fellow believers every hour of every day.
In 1950, when China was closed to foreign missionaries, there were one million believers in the country. Today conservative estimates say there are well over 80 million. An average of 28,000 people become believers every day in the People’s Republic of China.
In A.D. 100 there were 360 non-Christians per true believer. Today the ratio is less than seven to every believer as the initiative of the Holy Spirit continues to outstrip our most optimistic plans! Throughout history the growth of the body of Christ has outdistanced the increase of world population.

How about this? See if you can find half of these countries on the map. As of last figures available (2000), where in the world is the fastest growing percentage of born-again believers in Christ?

Northern Mariana Island
Cameroon
Aruba
Guinea
Togo
French Guiana
Nepal
Jordan
Oman

What does all this mean? Christ is fulfilling his World Mandate. The church is growing. The nations are being reached. The question is this: will we choose to be a part of it or let the greatest movement in human history pass us by?

QUESTION: What part can we play as American Christians in the story of the gospel spreading to all nations?

Previous Post

October 16, 2012

Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend, by Andy Stanley

Next Post

October 18, 2012 The Day My American Arrogance Was Destroyed

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Family Matters Ministry in the Trenches Morning Brew MTVpastor New Wineskins Top Menu Truth from Life Uncategorized Watch Sermons

Select a Month June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who suggested throwing Moses into the Nile as a baby?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A Hebrew midwife Pharaoh Pharaoh's daughter Miriam