As I write this musing, I am just finishing up a 9 day visit to Ireland. I head to France tomorrow for a visit to Normandy. As you might expect, I have been following (with much interest) the news stories of the day.

In Dublin, the main topic has been the cancellation of a series of Garth Brook’s concerts. Out in the countryside, “football” (read soccer) has captured the hearts of everyone. Folks spoke of Argentina, Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands like you and I might speak of Anaheim, Santa Barbara or Las Vegas.

The 6 o’clock news featured stories about villages in Romania, the lost girls of Nigeria, tribes in Afghanistan, and food preparation in Marrakech. I have read articles about the parliaments of Ireland and Great Britain. I am aware of the weather all over Europe and I know what the financial markets look like throughout the world.

Frankly, this week I feel much more informed about the world and its inhabitants than I ever do watching KNBC at home.

And that saddens me. Without a full world perspective, it is hard to think about the gospel in the way we should. Mark 16:15 tells us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

That is very difficult to accomplish if you and I are not informed about world affairs and then motivated to get involved. We will not care about the eternal destiny of the Afghan people if we know nothing about them and their struggles. If we know nothing about the heartaches of the people of Syria, we will not pray for their salvation. If the oppression of the women in Sudan and elsewhere does not capture our attention, we will not financially support ministries to these countries.

We have to be world Christians. We have to get informed and stay that way. This week is a great time to dive in. Start reading more broadly. Watch a foreign news cast or two. Read some online papers from around the world. Pick a continent, select a country and start praying for a people group.

“Go into ALL the world…”

By His Grace and For His Glory,
Sherry L. Worel