Spirit-Led Mission
Immediately after Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts Chapter 2), the early church spread quickly in both eastward and westward directions. Geographically, the spread of faith reached from India to Spain by AD 301. Concerning the spread of the mission, early Christianity within and beyond the Roman Empire grew mainly through the efforts of ordinary Christians who were part of the Christian community. The active participation of evangelists, apologists, and the episcopal model of mission served only as secondary groups involved in spreading the faith.[i] Early Christian history indicates that the spread of faith is primarily accomplished through the participation of ordinary Christians in mission, along with collaborative efforts of secondary groups, including evangelists and missionaries.
Nowadays, many Christians limit the power and work of the Holy Spirit to performing and experiencing miracles in their lives, and or foretelling the future. Others think the Holy Spirit exists only to help them with guiding them into truth or understanding the Bible better. While these beliefs are not entirely wrong, they overlook a crucial element: the Holy Spirit empowers us in our mission towards unbelievers.
Jesus Christ’s mission mandate is for the disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the Bible, we can see how the leading power of the Holy Spirit is the primary agent who fulfills this mandate through the lives of Christ’s followers. Consider the testimony of Scripture: When the power of the Holy Spirit was upon the disciples, the miracle of speaking in tongues occurred in Acts 2. Its purpose was to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, plant the church, and initiate the Christian mission, not simply to perform miracles or please the interests of men. Even though the Jerusalem church was persecuted in Acts 8:1, the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christian mission continued to spread in Samaria because of “the ministry of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:2-24). Then, the Holy Spirit led Philip to share the gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza (Acts 8:26-30). Therefore, Amos Yong says that “If Samaria was the first step beyond Jerusalem and Judea, the Ethiopian would continue toward the southern ends of the earth.”[ii]
Luke (the author of the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke) helps us understand that the salvation of God is available to all people, not just the Jews (Luke 3:3-6). Therefore, God chose Paul to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, ensuring that salvation reaches everyone (Acts 9). In the same way, God used the Apostle Peter to preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile Roman Soldier, through visions and the direct command of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:19-20).
As the Word of God spread, the Antioch church became the first missionary church, sending Paul and Barnabas, who had been chosen by the Holy Spirit, on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-12).[iii] Thus, Jesus’s commandment to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth and God’s salvation for all were fulfilled through the leading of the visions, miracles, and power of the Holy Spirit, not merely by human power and effort.
The Apostle Paul was used by God to be a pioneer missionary, extending the Christian mission to Gentiles. Significantly, when Paul describes his ministry elsewhere, he says that it is all “through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:17-20). We can see that Paul’s statement is true in Acts 16:6-10, in which Luke explains that Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, Mysia, and Troas (Acts 16:6-9). However, Paul immediately went to Macedonia to preach the gospel to Gentiles after receiving the vision from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Paul is considered a pioneer missionary of all time because he did not serve in the ministry by his own effort and power, but obeyed the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
The early church witnessed that miracles happened by the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Gospel and to save lost souls, not simply to make Christians feel awesome. Moreover, the power of the Holy Spirit is at work not only with famous Christians known at popular conferences, but through normal people as they reach out in mission among unreached peoples. The Apostles and early Christian witnesses remind us that God’s mission is led by the Holy Spirit first and foremost, and the Great Commandment will be fulfilled through the power of the Holy Spirit, not our will and effort. Without being led by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will not be witnesses of Jesus Christ, and the Christian faith will not be spread constantly.
[i] Stephen B. Bevans and Roger Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, Illustrated edition (Orbis Books, 2004), 83–88.
[ii] Amos Yong, Mission after Pentecost (Mission in Global Community): The Witness of the Spirit from Genesis to Revelation (Baker Academic, 2019), 179.
[iii] D.A. Carson et al., An Introduction to the New Testament (Zondervan, 1992), 227–28.
Nowadays, many Christians limit the power and work of the Holy Spirit to performing and experiencing miracles in their lives, and or foretelling the future. Others think the Holy Spirit exists only to help them with guiding them into truth or understanding the Bible better. While these beliefs are not entirely wrong, they overlook a crucial element: the Holy Spirit empowers us in our mission towards unbelievers.
Jesus Christ’s mission mandate is for the disciples to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). In the Bible, we can see how the leading power of the Holy Spirit is the primary agent who fulfills this mandate through the lives of Christ’s followers. Consider the testimony of Scripture: When the power of the Holy Spirit was upon the disciples, the miracle of speaking in tongues occurred in Acts 2. Its purpose was to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, plant the church, and initiate the Christian mission, not simply to perform miracles or please the interests of men. Even though the Jerusalem church was persecuted in Acts 8:1, the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christian mission continued to spread in Samaria because of “the ministry of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:2-24). Then, the Holy Spirit led Philip to share the gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza (Acts 8:26-30). Therefore, Amos Yong says that “If Samaria was the first step beyond Jerusalem and Judea, the Ethiopian would continue toward the southern ends of the earth.”[ii]
Luke (the author of the Book of Acts and the Gospel of Luke) helps us understand that the salvation of God is available to all people, not just the Jews (Luke 3:3-6). Therefore, God chose Paul to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, ensuring that salvation reaches everyone (Acts 9). In the same way, God used the Apostle Peter to preach the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile Roman Soldier, through visions and the direct command of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:19-20).
As the Word of God spread, the Antioch church became the first missionary church, sending Paul and Barnabas, who had been chosen by the Holy Spirit, on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-12).[iii] Thus, Jesus’s commandment to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth and God’s salvation for all were fulfilled through the leading of the visions, miracles, and power of the Holy Spirit, not merely by human power and effort.
The Apostle Paul was used by God to be a pioneer missionary, extending the Christian mission to Gentiles. Significantly, when Paul describes his ministry elsewhere, he says that it is all “through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:17-20). We can see that Paul’s statement is true in Acts 16:6-10, in which Luke explains that Paul was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia, Mysia, and Troas (Acts 16:6-9). However, Paul immediately went to Macedonia to preach the gospel to Gentiles after receiving the vision from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Paul is considered a pioneer missionary of all time because he did not serve in the ministry by his own effort and power, but obeyed the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
The early church witnessed that miracles happened by the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of the Gospel and to save lost souls, not simply to make Christians feel awesome. Moreover, the power of the Holy Spirit is at work not only with famous Christians known at popular conferences, but through normal people as they reach out in mission among unreached peoples. The Apostles and early Christian witnesses remind us that God’s mission is led by the Holy Spirit first and foremost, and the Great Commandment will be fulfilled through the power of the Holy Spirit, not our will and effort. Without being led by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will not be witnesses of Jesus Christ, and the Christian faith will not be spread constantly.
[i] Stephen B. Bevans and Roger Schroeder, Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, Illustrated edition (Orbis Books, 2004), 83–88.
[ii] Amos Yong, Mission after Pentecost (Mission in Global Community): The Witness of the Spirit from Genesis to Revelation (Baker Academic, 2019), 179.
[iii] D.A. Carson et al., An Introduction to the New Testament (Zondervan, 1992), 227–28.
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