I was in a meeting the other day and we were talking about missions. Then a friend said this, "You can do Acts 1:8 or Acts 8:1 happens."

I was familiar with Acts 1:8: "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." But I didn't know what Acts 8:1 said. When I checked it out, I was surprised. It says, "And Saul approved of their killing him." (Acts 8:1)

What did my friend mean? I asked and he explained, "It was several decades from the beginning of Acts to the point where persecution caused the church to do what God had in mind by going to the nations."

Most people don't naturally get out of their comfort zones and leave their friends to move to another culture. It rubs against the grain of their natural bent. Narrow that comfort zone in some way and the idea of leaving becomes more attractive.

It makes you wonder, what might God allow to happen in our day and age to accelerate the pace of world missions?