God wants people from every nation to know and follow Him. It’s why Jesus commissioned believers to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) and why Revelation says Heaven will be filled with people from every tribe and language (Revelation 7:9).
But though this is a critical task that God has set before the Church, His end goal is not missions; it’s worship.
“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” -John Piper, “Let the Nations Be Glad!”
This doesn’t mean missions and worship oppose each other. Worship is the goal, and missions is the means to the goal. The two must intertwine to fill the world with the light of Jesus.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” -Psalm 67:1-2
When the Lord called Abram and said he would become a great nation, God said He would bless Abram to “‘be a blessing’” so that “‘all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:2-3).’” In the same way, the writer of Psalm 67 opens and closes by asking God to have favor on His people so that all the nations will be blessed with the knowledge of His salvation.
God blesses His people so that they can be a blessing to others. In other words, God redeems lost and broken people so they will glorify Him by displaying His glory and declaring it to the nations. Redemption is not solely for the believer’s benefit; it is meant to showcase God’s glory to the world.
One way to do that is through worship. Worship is not just singing songs or playing instruments. Worship is declaring the excellencies of God and telling others how He called you out of darkness and into light (1 Peter 2:9). This can be done through music or sharing the gospel. Witnessing is an overflow of worship to the Lord of all the Earth.
If we cherish God, we will praise Him. If we prize God, we will proclaim His name.
“‘Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.’” -Isaiah 12:4
“‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.’” -Romans 15:9
The Urgency of Missions for Worship
Missions and worship are two sides of the same coin. Believers will not live on mission unless they worship the one true God, and the nations will not worship the one true God unless His followers live on mission.
There is no worship where God’s name is not known and not proclaimed.
“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” -Romans 10:12-14
God rules the nations with equity (Psalm 67:4). Equity means God is impartial and fair, and God is fair in giving everyone the choice to worship and follow His Son. But the nations won’t know they have this choice unless the gospel reaches them.
More than 3 billion people today have not heard this call to worship God. If you are a follower of Christ, ask yourself whether your worship is propelling you into the world to take the gospel to those who have never heard.
One day, a great multitude will join the angels in worshiping God (Revelation 7:9-12). But this won’t happen until our worship overflows into witness to the ends of the Earth.