The Lord Jesus Christ gave the Global mission mandate to the Church to take the gospel to the whole world. (Matthew 28:18-20) Luke records the beginning, growth, and multiplication of the church throughout the Roman Empire. Yet, the Roman Empire was not the end of the world. The gospel spread to certain pockets in Africa, Europe, and Asia. God as the Sovereign ruler of the world facilitates various factors of the world to facilitate the world mission.
Explorers: God raised explorers in Europe to go to new areas using ships to know the end of the world. After the invention of the printing press, the bible was the most available book in the world. Those who read the bible understand India as the end of the world as it is mentioned in the Book of Esther. (Esther 1:1; 8:9) So, Columbus discovered America and thought it was India. Those who reached Indonesia named it so as India of Asia. These explorers paved the way for new sea routes, that were used by kings to conquer and businesspeople for trade. Atlas providing world maps with sea routes became available.
Exploiters: After predictable sea routes emerged, the kings wanted to conquer new nations. Pope commissioned kings to conquer nations, as a mission strategy. For it was believed that the nations ruled by Christian kings were evangelized. There was political subjugation of many indigenous people. The traders began to exploit the resources and built their entrepreneurial empires. Even people were made as slaves and sold like commodities in many parts of the world.
Evangelists: Some of the church leaders realized that taking the gospel to the whole world is the responsibility of the disciples. Noting the writings and reports of the explorers and exploiters, they were inspired to go out and reach the world. William Carey read with interest the Last Voyage of Captain Cook, an adventure story. Then he understood the human need of people for the gospel. He triggered the flow of missionaries around the world, he served in India.
Do I realize God orders the world to hear the gospel?