The Bible Truth of having both that empowers every church to have a worldwide impact regardless of size and resources.
Acts 1:8 contains the last recorded words of our Lord before He ascended into Heaven. Of all the many fireside chats and teaching sessions, these would be His last words to the disciples that had followed Him faithfully. What could be of such importance that our Lord would use these last precious moments to convey?
After three years of following Christ, learning His doctrine, and obeying His directions, the disciples are given their marching orders. The Great Commission found in the Gospels is repeated here. It is time to take what they have learned and spread it throughout the world.
The disciples took Christ’s commission to heart. Acts chapters 1-9 detail the spread of the Gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. Chapters 10-28 chronicle the Gospel’s spread to the rest of the world.
There are so many essential truths in this verse that will help us fulfill the Great Commission. Let’s take a quick look at the obvious ones before we get to the one that is often overlooked.
Spiritual Power
Christ reminded the disciples that they did not possess the power on their own to fulfill His astonishing command to get the Gospel to the world. They needed supernatural enablement. They required wisdom, courage, and strength to accomplish the work Christ had called them to do. They needed the power of the Holy Ghost.
This is true for us as well. It is a foolish thing to attempt the supernatural work of God in our fleshly power. How can we attempt to change a life, let alone the world, without God’s help?
The Holy Ghost indwells a believer at the moment of salvation. I have counted 34 distinct works of the Spirit before, during, and after salvation listed in the Bible. He is in us and ready to empower us. However, we can quench Him, grieve Him, and resist Him thereby diminishing His work in our lives. We won’t take the time now to write on the subject of how to be filled with the Spirit, but it is a subject worthy of your study. The key is surrender. Yield to Him, and He will empower you to accomplish more than you can imagine.
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Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
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Committed Witnesses
A witness in our language today is one who observes something take place and gives an accurate description of what they saw. This applies to our work in reaching the world. We have seen what God says in the Bible, and we are telling others what we have seen. More importantly, we are telling others what God has done for us. For example, I wasn’t there to see Jesus die on the Cross and rise from the dead, but I was there when He saved my soul, removed the guilt of my sin and replaced it with peace. We are witnesses!
The Bible word for witness is even more powerful than the general concept we mentioned. The underlying Greek word means “martyr.” It describes a “witness unto death.” It is one who is willing to die for the sake of what he saw. He will not change His message even under the penalty of death. Wow. We are to be Christ’s “witnesses unto death.”
How committed are you to the Great Commission? What sacrifices have you made to spread the Gospel? Most believers today will not be required to die physically for being a Christian. Yet, we are required to die to self.
1 Corinthians 15:31
“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”
If you are committed to be His “witness unto death,” it will not be too much to ask you to share the gospel with your coworkers, make time for soul winning, and give financially to support missions around the world. In contrast, these things may seem extreme if you have a worldly mindset.
Reach of the Gospel
The Gospel must be spread through the world. Our Lord gave us the progression of the Gospel in Acts 1:8. As a pebble dropped in water creates ripples, the influence of the Gospel should expand from your location to the ends of the Earth!
Jerusalem
This was the city where Christ was crucified, buried and rose again. It is where the disciples were gathered. You must start where you are. The “what” of ministry is more important the than the “where” of ministry. If you get busy obeying God where you are, then He can tell you where to continue. Too many people are sitting around doing nothing waiting for God to show them where to go. Get busy now.
In all Judea
This was the area around Jerusalem. Once you get busy where you are, you can begin to expand your influence for Christ throughout a region. Jesus was urgent to get to the next towns also.
And in Samaria
Earlier Christ had forbidden His disciples to go to Samaria. Now He was commanding them to take the Gospel to this neighboring region. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews, but they needed to be saved too. Never let prejudice keep you from giving the gospel to those who need it. Go out into the highways and hedges compelling people of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation to come to Christ. Regardless of wealth, color or creed, everyone needs the Gospel!
The Uttermost Part of the Earth
Our commission is to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the world. Is this your vision? Do you really intend to cover the Earth with the knowledge of the Gospel? If not, then you are not obeying the Lord Jesus. Don’t be discouraged by the immensity of the task. Be excited by it! With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible! Imagine the power and resources that God must be willing to extend to you if He expects you to have a worldwide impact. Believe His words and ask Him to empower you to reach the world for His sake.
Yes, these are potent truths found in Acts 1:8. But there is one more life- changing truth found in this verse that is often overlooked. It is found in the small word “both.”
I was talking to one of my mentors about ministry work and church planting some years ago. He said something that I’ve never forgotten. “Paul, every church should have a worldwide impact. Every church must have a ‘both’ mentality.”
Both
In Acts 1:8, the word “both” means “at the same time.” Wow. How simple, yet how powerful! Rather than seeing the areas listed here as a progression, they should be seen as a checklist. Most churches begin reaching their community but plan to wait until they get bigger and have more resources before they feel any urgency about expanding their vision. Acts 1:8 sets a different tone. Each church regardless of size or age should have a worldwide vision.
This means that as Holy Ghost empowered witnesses unto death, we should reach our Jerusalem while at the same time reaching all of Judea. While we are reaching Jerusalem and Judea, we should be reaching Samaria at the same time. While we are reaching Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, we must be reaching the whole world. All of this at the same time. The application of this philosophy will be determined by your specific situation, but the acceptance of it should be universal. Every church should plan to have a worldwide impact with God’s help.
Time is against us. People are dying every day. People who live outside of your churches normal reach may not be able to wait the years it will take your church to get to them. There must be urgency to reach the world!
Furthermore, our commission is not to get the Gospel to the world once. It is to get the good news of the Gospel to every person in all the world in every generation!
If we have any hope of fulfilling the Great Commission, our churches must be taught The Both Mentality.
Here are five simple ways to start:
1. Live a Sprit-Filled Life.
If you are like me, you are thinking “How am I supposed to do all of that when I am barely able to manage what I am currently doing with my church and family?” The answer is simple. You can’t unless you are Spirit-filled. It must be a work of God. Every pastor, every member, should strive to walk in the Spirit daily.
2. Preach and Teach The Both Mentality.
It will create awareness of your assembly’s responsibility to reach outside of your town. This truth expands the vision and increases the burden for the world. It will generate urgency among the congregation to go and give.
3. Create a Comprehensive Outreach Program.
Include layers of responsibilities modeled after Acts 1:8.
City or Town
These are the residents that live close to your church. You can use maps of the town to plan soul-winning efforts. Then mark the areas that have been completed on the map. Get the Gospel to every door of your city.
County
These may be people that don’t live in your town but are within a sensible driving distance of your church. After you knock every door in your town, move on to the next towns and keep going. A bus ministry is an effective way to reach into neighboring areas as well.
Large counties (or cities) may need additional churches to reach everyone who lives there. It is wise to start your first church plant just outside of the distance people can drive to be faithful in your church. You probably already have some prospects there, and the proximity allows you to be hands-on in the new church without the difficulty of long travel times.
State
God placed you in your State in His wisdom. You know the culture and needs better than those who don’t live there. By God’s grace, plan to fill your state with churches. Wouldn’t it be amazing if no-one in your state had to drive more than 30 minutes to attend a soulwinning, separated, exciting Baptist Church?
Sound impossible? Not with God! He can use you to help make it happen.
Region
Each region of the US has its culture, difficulties, and opportunities. Ask God to give you a regional vision. Save New England is an Independent Baptist Ministry birthed to make a difference in our region. We help churches promote revival, train soulwinners, and plant churches. You can help us reach our region for Christ. If you live outside of New England, perhaps God would use you and a group of like-minded pastors to focus on planting churches in your region.
Country
I love America. I pray for her government officials and spiritual health. We can help America by encouraging existing pastors in the matters of revival, soul winning, and church planting. Have a church planting budget to support new church plants in your region and around the country.
World
It is our responsibility to spread the glorious Gospel of Christ to the uttermost parts of the Earth. We should not be so focused on our local and regional efforts that we do not invest in World Missions. Likewise, we should not be so concentrated on World missions that we neglect local and regional work. There must be a balance. Churches must be taught the concept of Missions regardless of size or age. Make your World Missions program a priority in your church.
4. Organize a Productive Faith Promise Missions Program.
Some look down upon the concept of Faith Promise Missions. Usually, it is because they don’t understand it. You can find a helpful bulletin insert that concisely explains the Faith Promise Missions concept at addtoyourfaith.com. You can considerably increase your missions giving if you separate it from your church’s operating budget.
There is a philosophy in some churches that an active missions program will hurt their overall giving. Don’t believe it. When Christians commit to Biblical giving, their overall levels of generosity typically increase.
Be judicious about what missionaries and church planters you support. Only invest in those with sound doctrine, a Biblical model of outreach, and an urgency to reach the world with the Gospel. Personally, I will not support a missionary that I would not hire on our church staff. Once you find a worthy candidate, get behind them with prayer and financial support.
5. Pray Earnestly for God’s Work Around the World.
This is not an empty statement. Prayer moves God to action. Your prayer changes outcomes and destinies around the world. Do you really pray earnestly for God’s work? Do spend time begging God to save souls, empower preachers, provide laborers, and draw disciples? If not, you are missing the point. No amount of money or effort will overcome a lack of prayer. Be a prayer warrior.
The Both Mentality will change your vision and approach to reaching the World with the Gospel. May God glorify Himself through our renewed efforts!