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Classic Christian Hymns About Global Missions
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Classic world missions hymns and gospel songs
Titles, lyrics, recordings, printed music sources
World missions can be promoted in otherwise regular church
services by the use of a missions-themed song or two.
Christian missions can be promoted through music. Songs
about world missions outreach can set the tone for Faith Promise Conventions and other missions
events.
Lyrics of songs about world missions can provide a theme for a Faith Promise weekend or a
missions conference.
Most of the classic missions songs listed are in the public domain. Links to printable lyrics
and music of many of these songs about the Great Commission have been included. Lyrics, audio
of tunes, and stories behind many of these songs can also be found at:
http://www.hymntime.com/tch/index.htm
In 1523, Martin Luther wrote a missionary hymn based on Psalm 67. His "May
God Bestow on Us His Grace," has been called "the first missionary hymn of
Protestantism."
A World-Wide Revival -- Lelia Morris ( often listed as "Mrs. C. H. Morris")
"For a world-wide revival, blessed Master, we pray. . . for this world, dearly
purchased by the blood of God's Son, back from Satan's dominion and
from sin must be won."
All Over the World -- Eliza Hewitt and William Kirkpatrick
"Think of the millions who never have heard one precious promise from
God's holy Word. . . . Let the bright banner of love be unfurled all over the world."
1896
Anywhere with Jesus -- Jessie B. Pounds, Helen C. Alexander (stanzas
3-4) and Daniel B. Towner
"Anywhere with Jesus, over land and sea,
telling souls in darkness of salvation free; ready as He summons me to go or stay, anywhere with
Jesus when He points the way."
1887
Arm of the Lord, Awake -- William Shrubsole and Lowell Mason
"Almighty God, thy grace proclaim, in ev'ry land, of ev'ry name."
"They are falling by the mighty Congo, They are dying in the dark Soudan;
They are lying 'neath the sun of India, They are buried by the shores of Japan . . . Who will enlist
in the hosts of the Lord?"
[ printed music from 1962 Christian and Missionary Alliance
hymnal ]
Fling out the banner -- George Doane and John Calkin (same tune used with
"I heard the bells on Christmas day")
"Fling out the banner! heathen lands shall see from far the glorious
sight"
For the Whole Wide World -- Lelia Morris ( often listed as "Mrs. C. H.
Morris" )
"Of one blood God hath made all the nations of the earth. . . . We must carry
the Gospel to earth's remotest bound. Men are dying for the precious word."
"From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the
Lord shall be praised" (the allusion in Psalm 113, from which this is taken, is geographical rather
than the time of day)
"Because so many need to know, it's up to you and me to go . . . God calls
us."
1985, Pilot Point Music and Lillenas Publishing [ printed
music ]
Gospel Tidings -
"How beauteous are their feet who stand on Zion's hill, who bring salvation
on their tongues. . . Through all the earth abroad; let every nation now behold their Savior and
their God."
Hail To The Brightness of Zion's Glad Morning (also known as "The Latter
Day") -- Thomas Hastings and Lowell Mason (Isaiah 9:2)
"Joy to the lands that in darkness have lain! . . . See, from all lands, from the isles of the ocean, praise to the Savior ascending on high."
"If it be Thy will, Lord, to send me o'er the sea, I'll follow Thee tho' death
should come my way."
1963, Gospel Publishing House [ published in Hymns of Glorious Praise hymnal ]
Labor On -- Christopher R. Blackall and W. Howard Doane
"In the harvest field there is work to do, For the grain is ripe, and the reapers
few"
`870
Lead On, O King Eternal -- Ernest Shurtleff and Henry Smart
"Lead on, O King eternal, to lands of deepest night; We follow where Thou
leadest as heralds of the light" ( words from third verse found only in Voices in
Worship: Hymns of the Christian Life hymnal )
Let Us Go -- Albert B. Simpson and Ludwig van
Beethoven (arrangement by Eldon McBride)
"Let us go and preach the gospel as a witness to the world. And for every
tongue and people let Christ's banner be unfurled."
1998 (music) Eldon McBride [ Voices in Worship hymnal ]
Let your heart be broken -- Bryan Jeffery Leech and Fred Bock
"Let your heart be broken for a world in need . . . Blest to be a blessing . . .
Serve Him far and near."
"Let me be faithful to my trust, telling the world the story. Press on my heart
the woe. Give me the will to go."
2002 (music), Gene Rivard [
Voices in Worship hymnal ]
O Zion, Haste -- Mary Ann Thomson and James Walch (Isaiah 40:9) (also
titled "O Christians, Haste")
"Proclaim to every people, tongue, and nation that God, in whom they live and
move, is love. Tell how He stooped to save His lost creation and died on earth that man might
live above."
1868 -- [ printed music ] [ published in Sing to the
Lord hymnal ]
Our God Reigns -- Leonard (Lenny) Smith
"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news."
"Redeem the time, let us send the gospel to the farthest bounds of the human
race; Over all the world let us spread the tidings while lasts our day of grace."
1962, Christian Publications [ printed music from 1962
Christian and Missionary Alliance hymnal ]
Rescue the Perishing -- Fanny Crosby and William Doane (Jude
23)
"Rescue the perishing. Duty demands it. Strength for thy labor the Lord will
provide."
1869 [ printed music ] [ published in Hymns of Glorious
Praise hymnal and in Sing to the Lord hymnal ]
Rise, Thou Light of Gentile Nations -- Hermann Fick and Johann Thommen
"Sound we forth the Gospel tidings to the earth's remotest bound that the
sinner has been pardoned and forgiveness can be found. . . May our zeal to help the heathen be
increased from day to day."
1885
Roll On, Thou Mighty Ocean -- James Edmeston and Robert Jackson
"Bear messengers of mercy to ev'ry land . . . that man may sit in darkness and
death's black shade no more"
Going where darkness and sorrow are found; Seeking the lost to earth's
uttermost bounds."
[ printed music from 1962 Christian and Missionary
Alliance hymnal ]
Savior, Sprinkle Many Nations -- Arthur C. Coxe and John Zundel (Isaiah
1:15 KJV)
"Savior, lo, the isles are waiting. . . . Of the preacher, speed the foot and touch
the tongue 'til on earth by every creature 'Glory to the Lamb' be sung."
"To the millions living o'er the deep, deep sea, speed the light . . . There in
anguish, millions for the gospel wait. Speed the light. . . . Souls are waiting and the fields are
white."
"Today they die in heathen lands. They die in want and dread, for they have
been omitted in the breaking of the Bread. Lord, I would give them the Bread of Life."
1944, Singspiration [ Voices in Worship hymnal ]
The Call for Reapers -- J.O. Thompson and J.B.O. Clemm (also called "Far and Near")
"Far and near the fields are teeming with waves of ripened grain. . . Lord of
the harvest, send for reapers!"
The Regions Beyond -- A. B. Simpson and
Margaret Simpson
"To the regions beyond I must go . . . where the story has never been told . . .
Till all the world, His salvation shall know."
1904 [ printed music ] [ published in Hymns of Glorious
Praise hymnal ]
The Vision -- H.C. McKinney and Oren Munger
I have seen the heathen in their darkness, I have heard their cry of grim
despair; All my heart is burning with the passion to bring to them the light of Jesus."
1950, Gospel Publishing House [ published in Hymns of Glorious Praise hymnal
]
The Whole Wide World for Jesus -- J. Demster Hammond and William J.
Kirkpatrick
"The whole wide world! Proclaim the Gospel tidings thro' the whole wide
world! . . . Till ev'ry tongue confess Him."
1885
The Work Must Go On -- Laurene Highfield and Samuel Beazley
"A glad message rings through the world today . . . The good work must go on
and on, til the world for our Lord is won."
1911, renewed 1939, Nazarene Publishing House [ printed
music ]
This Pair of Hands -- Floyd Hawkins
"To bring Thy healing touch to darkest lands, I give to Thee, my God, this
pair of hands."
1963, 1991, Lillenas [ published in Hear the Call songbook ]
Thou Whose Almighty Word -- John Marriott and Felice de Giardini
"Move on the waters' face, bearing the lamp of grace, and in earth's darkest
place, Let there be light. . . . Through the world, far and wide, Let there be light."
"This is the song I sing: Thy kingdom come, Thy kingdom come. . . Through
all the earth abroad where humankind has trod, send forth thy word, O God."
[ Voices in Worship hymnal ]
Till the Whole World Knows -- Alfred and Bentley Ackley
"I'll tell to all that God is love; for the world has never known the great
compassion of His heart . . . I will shout and sing of Christ my King, till the whole world
knows"
1951, Rodeheaver [ published in Hymns of Glorious Praise hymnal ]
Twelve Is Not Enough -- Ted Wuerffel
"'Go into the world,' He's calling you . . . God into the world and preach the
Gospel!"
1982 and 1986, Lillenas Publishing [ printed
music ]
Unto the Uttermost -- Beth Tuley
In Jerusalem and in Samaria, unto the uttermost! To the millions lost, we must
bear the cross."
1964, Gospel Publishing House [ published in Hymns of Glorious Praise hymnal
]
We'll Girdle the Globe -- V.A. Dake and Ida M. Dake
"We'll girdle the globe with salvation, with holiness unto the Lord! And light
shall illumine each nation, the light from the lamp of His word!" classic lyrics that mean we'll
cover the globe or we'll go all the way around the globe
We've a Story to Tell to the Nations -- H. Ernest Nicol (Matthew 24:14)
"We've a story to tell to the nations that shall turn their hearts to the right. . . .
We've a song to be sung to the nations that shall lift their hearts to the Lord, a song that shall
conquer evil and shatter the spear and sword."
1896 -- [ published in Sing to the Lord hymnal ] [ "Great Hymns of the Faith"
hymnal ] [ published in Hymns of Glorious Praise hymnal ]
When the whole world lives for Him -- B.D. Ackley and William Charles Poole
"When the whole world lives for Jesus . . . Let us work and haste that day
when each tribe and land and nation gladly owns His rule and sway."
For those songs that are still under copyright, contact the publishers concerning
costs for reproducing them.
1Note: In the Bible, the word "nations" does not mean political entities like
China, India and the USA. Rather, it means people groups or societies in which people speak the
same language, have the same culture, and live in or have originated in the same area. "Nations"
is synonymous with the plural word "peoples." In other words, nations in the Bible means all of
the world's people grouple other than the people of Israel.
Afterword: Thoughts on the Value of Using Music to Promote World Evangelism Efforts
The lyrics of songs such as these classic gospel songs about world evangelism can be powerful tools for expressing beliefs and developing people's thinking in several ways:
Emotional resonance: Songs often tap into universal emotions. They make you feel understood and validated in your beliefs.
Narrative influence: Many songs tell stories or carry messages through their lyrics. These narratives can introduce new points of view or challenge existing beliefs. That can cause prompt people to reconsider their views.
Repetition and reinforcement: Song lyrics can reinforce certain ideas or values. When you hear the same messages repeated over and over,
you can be influenced in your thinking and behavior..
Identity formation: People often identify with the music they listen to. The lyrics of songs can play a meaningful role in molding individual and collective identities. Lyrics that align with people's values or beliefs may become part and parcel of their sense of self.
Social influence: Music is often a communal experience, with people sharing and discussing their favorite songs, artists, and composers. Lyrics
that express certain beliefs or values can spread through social networks, influencing the thinking of others who hear them.
Artistic interpretation: The ambiguity and metaphorical language often found in song lyrics can allow listeners to interpret them in multiple ways. This ambiguity can lead to deep reflection and discussion that will further shape people's thinking.
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