What fuels missions and evangelism? What motivates someone to share the gospel with their neighbor  or people in other countries? Why do Christians bother crossing streets and crossing border to share the good news of Jesus? 

When I was in high school, I was first exposed to the concept of global missions through a book by John Piper called “Let the Nations be Glad.” It was through this book, that the goal of and motivation for global missions was clarified for me.

John Piper states this in the begininning of his book: 

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God id ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God,  missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But  worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of mission.”

Or, as David Mathis states in his book “Finish the Mission.” 

“The goal of missions is the worldwide worship of the God-man by his redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The outcome of missions is all peoples delighting to praise Jesus.” 

So, what is it that motivates us to cross borders and streets? It is the worship and exaltation of Jesus Christ. 

Simply put, we go because Jesus is worth it. 

What is the goal of crossing borders and streets? It is the worship of Jesus Christ. 

During my time in North Africa, I had the opportunity of seeing a multitude of Muslims worshiping a false god. And the true and living God wants to see each of them worship His name. And so that is why people continue to do worldwide missions. It is for the sake of His name. 

It is worship that drives people to tell of the good news to the Muslim in North Africa, or the Hindu In India, the Catholic in Latin America, or the atheist across the street in America. 

Revelation 7:9-10 gives us an end times view of worship around the throne of Jesus Christ:

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Moreover, the worship of Jesus Christ happens as people seek to obey the great commission. And the great commission is fulfilled as people “makes disciples of all nations.”