Missions isn’t just for seasoned believers, Bible scholars, or full-time church staff—it’s for everyone! Being on mission doesn’t mean you have to move overseas or quit your day job. Every Christian believer is called to be a missionary.
No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, what you do for a living, or how much you know about The Bible, you can play a part in declaring what God has done!
The best news is that God’s Word speaks to some of our most pressing objections and fears of sharing the gospel. Check out these common roadblocks to missions and what The Bible has to say about overcoming them.
Roadblock: Uncertainty
Uncertainty can paralyze us if we let it. Sharing the gospel at home and abroad comes with many uncertainties. This is where our faith comes in.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11 gives one of the greatest lists in Scripture of ordinary people who stepped out on faith. This list includes some of the awe-inspiring heroes of The Bible. It’s easy to forget that these people were just like people today–full of uncertainties and objections; however, they put their “yes” on the table for God, and He used them to do great things for His Kingdom.
God’s commands to us do not always come with a clear roadmap that shows us all of the stops along the way. However, He promises us that, if we trust Him, He will guide our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Roadblock: Fear of Mistakes/Failure
Wise leaders often put it like this: If you think you can mess up the gospel, then you’re giving yourself too much credit. The same God who created a plan of salvation through Jesus is the same God who made you. He knows all of your strengths and all of your weaknesses, yet He still called His people to go and tell.
Moses originally questioned God’s plan to use him, claiming he spoke “with faltering lips” (Exodus 6:30). He got over that initial fear and intimidation and went on to be used greatly by God to lead the Israelites out of captivity.
When God asked Gideon to fight the Midianites, Gideon did not think he was strong enough. He said, “Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (Judges 6:15). Gideon went on to lead the Israelites to victory with only 300 men.
When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, he objected, telling God, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6). Despite his initial fears, God used Jeremiah’s obedience to deliver His messages in the face of great opposition.
If you wait until you have all the answers, then you’ll never share the gospel. It is more attractive to someone when you show humility and a willingness to research and answer for them than it is when you show off all of your Bible knowledge in one conversation. Your relationship with Jesus, personal experience and willingness to build relationships is what matters most.
Roadblock: Fear of Rejection
We all want to be liked. We want to be comfortable and to fit in. However, God calls us to be like Jesus. And Jesus’s mission was to do the will of His father (John 6:38). His Father’s mission was not comfort, but often led to uncomfortable situations.
When Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth to preach the gospel, He was not received well. Nevertheless, He continued on with His Father’s Will, despite the rejection (Luke 4:16-30).
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Even our Savior was not able to please everyone. That should be freeing for us as we realize we, too, cannot please everyone. Building relationships certainly earns us favor with others, but we cannot always rely on becoming someone’s best friend before we are willing to share the gospel.
As we go about our Father’s mission, we can do so knowing that each person with whom we share the gospel is made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and worthy of hearing the message of salvation…regardless of how that makes them feel about us .
Roadblock: Using Works instead of Words
The Bible certainly encourages good works as an overflow of our gratitude for our salvation (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:17-18). We know that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) and that He commends those who feed the hungry, welcome strangers, and help the poor (Matthew 25:31-39).
Having a servant’s heart is biblical. However, we must be careful not to let our willingness to give and serve become an excuse not to go and tell. It is true that our overall actions speak to our character. Our character gives our witness credibility. But we cannot rely on our actions to be the only way we share the gospel.
Romans 10:13-17 gives a beautiful picture of how the gospel gets from believers to those who need to hear its message. The bottom line is this: “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
If our desire is to see people come to know Jesus, we must put the gospel into words.
The Discipline of Evangelism
Just like any other Christian discipline, sharing the gospel is an area that requires practice and training. It’s something that we become more comfortable with as we practice it more.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 reminds us that we do not have to rely on our own strength, knowledge, or direction, because we can rest in God’s power. All He needs is our willingness and obedience.
