Devotional 47. Preach to All Creation

Mark 16:15-16 (CSB). Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Jesus charged his followers to take his story to the nations--in fact, to all creation! Consider the scope of the mission of the Kingdom of God:

• 8.2 Billion People (and counting). India and China lead the way with 1.4 Billion in population, each!

  • Approximately 30% are believers in Jesus Christ.

  • Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism combine to make up 46% of the world population.

• 195 recognized nations by the United Nations

• Over 10,000 recognizable people groups, the majority of which are not rooted in Christian beliefs. (Pew Research Group. Worldometer.com)

Christians may be the largest single religion in the world (based on adherents who claim faith in Jesus), but they are outnumbered 2-1 based on those who believe v. those who do not believe. This disparity highlights the growing need for missionary activity in the whole world.

To add to this disparity, current trends show the Gospel growing in areas where persecution is growing and where hardship and economic development are suffering. Sub-Saharan Africa has the fastest growth rate for Christianity, while Christians in China, Ethiopia, North Korea, and India are seeing a sharp increase in baptisms and commitments. Meanwhile, affluent, well-educated nations in North America and Europe have seen conversions to Christianity in great decline, while the rise of "unaffiliated" is up almost 25%. (Pew Research Center, 2020)

Clearly the world needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. And clearly the Church is falling short of the goals set forth by Jesus himself. And that is why you are reading this post and praying about where God will send you on mission. You feel the call of God to "go" and "communicate the good news of Jesus Christ." But it is also clear that your own nation and people need to hear the good news. For those in the "west", the decline of Christianity is alarming. So, our calling for missions is not just for "others," it is for "all creation," including those closest to us.

Pray that God will strengthen your resolve to be a "missionary" to all people, spreading the good news wherever you are, whenever possible. Pray that the weight of the burden of the world will drive you to greater focus on Christ's life and teachings. Pray that you are already on mission in your current circumstances--in practice for your mission efforts on your upcoming trip.