23 Jan Bible Study on Missions – A Revolution of Heart and Mind
You’ve done missions studies before.
You felt inspired for a week or two. Maybe you prayed more. Maybe you thought about going on a trip.
Then life happened, and six months later you realized you haven’t thought about any of it since the study ended.
Here’s what’s actually going on:
Many approaches to these topics give you information—statistics, stories, biblical foundations. All good stuff. But information alone doesn’t change behavior.
You don’t need another study that makes you feel bad about not doing enough. You need a new mental model, an approach that challenges your heart and helps you to discover what your actually supposed to do with your specific life, gifts, and calling.
That’s what Storyline aims to accomplish.
You’re Ready to Move from Information to Action
You care about God’s global mission. That’s why you’re here.
Maybe you’ve studied it before. Maybe you’ve been on trips. Maybe you’ve been praying about how to engage more intentionally.
Storyline is designed for exactly where you are right now.
Over eight weeks, you’ll discover your unique calling in God’s mission and develop a specific plan for living it out—whether that means supporting church planters overseas, mobilizing your small group, or taking your first steps toward cross-cultural work.
No more wondering what you’re supposed to do. Just clarity, direction, and practical next steps.
The Gap Between Knowing and Doing
Here’s what we’ve learned from thousands of people who’ve gone through Storyline:
The challenge isn’t usually lack of information. Most Christians already know about the Great Commission and unreached people groups.
The real question is: “How does this fit into my actual life?”
That’s a genuine, honest question. You have a job, family responsibilities, financial commitments, and a church community. Missions can feel like something that happens “over there” or “by other people.”
Storyline helps you discover how God’s mission connects to your real life—right where you are.
Not by guilting you into becoming someone you’re not, but by helping you see how God has already been preparing you for a specific role in His global work.
By Week 8, missions won’t feel like an obligation you’re avoiding. It will feel like a natural expression of who God made you to be.
From Learning About Missions to Living on Mission
Here’s what we’ve discovered works best:
When missions becomes part of who you are—not just something you know about—everything shifts naturally.
Think about areas of your life where you’ve experienced real transformation. Maybe you became a parent, started a business, or committed to a fitness journey. The change happened when your identity shifted, not just when you learned more information.
The same is true with missions.
When you discover your specific role in God’s global work, it doesn’t feel like one more obligation. It becomes a lens through which you see your whole life.
Your prayers become more focused. Your giving becomes more strategic. Your conversations include more people who don’t know Jesus yet. Not because you’re trying harder, but because you’re seeing differently.
That’s what Storyline helps you discover.
The Storyline Study: A Bible Study on Missions Built for Identity Transformation
This is why we created the Storyline Study.
Storyline gives you an 8-week framework that rewires how you see your life in relationship to God’s global mission.
Not through guilt.
Not through manipulation, but honest confrontation with what Scripture actually says about who you are and who God has called you to be.
Here’s how it works:
Weeks 1-2: You discover that missions isn’t a New Testament add-on. It’s been God’s singular obsession since Genesis 12. The entire Bible is a missionary document.
Weeks 3-4: You understand what “unreached people groups” means: who they are and where they live.
Weeks 5-6: You identify YOUR specific role. You discover whether you’re called to go, send, mobilize, pray, or welcome—based on your wiring, gifts, and calling.
Weeks 7-8: You create a personal action plan with 3-5 specific, measurable steps.
Learn more about the Storyline Study →
What Makes a Bible Study on Missions Effective
If you’re evaluating different missions bible studies—whether you choose Storyline or something else—here’s what to look for to ensure you’re investing in transformation, not just information:
1. It Must Start With Solid Biblical Theology, Not Guilt
Poor missions bible studies start with depressing statistics designed to make you feel bad.
Effective ones start in Genesis.
God’s heart for all nations isn’t revealed in Matthew 28:19. That’s the culmination, not the origin.
The Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12:3 establishes the pattern: “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Israel’s purpose wasn’t just to be blessed. It was to BE a blessing to the nations.
The Psalms are filled with declarations that God’s glory should be known among ALL peoples.
The prophets consistently point to a future when the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth.
Jesus’s entire ministry—from his genealogy (including Gentiles) to his final commission—is about the nations.
A good missions bible study rewires your theological operating system.
It shows you that missions isn’t a category of Christian activity (like “prayer” or “evangelism”). It’s the entire narrative arc of Scripture.
Once you see this, you can’t unsee it.
2. It Must Address Why You’re Stuck, Not Just What You Should Do
Information-based bible studies tell you WHAT to do:
- Pray more for missionaries
- Give more financially
- Consider a short-term trip
- Share the gospel
But they skip the critical question: Why haven’t you done this already?
You’ve known these things for years. Why hasn’t your behavior changed?
An effective bible study on missions digs into the psychological and spiritual mechanisms keeping you comfortable.
It asks uncomfortable questions:
- What identity are you protecting by staying on the sidelines?
- What would have to change about your life if you took this seriously?
- What are you afraid of losing?
- Who would you have to become?
This is deep work. It’s uncomfortable. Most people quit at this point.
But the people who push through? They don’t just “learn about missions.” They become different people.
3. It Must Provide a Framework for Action, Not Just Inspiration
The most common failure point in missions bible studies is Week 6.
You finish. Everyone agrees they should “do more.” You pray together. Then… nothing.
Why?
Because inspiration without implementation is just entertainment.
An effective bible study doesn’t end with feelings. It ends with a written action plan.
By the final week, you should have:
- Specific prayer focus: Not “bless the missionaries” but “Pray for the Baduy people group in Indonesia, specifically for breakthrough in the village of Kanekes”
- Measurable financial commitment: Not “give more” but “$150/month to Pastor Daniel’s church planting network”
- Clear next steps: Not “maybe go on a trip someday” but “Join the September vision trip. Deposit due by March 15.”
- Accountability structure: Not “I’ll try harder” but “Meet with John and Sarah monthly to review progress”
Vague commitments disappear by Tuesday.
Specific commitments create accountability.
4. It Must Work for Different Callings, Not Assume Everyone “Goes”
Here’s where most missions bible studies fail:
They assume missions = moving overseas.
So if you’re not called to relocate to an unreached people group, the entire study feels irrelevant. You tune out.
But the Great Commission doesn’t say “everyone go.”
It reveals that there are multiple critical roles:
GOERS (1-2% of Christians): Cross-cultural church planters who relocate
SENDERS (10-15%): Strategic financial partners who fund the work
MOBILIZERS (5-10%): Church leaders who recruit, train, and deploy others
PRAYER WARRIORS (20-30%): Intercessors who pray strategically, not generically
WELCOMERS (10-20%): Those who engage unreached people groups in their own cities
A good bible study on missions helps you discover YOUR role, not guilt you into a role you’re not called to.
5. It Must Be Honest About Difficulty and Failure Rates
Here’s what most curriculum developers won’t admit:
Most people won’t finish your bible study.
They’ll get to Week 3 or 4, realize this is asking them to actually restructure their priorities, and quietly disappear.
No shame. Real change is terrifying.
But if a missions bible study isn’t honest about this, it’s setting you up for self-deception.
You’ll think: “I tried missions once. It wasn’t for me.”
When the truth is: You quit when it got uncomfortable.
An effective study acknowledges this upfront. It tells you Week 4 will be hard. It warns you that people drop out. It challenges you to decide NOW if you’re serious.
This creates self-selection. Only people who are genuinely ready for transformation continue.
And those who do? They finish with measurable life change.
Common Mistakes When Choosing a Bible Study on Missions
Before you invest 6-8 weeks of your life in a missions bible study, avoid these traps:
Mistake #1: Choosing Based on Video Quality, Not Transformation Potential
Slick production doesn’t equal life change.
Some of the most transformational bible studies are simple PDFs with discussion questions. Some of the most forgettable have Hollywood-level video production.
Ask: “Will this study make me uncomfortable enough to change?”
Not: “Does this study have good cinematography?”
Mistake #2: Selecting “Safe” Content That Won’t Disrupt Your Small Group
If you’re a small group leader choosing a missions bible study because it seems like a safe, non-controversial topic that will keep everyone engaged… you’ve already failed.
The goal isn’t engagement. It’s transformation.
And transformation creates tension.
Some people in your group will resist. Some will get defensive. Some will drop out.
That’s not a bug. That’s a feature.
Choose the study that will disrupt comfortable Christianity, not reinforce it.
Mistake #3: Looking for Short, Easy Studies When You Need Deep, Challenging Ones
“6 weeks, 20 minutes per session, easy discussion questions”
This is appealing. It fits your schedule. It won’t overwhelm anyone.
It also won’t change anyone.
Real identity transformation takes time. 8 weeks minimum. Longer is better.
If you’re not willing to invest that time, you’re not actually serious about missions. You’re serious about feeling like you care about missions.
Big difference.
Mistake #4: Assuming Information = Transformation
You can complete a missions bible study, ace the discussion questions, memorize the verses, and leave completely unchanged.
Why? Because you optimized for learning content, not transforming identity.
Look for studies that include:
- Reflection exercises that confront your comfort
- Action planning that creates accountability
- Follow-up systems that prevent backsliding
- Community that maintains momentum
Information is the easy part. Implementation is where transformation happens.
How to Actually Complete a Bible Study on Missions (When Most People Quit)
Let’s be honest: You’ve probably started and quit bible studies before.
Everyone has.
Here’s how to make this time different:
1. Decide Your “Why” Before Week 1
Why are you doing this study?
If your answer is “Because my small group is doing it” or “Because I feel like I should”… you’ll quit by Week 4.
You need a deeper why.
Try completing this sentence: “I’m doing this missions bible study because I can no longer tolerate the gap between _____ and _____.”
Examples:
- “…between my comfortable Christian life and 3 billion unreached people.”
- “…between what I say I believe and how I actually live.”
- “…between my potential kingdom impact and my current level of engagement.”
Write it down. Read it before each session.
2. Find Accountability, Not Just Community
Community is nice. Everyone encouraging each other. No one wants to make anyone uncomfortable.
That’s not what you need.
You need accountability.
Someone who will text you: “Did you pray for the Sundanese this week like you committed?”
Someone who will ask: “What specific action did you take this month?”
Someone who won’t let you coast through with vague commitments.
3. Expect Week 4 to Be Hard (And Push Through Anyway)
Here’s what happens in Week 4 of most missions bible studies:
The study shifts from learning about missions to confronting what it means for YOUR life.
Suddenly it’s not theoretical. It’s personal.
Questions like:
- What would have to change about your career?
- What would have to change about your budget?
- What would have to change about your time?
- What would have to change about your identity?
This is when most people quit.
They don’t announce it. They just start missing sessions. “Too busy.” “Sick.” “Family stuff.”
Expect this. Plan for it. Commit NOW that you won’t quit when it gets uncomfortable.
Because Week 4 is exactly when the transformation begins.
4. Create Measurable Next Steps, Not Vague Commitments
At the end of your bible study on missions, you should be able to answer these questions with specific details:
What specific unreached people group are you praying for?
Bad answer: “I’ll pray for missionaries more”
Good answer: “The Baduy people in West Java, Indonesia”
How much are you committing financially, and to whom?
Bad answer: “I’ll give more to missions”
Good answer: “$150/month to Pastor Daniel’s Sundanese church planting network, starting February 1”
What’s your 12-month action plan?
Bad answer: “Maybe go on a trip someday”
Good answer: “Join September vision trip to Indonesia. $500 deposit by March 15. Recruit 2 others by June.”
Vague = forgotten by Tuesday.
Specific = accountable, measurable, transformational.
Beyond the Bible Study: Building a Lifestyle, Not Just Completing a Curriculum
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Completing a bible study on missions doesn’t make you a missionary-minded Christian.
Living with missions as your daily framework—that’s what creates transformation.
The study is just the catalyst. The real work comes after.
The 3-Month Follow-Up Framework
Most people finish a missions bible study and drift back to normal life within 90 days.
Here’s how to prevent that:
Month 1 After Study:
- Weekly check-ins with accountability partner
- Implement first action step (start monthly giving, begin daily prayer, etc.)
- Report back to your small group
Month 2:
- Bi-weekly check-ins
- Add second action step
- Recruit someone else to do the study
Month 3:
- Monthly check-ins
- Full action plan implemented
- Teach what you learned to someone else
By Month 3, missions isn’t something you “studied once.”
It’s become part of your identity.
Connect With Organizations Doing the Work
A bible study gives you framework. Real organizations give you action.
Research and connect with:
- Mission agencies focused on unreached people groups (not just general overseas ministries)
- Indigenous church planting networks in least-reached areas
- Prayer networks with specific unreached people group focuses
- Local diaspora ministries engaging unreached peoples in your city
Don’t just learn about missions abstractly. Get connected to real people doing real work among real unreached peoples.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bible Studies on Missions
“How long should a good bible study on missions be?”
Minimum 6 weeks. Ideal is 8-12 weeks.
You need time to:
- Deconstruct wrong thinking about missions and process it
- Rebuild biblical framework
- Discover your role and discuss it with others
- Create action plan
Don’t rush transformation.
“Can I do a missions bible study alone, or do I need a group?”
You CAN do it alone. But you SHOULDN’T.
Transformation requires community and accountability.
Solo studies let you skip the uncomfortable questions, rationalize away the convictions, and quit when it gets hard.
Group studies create social pressure (the good kind) to follow through.
If you genuinely don’t have a group, find one other person. That’s enough.
“What if my church doesn’t prioritize missions?”
Then you prioritize it yourself.
Do the study yourself. Implement the action plan.
As you transform, you’ll naturally attract others who are hungry for the same thing.
Build a missions-minded community within your church; communicate with your church leadership about your heart and what you are trying to do.
“Is a missions bible study appropriate for new Christians?”
Generally yes, but it depends on the study.
Some are designed for mature believers who need deep theological framework.
Others work for anyone at any stage.
Ask: Does this study assume I already know missions terminology, theology, and context? Or does it build from the ground up?
For new Christians, look for studies that start with Genesis (not the Great Commission) and explain basic concepts clearly.
“What’s the difference between a missions bible study and a discipleship bible study?”
Here’s what most churches miss:
They’re not different.
Missions IS discipleship. Discipleship IS missions.
If your discipleship doesn’t lead to missions engagement, it’s not biblical discipleship.
If your missions engagement isn’t rooted in discipleship, it’s just activism.
The best bible studies on missions integrate both: Deep roots in Scripture that lead to global engagement.
The One Question That Determines If You’re Ready for a Bible Study on Missions
Before you buy curriculum, gather your small group, or commit to 8 weeks…
Answer this honestly:
“Am I doing this because I’m genuinely ready to let my life be disrupted, or because I want to feel like I care about missions without actually changing anything?”
If it’s the second one, save yourself the time.
You’ll quit by Week 4, feel guilty about it, and convince yourself “missions just isn’t my thing.”
But if it’s the first—if you’ve reached the point where your comfortable Christian life feels insufficient, where you can’t keep ignoring the gap between your Sunday morning faith and 3 billion unreached people—then you’re ready.
Not for information.
For transformation.
Ready to Start? Check out the Storyline Study
If you want a comprehensive study that traces God’s heart for the nations from Genesis to Revelation, Storyline Study is the perfect next step.
In 8 weeks, your team will:
- Discover how missions isn’t a New Testament add-on—it’s been God’s plan since creation
- Understand what “unreached people groups” actually means and why they matter
- Identify YOUR specific role in the Great Commission (not everyone goes, but everyone has a part)
- Create a personal action plan for missions engagement beyond short-term trips
More than 20,000 people in 75+ countries have completed Storyline. It’s transformed not just their mission trips, but their entire understanding of how they fit into God’s global story.
Check out Storyline Study here and equip your team to serve with biblical depth and lasting impact.
May God bless your mission journey, and may His Word transform the way you see His mission.