In the Garden of Eden, the first missional conversation took place as God instructed Adam to multiply, to fill the earth, to subdue it, and to rule over it. In short, Adam was to expand the heavenly Kingdom. Of course, Adam failed and so God stepped in. In Genesis 3 the Lord takes on the role of missionary himself as he wanders through the garden looking for two people separated from him because of their sin. He shares the first gospel message as he deals with the serpent, before performing an animal sacrifice in order to clothe Adam and Eve – an early shadow of Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross to cover our sins. 

If we fast forward to chapter 12, we read of a man from modern day Iraq hearing the voice of God, as the Lord instructs Abram to leave his country and his people and travel to another land. Abram left Iraq and his journey eventually took him through Syria, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt. The words spoken to him are echoed in the great commission of Matthew 28, in which the disciples are called to go and expand the reach of God’s Kingdom into hearts in every corner of the world. God continued to call people into this mission throughout the Old Testament, into the New and on to the modern day.

Today, God is still speaking to people in Iraq, Myanmar, Pakistan and elsewhere, calling His people to join His mission. Is God saying the same to you? We believe He is. As followers of Christ, we are all called to multiply His Kingdom.

That call to mission will not become redundant until the whole earth hears the saving words of the gospel and Jesus returns (Matt. 24:6–31). The story of mission starts and ends with God and we find ourselves in those middle chapters, invited to be part of the blessing to come. John saw a vision of a great multitude from every nation and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands, they cried out in praise to the God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Rev. 7:9–10).

We see the transforming power of Jesus first hand as people respond to the sending words of God. We rejoice that Asian believers are going out into their communities to make the gospel known in their words and their actions. We give thanks for those on their knees at home who pray the expansion of God’s Kingdom into being. And we are humbled as many supporters give, enabling the gospel message to go further.

These are just three of the ways we can join with God in “going” and multiplying His Kingdom. How is God calling you to “go”? 

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