Going Into All the World: Why Every Believer Should Go
Going Into All the World: Why Every Believer Should Go
Beginning this past Thursday, I spent the weekend in Tijuana, Mexico with an incredible ministry called YWAM (Youth With A Mission), participating in a program called “Homes of Hope.” We built a house for a family living far below the poverty line.
When we arrived, the family’s entire world consisted of a concrete slab, a pile of lumber, and a makeshift outhouse. Over the next few days, our team built a HOME from the ground up—fully furnished, stocked with over a thousand dollars’ worth of groceries and supplies.
But nothing could have prepared me for the moment they stepped inside. When the mother screamed with joy, clutching her children as tears streamed down her face, I realized—I wasn’t just standing on dirt. I was standing on holy ground.
That moment wrecked me in the best possible way. Mi vida es muy diferente ahora. My life is different now. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.
I’ve been on mission trips before—Mexico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, China, Romania—but this one hit differently. It had been far too long since my last missions experience, and I realized how easy it is to let time, comfort, and routine dull our passion for the nations.
So, I decided to write this—to remind myself, and to encourage you, why every follower of Jesus needs to experience a mission trip at least once. Here are some of my biggest takeaways:
1. Go to Expand Christ’s Kingdom
The Great Commission isn’t a suggestion—it’s a command with a promise. Matthew 28:18–20 records Jesus’ final words before ascending to heaven: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”
Those words weren’t just for the original disciples—they were for every disciple who would follow. For me. For you.
Someone has to go. Someone has to share the good news with those who’ve never heard that there’s a God who loves them, a Savior who died for them, and a hope that never fades.
That “someone” could be you. If we’re serious about expanding Christ’s Kingdom, we can’t do it from our couches. We must be willing to step out of comfort and into calling—to pack our bags, cross borders, and carry the gospel into places that have never heard His name.2. Go to Encounter God’s Heart
When you go on a mission trip, you don’t just see new places—you see the heart of God up close.
He’s not just the God of America or the God of Sunday mornings. He’s the God of every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation (Revelation 5:9).
There’s something life-changing about locking eyes with someone who doesn’t speak your language, yet feels the same Spirit. You realize that God’s love knows no borders, no flags, no barriers.
When you go, you’re not just helping others—you’re encountering the heartbeat of heaven. You see compassion in motion. You experience the gospel as global.
And you start to understand that missions aren’t about charity—they’re about family. God’s family.
3. Go to Bless and Be Blessed
If you’ve ever been on a mission trip, you know the number-one rule: Be flexible. When my wife and I first went to China, I put a big rubber band on her wrist to remind us that we were about to be stretched—and stretched we were!
But what I didn’t expect was how much we would be blessed in return. Acts 20:35 says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” And it’s true. Every time I’ve gone to serve, I’ve come home feeling like I was the one who received the greater gift.
In the Dominican Republic, the believers there didn’t have much—but what they had, they shared. They opened their homes, fed us, and treated us like family. Their joy was contagious.
Their worship was pure. When you go on mission, you don’t just bless others—you discover that God uses others to bless you right back.
4. Go Because of Jesus
At the end of the day, missions aren’t about adventure—they’re about obedience. We go because Jesus went.Matthew 9:37–38 reminds us that “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Jesus
Himself was a missionary. He left heaven to come to earth—the ultimate cross-cultural trip—to bring salvation to the lost.
John 3:16 says it best: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” If Jesus was willing to leave the comfort of heaven for the sake of love, how can we not be willing to leave the comfort of home for the same cause?
We don’t go to be heroes. We go to be His hands, His heart, and His hope to a world that desperately needs Him.
Taking the Next Step
So what should you do?
• Trust the Lord enough to do something that stretches you.
• Encounter Christ afresh by seeing what He’s doing around the world.
• Pray for the nations, for missionaries, and for those who still haven’t heard.
• And maybe—just maybe—go with me next time.
Conclusion: The World Is Waiting
Every mission trip is a story waiting to be written—a story of obedience, compassion, and transformation.
I truly believe every believer should experience the joy of seeing faith come alive in a different culture, the beauty of building something that outlasts you, and the thrill of watching God work through your hands to change a life.
In March 2026, I’ll be returning to Tijuana with YWAM’s Homes of Hope to build another house and bring the hope of Jesus to another family. If something in this message stirs your spirit —if your heart beats a little faster as you read this—I want to invite you to pray about joining me.
Whether you go across the border or across the street, the call is the same: Go. Give. Love. Build. Serve.
Let’s be people who don’t just talk about the Great Commission—we live it. If you’d like to learn more or explore joining me on this life-changing trip, reach out directly at
pastorgreg@alpinebethel.org. I’ll do everything I can to help you be part of what God is doing. Because the world is waiting— and the harvest is ready.
-Greg
