What does it really mean to preach the Gospel to all creation?
When I was in college, a friend from a different Christian denomination and I were talking about various ideas in the Bible. Out of the blue, she asked me what I thought about Jesus’s command to preach the gospel to all creation and what I was going to do about it. Jesus said to his disciples,
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15 NIV
At the time, I had never really thought that this verse applied to me to the degree I had to go all over the world and preach the gospel to everyone. But that’s kind of what it sounded like my friend was getting at.
But the way she asked the question it almost sounded like a trick question and that she was looking for a specific pat answer. After I mumbled through some sort of response I don’t even remember, she gleefully declared that we all could do this, and quoted
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV
It wasn’t really an answer of practical ways to accomplish this high goal of preaching the gospel to every creature, as the KJV puts it, but more of a mindset that we shouldn’t limit ourselves in any way when we share our faith.
A seed was planted
That was a long time ago, but over the years I think back to her question: What does it mean to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation? By asking that question, my friend, without realizing it, actually planted a seed in my heart, that continues to grow and bear fruit today.
Ever since I got serious about my faith in high school and made it my own instead of just following what someone else told me I had to believe, I’ve wanted to share my faith as widely as possible.
Is it possible for one person to preach the gospel to every creature? What did Jesus really mean when he gave that command? As followers of Jesus, does this command still apply to you and me today?
First of all, I think it’s interesting that Jesus told his disciples to do something he hadn’t done. He only preached in a small geographical region. But within a generation or so, his followers had gone out to the far reaches of the known world.
They were actually fulfilling Jesus’s promise in
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12 NIV
Preaching to the whole world is one of these greater works.
The command to preach the Gospel to all creation is collective
Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus said in Mark 16:15, which I just quoted.
When Jesus says: “Go into all the world…” the command or imperative form of the verb “to go” is plural in the original Greek. It means he was talking to more than one person, which he was, the 11 remaining disciples after the resurrection.
Jesus was not expecting these 11 men each to preach the gospel to the whole world. He was speaking to them collectively, what they would do as a whole.
This is borne out by how they went in almost every geographical direction later in their ministry.
There is hardly anything mentioned about where the Apostles went in the Bible, but church tradition credits them going all over the place.
According to tradition, Peter preached in Asia Minor and ended up in Rome. Andrew ended up in Greece. James the son of Zebedee preached mostly in Jerusalem and Judea. His brother John ministered in Asia Minor. Philip preached in modern day Turkey. Nathanael went to Armenia. Thomas made it all the way to India. Matthew went to Ethiopia. Thaddeus, or Judas, son of James, preached in Syria and Persia. Simon the Zealot also preached in Persia. James, the son of Alphaeus, led the church in Jerusalem. And Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot preached in Cappadocia and the Caspian Sea region.
Then of course there was Paul, who preached all over Asia Minor, in Greece and then in Rome. Other early evangelists went to many more places. And that tradition continues today within the Christian church as a whole.
The Great Commission
Many Christians take very seriously not only Jesus’s command to preach the gospel to the whole world, but also to disciple them. Jesus says to his disciples before he ascends,
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19, 20 NIV
In most Christian circles this is referred to as the Great Commission. Basically Jesus is saying, “It’s not enough just to tell people about me. Help them become my disciples and obey my teachings.”
There’s a big difference between these two things, telling people about Jesus and helping them follow him. Both are important. One can happen in a few minutes. The other is a long term commitment to nurture someone’s spiritual growth.
What if you had been there?
What if you had been one of those 11 disciples Jesus gave these two commands to, to preach and make disciples?
They had already done some preaching and healing when Jesus had sent them out as an extension of his own personal ministry. But after the resurrection, things were different. There was an atmosphere of spiritual victory in the air.
Take a moment and imagine if you had been in that small group of Jesus’s closest followers. How would you have responded to his instructions?
Would you have been inspired with the conviction that all things are possible to God? Or would you have been incredulous that you were capable of such a thing?
Whatever their initial thoughts, the Apostles answered the call Jesus put on their hearts with love, conviction, and unwavering faith in Jesus and the power of his resurrection.
How can we preach the Gospel to all creation today?
So the question is: How will you and I answer that call today? Is Christ talking any less to you and me now than he did to those 11 men before he ascended?
You may already be preaching to gospel of Christ by sharing your faith in every way you know how. And there are many ways to do this. It doesn’t necessarily mean standing on a street corner telling people about Jesus.
On the other hand, you may not be sharing your faith, for whatever reason. Or you may be somewhere in between going all out and doing nothing.
So let’s start with the basic premise that Jesus is talking to us today as much as he was to his immediate disciples, when he said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
And given the fact it’s a collective command to all his followers, past, present, and future, it’s kind of a relief to realize you can’t, and aren’t expected to, do this all by yourself.
Matthew didn’t go to India and Thomas didn’t go to Ethiopia. They went where God led them, each to their own field of labor. And that’s what you and I need to do as well. Our fields of labor aren’t necessarily geographical at this point in history.
How do we get started?
So how do we even get started in this preaching-to-all-creation business? It sounds pretty overwhelming doesn’t it?
Well, look at how the Apostles and other early Christians began their ministries. They started where they were, in Jerusalem. As the number of people who believed in Jesus and accepted him as the Son of God increased, the ministry expanded and at some point along the way, the Apostles each went where they must have felt God calling them.
Now, it doesn’t say this in the Bible explicitly but I can pretty much guarantee that they all prayed about what to do, where to go, and how they could best serve the church and glorify God throughout their ministry. That was their approach early in the book of Acts and it’s reasonable to assume they continued asking God for direction.
Think about Peter and John after they had been threatened by the Jewish leaders because they had healed the lame man at the Temple. Their prayer for God’s help reveals their true motives.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Acts 4:29-31 NIV
They were asking God to give them the ability to go out and share their faith.
Praying for guidance
Later when Saul and Barnabas, along with other Christians in Antioch, were praying and fasting to know what to do next, the Holy Spirit told them exactly what to do. And of course, they were obedient.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2, 3 NIV
I can only imagine this prayerful approach of seeking God’s guidance continued for all the Apostles long after the events mentioned in the book of Acts were over.
And this is the obvious thing for you and me to do. Fast and pray, in whatever way is meaningful to you, for God’s guidance in how you can share your faith and do your part to preach the gospel to all creation.
Being willing to preach the Gospel to all creation
And if you’re hesitant, don’t think you’re qualified, or don’t think this applies to you, maybe the place to start is to pray for willingness to obey Jesus’s command in the way God would have you do it.
If you try to obey this or any of Jesus’s commands unwillingly and begrudgingly, it’s not really obedience.
Once you have sincerely discovered or rediscovered your willingness and desire to preach the gospel to all creation, in whatever way God wants you to, you’ve probably overcome the biggest hurdle.
Then it’s good to pray like Saul, Barnabas, and the others for guidance on what to do.
You may feel led to go on a missions trip to different country, or maybe somewhere in your own country.
Start where you are
But the most important thing, as I already said, is to start where you are. Start preaching, sharing your faith, in your own corner of the world. In your family, in your neighborhood, and at work.
The very best way to preach the gospel does not take a lot of training. You don’t have to go to Seminary and get your Masters or Doctorate of Divinity. You don’t have to be an ordained minister. You might be, but you don’t have to be.
You simply need to live your life in obedience to Christ. Let your life be imbued with the Gospel message. Love people the way Jesus would have. Treat them with respect the way he would have. That is the one of the best ways to preach the Gospel.
The original Gospel
The original Gospel, or good news, Jesus preached was about the kingdom of heaven.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 4:17 KJV
The good news was that heaven was not far off geographically or in the future but very near, at hand. That was good news.
Too many Christians today think preaching the gospel means to tell people they’re miserable sinners and that Jesus’s death on the cross saves them from their sins.
And that may sound comforting, but Jesus never said his death would save us. It’s his victory over death and believing in him that saves us, that opens our eyes to the fact that heaven is at hand.
Just a few weeks ago I did an episode about this where I go into more detail. Episode 288: Jesus’s Death on the Cross Does not Save You from Your Sins; it’s His Resurrection.
How did Jesus say to preach?
What did Jesus tell his disciples to say when they went out to preach?
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Matthew 10:7 NIV
If you think you don’t know what to say to people, here is the simple answer Jesus has given all of us. Tell people the kingdom of heaven has come near. It is already here, not just way off in the future. Let them see evidence of that in the way you live your life.
Can you share your firm conviction that the kingdom of heaven is here, has come near, that it’s here and now? Then you can preach the gospel.
What if you’re not 100% convinced this is really true? Well, share what you do know, what you do see, what you have glimpsed of the kingdom of heaven.
The disciples didn’t completely understand everything about the kingdom of heaven when Jesus sent them out to preach. But they shared what they did understand. That was enough to get them started. As they grew in grace, they saw more of heaven and shared their faith accordingly.
Don’t copy the way others preach
Another point I’d like to make is that you cannot copy the way someone else preaches the gospel, or shares their faith. You can’t just repeat a script you’ve memorized. The reason Peter, for example, on the Day of Pentecost was able to preach so successfully was because he was full of the Holy Spirit and said whatever the Holy Spirit prompted him to say.
Being full of the Holy spirit is what gave him the boldness to speak as well as what to say.
Sharing your faith is not a theological debate. It’s not an intellectual exercise to show how much you know about Jesus or the Bible. It’s about letting the spiritual light of Christ in your heart shine out in the way you live your life and sharing it openly and honestly with others.
It’s about following Jesus’s instructions to tell people about the kingdom of heaven. You can even make up modern day parables with stories that relate to the people you’re talking to.
If you’d like to hear one of the parables I came up with, check out Episode 32: The Parable of the Unbaked Cake.
Letting your light shine
Preaching the Gospel doesn’t mean you will be the next Billy Graham, although it might. It’s really about letting your light shine and letting people see the difference Christ has made in your life. And then when God gives you an opportunity to go deeper with someone, you can share freely, just as Philip did with the Eunuch returning to Ethiopia. You can read that story starting in Acts 8:26.
In 2008, when I started doing a weekly Bible study at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, CT I had no idea it would be so helpful to those who participated. They said it changed their lives; it restored their faith.
This helped me find my voice in sharing the gospel and as a result, in looking for ways to share to a broader audience, I started this podcast in the fall of 2019. As of this episode, in May of 2025, there have been listeners in over 200 countries and territories around the world.
And The Bible Speaks to You Podcast has been listed by Feedspot as one of the Top 100 Bible podcasts for the last several years.
It all started with me just trying to live my faith in my own life and wanting to share it with others. Then doing a Bible study for a handful of people each week at the prison to share what I was learning. The podcast is now reaching a much larger audience, and who knows where it will go from here.
Your ministry to preach the Gospel to all creation
Who knows where your ministry will take you. Yes, your ministry. Think about it. You have a ministry. God has called you to let your light shine, to share your faith and your love for Christ with others. Sometimes it’s just by living your faith, sometimes with words, but always it’s with love for God and all God’s children.
Yes, you can preach the gospel to all creation because you’re part of the whole body of Christ. Every member of the body of Christ fulfills its own role and purpose. And together we can reach to whole world with Jesus’s promise that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and church mentor. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Mark 16:15 NIV
15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
Philippians 4:13 NKJV
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
John 14:12 NIV
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Matthew 28:19, 20 NIV
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Acts 4:29-31 NIV
29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Acts 13:2, 3 NIV
2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Matthew 4:17 KJV
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 10:7 NIV
7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’
