The gospel has a global impact; Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. Everyone needs to hear about Jesus, his saving work on the cross, and the empty tomb. This is why Christians support mission work in all parts of the globe.

But the Church is locally focused. Every Church exists in a very specific time and place. No community is the same, each with its own unique people. This is why the letters of the New Testament are addressed to towns and contain instructions for their situation.

With the internet, we are exposed to people from all over the globe with a keystroke. It is easy to begin to think of the Church globally. That is not entirely bad, as the message of Jesus can spread online across the globe now without much effort.

The downside can be that we, as Christians, forget to think locally. We might believe every person we encounter struggles with the same issues we see on the internet. We may begin to feel that the views expressed on social media are the ones my neighbor holds.

Here is my challenge to believers: never assume you know what people think, feel, and believe. Each person you encounter has a unique background and experiences that have shaped their point of view. Our first step in sharing the message of Jesus is getting to know the people in our lives and communities.

I want to be a part of a Church that is going into all the world. But we do it by addressing one person at a time.