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Some People Still Don't Know What We're Talking About!
by David Parker 
“But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
What do you make of Acts 1:8? A literal, geographical interpretation of this passage would imply that every church should not only operate with missionary personnel in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, but should also make a genuine attempt to define and comply with the region designated as “the uttermost part of the earth.” This position (if held by any) is probably the minority. But most interpret this verse figuratively with the emphasis on strategy, not geography. These understand Acts 1:8 as a strategic model to be followed in missions and evangelism. Among those interpreting this verse figuratively, two dominant views emerge. Both of these agree on a sequential strategy in the purpose of the church, but differ on the timing.
I call this first strategic view the “Me First” interpretation. This view understands the need to reach one’s “Jerusalem” (city) first; before going on to reach one’s “Judea” (state or country) second; and then on to reach one’s “Samaria” (foreigners or unloved among us) third; and finally, after all this is complete, to begin reaching the “uttermost” (everyone else overseas and far away). Historically, this could be argued that this was what the early church did (although they got to it with significantly more speed and success than all who claim to be practicing this method today. J. Herbert Kane observed, “What began as Jewish sect in A.D. 30 had grown into a world religion by A.D. 60.”). Many who would quickly deny this as an absurd strategy are themselves guilty of its practice. One can’t help but question the rationale for this perspective in light of birth and mortality statistics (which would indefinitely keep the mission to the uttermost in a holding pattern).
The second strategic view understands Acts 1:8 as a pattern to be practiced simultaneously. In other words, while the church is reaching her “Jerusalem,” she should also be maintaining concurrent efforts to reach her “Judea,” “Samaria,” and “the uttermost part of the earth” – all in contemporaneous time! This second view of the two seems more defensible in light of Christ’s imminent return (and its inherent grammatical construction, “both…and” which denotes a series to be fulfilled as a whole). Many good churches take this position and mean well, and yet, are somehow missing the point of Jesus’ words. There remains yet a different posture on Acts 1:8.
It has been observed that Acts 1:8 is actually an outline of the book of Acts – a historical record of the expansion of Christianity. This early missionary activity (the Spirit-empowered witnessing concerning the Lord Jesus Christ) by the New Testament church begins in chapters one through seven (“in Jerusalem and in all Judaea”). It stretches to include the unloved (“and in Samaria”) as described in chapters eight through twelve. And it reluctantly extends to the Gentiles (“the uttermost part of the earth”) as detailed in chapters thirteen through twenty-eight.
If one considers this panoramic view of the expansion of the church since the time of the Apostles, it is evident that the current propagation of the Gospel message is in this “uttermost part of the earth” phase (historically and literally, in real time). In other words, the Gospel has been to Jerusalem; and the Gospel has been to Judaea, and the Gospel has been to Samaria. But it still remains to be propagated to all the peoples and places where it has never yet been shared. It’s time to see Acts 1:8 as saying: “Go after those who have never heard; go after those who do not even have one church among their people with adequate numbers of adherents and resources to reach their own people (this is the definition of ‘unreached people’).” This term, “Unreached People” does not simply describe a people who haven’t heard the Gospel: unreached people are people like the Bania of India who are less than one-percent Christian. Contextually and historically, the unrealized dimension of Acts 1:8 is the unreached people of the world. The church should be focusing on putting the church where the church isn’t, rather than continuing to send missionaries to places where the church is.
But forget what everybody else thinks of our interpretation. Will our interpretation and obedience to Acts 1:8 meet the approval of the Lord of the Harvest? Let’s be reminded that the mission is God’s promise (Gen 12:3; Gal 3:8; Acts 3:22-26); and His promise reveals His purpose. The Great Commission is not a church program: it is the very purpose of the church’s existence. This writer believes that Acts 1:8 is not only a command; it is also a prophetic declaration by the Lord Himself. Jesus was announcing something that would happen! This witnessing in these four designated regions will absolutely occur. The real question we must ask ourselves is, “Will I be a participant?” As always, our real theology is evident by our activity or inactivity. How is your church doing at Uttermost Missions and the Unplowed Fields? Your action or inaction reveals what you and your church really “make” of Acts 1:8.
David Parker
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