The Means and Goal of Missions

Because the gospel of Jesus Christ is so good, Christians rightly want it to spread everywhere. Over the past century, that eagerness has often pushed the church to prioritize speed, efficiency, and scale in missions. But when those priorities rise above all others, something subtle can be lost.

The New Testament shows us that God has a particular design for how the gospel spreads—and for what it is meant to produce. In Acts 13–14, the missionary journeys of Paul and Barnabas reveal a simple but crucial truth:

Missionaries are sent by the local church and for the local church.

When we miss either side of that pattern, the gospel itself can be distorted.

Missionaries Are Sent By the Church

(Acts 13:1–3)

The first missionaries in the book of Acts are not launched by an agency or parachurch organization. They are sent from a healthy local church—the church at Antioch.

Antioch was marked by faithful leadership, diversity, generosity, holiness, and a shared commitment to worship. While the church was praying and fasting, the Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Saul for a special work. But notice what happens next: the church confirms the call, lays hands on them, and sends them out.

The Spirit calls missionaries, but He does so through the local church. Paul and Barnabas do not announce their own plans or depart independently. Their calling is affirmed and enacted by the congregation.

This pattern carries important implications for the church today. If missionaries are sent by the church, then the church bears responsibility to assess, support, and oversee those it sends.

Sending well means carefully assessing character, doctrine, faithfulness, and maturity before commissioning someone for cross-cultural ministry. It means supporting missionaries through prayer, financial generosity, encouragement, and ongoing care. And it means maintaining real oversight—staying connected, receiving reports, and walking with missionaries throughout their work.

Rather than spreading limited resources thinly, the church is called to prioritize depth over breadth—caring well for the missionaries it supports, not merely increasing the number of names on a list.

Missionaries Are Sent For the Church

(Acts 14:21–23)

If Acts 13 shows us how missionaries are sent, Acts 14 shows us what they are sent to do.

Paul and Barnabas proclaim the gospel wherever they go. Some believe, are baptized, and become disciples. But the missionary task does not stop there. These new believers are gathered into local churches.

Missionaries are not simply gospel broadcasters. They are church planters and church strengtheners. Paul and Barnabas revisit the churches they started, encourage believers to persevere through suffering, pray with them, and appoint qualified elders to shepherd them.

This pattern shows that the goal of missions is not merely conversions, but healthy local churches. Evangelism disconnected from the church leaves new believers vulnerable and isolated. The church is God’s greenhouse—where Christians grow, are taught, and are cared for.

Understanding this helps redefine success in missions. Faithfulness is not measured only by numbers or rapid expansion. If churches are being started and strengthened, the mission is succeeding—even when the work is slow and difficult.

Why This Matters for the Church Today

Acts 13–14 calls the church to rethink common assumptions about missions.

It reminds us to prioritize gospel work that is closely connected to the local church. Good humanitarian efforts may serve important purposes, but without the proclamation of Christ and the formation of churches, they fall short of the biblical mission.

It reshapes how we think about short-term trips, calling us to serve long-term church health rather than pursuing experiences or visibility. And it challenges believers to apply this truth locally. If missionaries are sent for the church, then commitment to the local church is not optional—it is foundational.

Church membership, faithful service, and shared responsibility are not distractions from missions. They are preparation for it.

Guarding the Gospel

People can encounter a moral message, a humanitarian cause, or a religious culture and believe they have tasted Christianity—when they have never truly encountered Christ.

That is why Jesus entrusted the gospel to His church. Messy and imperfect as she is, the church is God’s chosen means to guard the message, shape disciples, and spread true worship to the nations.

Missionaries sent by the church and for the church ensure that what the world receives is not an imitation, but the real gospel of Jesus Christ.

A Call to Respond

For those who do not yet trust Christ, this passage is a call to reject substitutes and turn to the Savior Himself.

For those who belong to Christ, it is a call to deeper commitment—to the local church and to the mission God has given her.

Pray.
Send.
Go.

Because when the church faithfully sends missionaries to start and strengthen churches, the gospel spreads as God designed, disciples grow as God intends, and worship rises to the glory of God alone.