The “whole Gospel to the whole world” describes the focus of the Assemblies of God missions movement and the theme of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible unfolds the dilemma of humanity’s spiritual lostness, which is reversed with the Good News of salvation through Jesus, the Messiah and Savior. As gospel-focused people, Christians have the mission of sharing the Good News of God’s redemptive plan. What makes the gospel such Good News is that our loving heavenly Father has provided a remedy to the malady of humanity’s sin disease.
The dimension of our gospel message is the whole world. When we say the “whole world,” we acknowledge that every nation needs to hear this gospel message, but we also recognize the people group aspect of our mission. Revelation 5:9-10 declares that Jesus was slain, and “by his blood he ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Furthermore, Romans 10:13-15 declares:
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of
those who preach the good news!”
The word “beautiful” in the original language comes from the root word meaning “hour.” An alternative translation could read, “How timely are the feet of those who preach good news.” We preach an urgent message because every day many people die without hearing the Good News of Jesus. Our gospel message must reach them in time!
At Global Initiative, we could re-word our mission statement and the gospel statement to read: “The whole Gospel to every Muslim.” We believe that every Muslim should have the opportunity to hear the truth of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Is this possible? Yes, but only if every follower of Christ sees the urgency of the mission and assumes personal responsibility to take the whole gospel to the whole world! First, since we are a gospel people we must make gospel proclamation the priority of our lives and the priority of the church’s missions endeavors. And second, we must never lose sight of the simplicity of our message: all people are spiritually lost and condemned in sin, and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the only solution for their dilemma.
We must preach the simple gospel with simple faith in God’s simple plan of salvation.