While the church is in mission for one another, it does not engage in “excessive caregiving”.[3] A church all wrapped up in itself makes a mighty small package. God’s church, therefore, moves beyond itself and is in mission for the neighbor. From the very beginning, this was what God wanted the chosen people to do. God chose Abraham and his descendants (as dysfunctional as they were) to act in ways that blessed others (Gen 12:1–3). Paul, in referring to Genesis 12, says this is “the gospel” message: God’s people are called to bless others (Gal. 3:8). That “gospel” message is woven all through the rest of Genesis as God’s people interact with others with whom they come into contact (e.g., 18:18–19; 22:17–18; 26:4, 27–28; 28:13–14; 39:5). The people of God were to be “carriers of blessing.” God intends that mission to continue through the church (as weak and dysfunctional as it is; 1 Cor 1:26–29). The church is to serve as a light to the nations (Isa 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; Matt 5:13–16) and to “shine like stars in the world” (Phil 2:15). According to the Gospels, the church carries a special responsibility to bless the powerless, the foreigner, the disabled, the elderly, the underprivileged and those treated unjustly.

The church’s mission, however, continues to expand to the whole world. The church does not believe in a “stay at home God.” God’s message of judgment and grace is for all races, all societies, and all nations. Even though Paul never directly calls the churches he established to evangelize, he still expected them to engage in a mission to the world! They were to remain distinct in character and lifestyle from the standards of the world. Evangelism was not the result of structured programs but of the spread of the gospel within one’s sphere of influence. When in Babylonian exile, Jeremiah admonishes Judah to build their homes, plant gardens, and raise families. They were to “seek the welfare of the city,” that is, to be a blessing to the Babylonians (Jer 29:4–14). Also, by remaining steadfast to his faith in God, Daniel, holding a prominent political position in a pagan culture, effectively witnessed to the power of God (Dan 3:12, 28–29). In a more direct way, churches were responsible to select individuals to send out and serve as evangelists and missionaries. They were to support these individuals as they had supported Paul.