The church is God’s idea and is God’s plan, and no matter what the building looks like or how the programs are organized, the church must be absolutely committed to what God wants His church to be. According to Paul, every believer has a function in the church, just as the different parts of a body have a specific function. But the church exists to reach people for Christ and to disciple them to maturity in Christ. The church, therefore, is both local and global in nature. Several key phrases reinforce the point the Apostle Paul is trying to make to his readers in Ephesus. What is the purpose of life? By the time of the conclusion of the New Testament (Revelation 2-3), it was obvious that each local church had unique characteristics that were different from the others. The pastor preaches by purpose. One only needs to look at the skyline of almost any town in America or of any city in Europe to see the towering spirals of steeples and spires indicating the presence of church buildings below. There are some who advocate the idea that churches exist primarily to reach people for Christ. No believer is intended to live out their faith alone. They look to Matthew 28:19-20 as the mandate to “make disciples.” These churches promote the idea that the church should put all its energy into developing and producing mature followers of Christ. In this way and so many others, the local church is God’s plan. At that moment I realised why the church only had a small board with a short list of members. Joel Ryan is an LA-based children’s and young adult author who teaches writing at Life Pacific University. “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that the individual members of the church make up the wholeness of the Body of Christ. Serving the Lord must be at the center of every local church’s programming and functions. What is expositional preaching? The earliest apostles were mostly comprised of Jesus’s 12 Disciples and closest followers during His earthly ministry. 1. The Restored 12:27; Eph. Some think that the tithe is a mandate given by God that we should … The foundation for all Christian faith must be grounded in Scripture, but there is healthy room for varying structures and different expressions of worship and ministry within the global church. What Does it Mean That Our Citizenship is in Heaven? As light, the church is called to represent the kingdom of God and be the living movement of Christ’s love and grace in the world. This isn’t to say that every member of the Body of Christ must think, look, or act the same. It is through the church that God takes people with different personalities and gifts, unifies them as a single body, and equips them to care for each other and reach the world. Vanessa is in second grade this year. The Church broke off from the worldwide Church of God in May of 1999. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). What is the purpose of the church? Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. If the church’s mission means that the church was sent by God to accomplish a specific task, then we must begin by asking, “What did God send us to do?” The Great Commission is the primary place where we see God sending his church. For example, this was the view espoused by the “seeker-sensitive church” movement a few years ago and the “soul-winning” emphasis a few decades ago. The final purpose of the church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer. It was never God’s intent for His followers to practice their faith in a vacuum away from other believers. There are two common but seemingly opposing views of the purpose of the church. It was never God’s intent for the church to be a “spectator sport” where people show up on Sunday mornings to watch others perform. The Bible is clear that God wants each of His people to intentionally, actively, and faithfully share their faith with others. Like Purpose, every church has the same mission. Both of those priorities are absolutely essential and should be practiced in harmony by each local church. In principle he decides everything. 5 The Purpose of The Church- Evangelism 1. His blog, Perspectives Off the Page, discusses the spiritual and creative life through the lens of storytelling. The church transcends age, gender, race, geography, and socioeconomic lines. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information, As Jesus said, “let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (, “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (. This is why believers are called to spend time with other believers. They have been given the Body of Christ for encouragement, strength, and support. 1:23). Male: The church is not an institution for perfect people. All rights reserved. 1. It’s obvious from Scripture that God wants His people to grow and mature within a community of unity and togetherness. Should a pastor preach An examination of this text of Scripture reveals that both emphases are absolutely essential for any local church. The church exists to strengthen and equip its members for an external relationship with a broken world. “and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). This is the primary purpose of the church today. It has many local chapters that each serve to fulfill God’s global and eternal purpose. In addition, the church exists to train and equip its members for ministry, instruct its people in the teachings of Christ and Scripture, and help believers grow closer to Jesus Christ. Growing churches do not depend upon some man-made plan or program. Just a quick reading of 1 Corinthians 13 and Romans 12 shows how this is impossible to d… The church is God’s idea and is God’s plan (Matthew 16:18), and no matter what the building looks like or how the programs are organized, the church must be absolutely committed to what God wants His church to be. Often referred to as the Body of Christ, the church is the community of those who believe in Jesus Christ and are called by His name. The church is at its strongest when everyone is contributing their individual talents and spiritual gifts to this community. Jesus Christ commissioned His followers to share His ministry and proclaim the joy of salvation and forgiveness of sin to all the world. American and global churches today are obviously quite distinct. It’s obvious that churches vary in size, shape, geography, and function. The Catholic Church is ruled by an entirely dysfunctional hierarchy. Some churches even gather in secret, sometimes virtually underground, hidden from the oppressive view of local authorities. Scripture also presents the idea that every believer is the recipient of God-given spiritual gifts, which are God’s enabling ability to effectively serve Him (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12:3-8). The Body of Christ is still compromised of imperfect people who are constantly growing and will make mistakes. Equip Christians for ministry and instruct them in God’s word. An apostolic ministry is distinguished by its support from leaders in the church and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus. Now churches meet in former malls and shopping plazas, in rented school buildings, homes, or hotel meeting rooms. To this end, churches are tasked with a variety of ministries such as Bible study, continuing education in related areas, praying for one another, acts of genuine hospitality and more. The local church was founded by God for the purposes of God and the glory of God. What is topical preaching? “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. It is a God-anointed community made in the image of Christ that is nonetheless imperfect in its parts. Ultimately, the church exists to bring glory to his name through worship, discipleship, and evangelism. This is otherwise known as the invisible church. The church has been an integral part of our communities for several centuries. What is the one thing that we are asked to do that sends shivers up most of our spines 2. From mega-churches to house-churches, God’s people gather in a variety of places and settings — and yet they gather for the same grand purpose. Pack was trained by Herbert W. Amstrong (d. 1986). 1. The contrary perspective is that the church exists predominantly to disciple believers. God expects every Christ-follower to use their natural abilities and spiritual gifts to faithfully serve Him. The local church exists for discipleship. In this commission, Jesus instructed His followers, both current and to come, to spread the Gospel message in and beyond their local communities. 6. He plans his messages and series to insure that the congregation receives a … To Follow the Sacraments First, take a look at God's purpose for man. How can I know if I am being called to preach? The church is called 181) By 1 June 2002, twenty-one responses had been received from churches. The church is the body of Christ—his heart, his mouth, his hands, and feet—reaching out to the world: The Body of Christ gathers together locally. The Church is a non-Christian cult. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright © 2021, Christianity.com. The end result of the local church operating as Christ intended is that the church will grow — both spiritually and numerically. The church is at its best when every believer is devoted to the mission of His church. As one reads this passage, the importance of true spiritual growth is obviously the emphasis. It is a sanctuary for sinners saved by grace, a nursery for God's sweet children to be nurtured and grow strong. The structure and programming of individual churches are also wide-ranging, probably depending upon the culture in which the church is positioned. The purpose of the church is to glorify God. The Pope does not even have a cabinet. Mel & Peggy Walker are the parents of 3 adult children—all of whom are in vocational ministry. Mel Walker is the president of Vision For Youth, Inc., an international network of youth ministry, and he is also the youth pastor at Wyoming Valley Church in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Mel has been actively involved in various aspects of youth ministry for over 40 years. It answers the “What are we to be doing?” question. The strength of the church all points to the unifying grace of God and power of His son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ commissioned His followers to share His ministry and proclaim the joy of salvation and forgiveness of sin to all the world. The language here uses a familiar visual illustration of a child growing into maturity. Reaching the lost for C… He has a heart for young adults and is passionate about engaging youth through film, literature, and art. Jesus reminded His followers to be the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13-16). In another sense, the church is the body of the faithful (1 Cor. Paul tells us what that is in Romans 8:28-29 (NLT): "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For example, this was the view espoused by the “seeker-sensitive church” movement a few years ago and the “soul-winning” emphasis a few decades ago. He is also an author, speaker, and a consultant with churches. The early church in Jerusalem had qualities and functions (Acts 2:44-47) that were entirely different than other New Testament churches. by Matt Slick | Mar 24, 2020 | Questions , The Church The duties and responsibilities of Christian churches are to preach and teach the word of God to the people of God, minister to them, guard them, and guide them in understanding and practicing worship . 2. Purpose Driven Churches begin by finding volunteers to lead and serve on each Purpose based team, developing full-time, paid positions as needed. Today, the church bears the image of Jesus Christ and carries on the ministry of Jesus to the world through the generations. The church, both in the universal and local sense, is important because it is the primary vehicle through which God carries out his purposes on earth. At its core, the church is the global community of Christ followers who believe in the divinity and resurrection of Jesus Christ and are commissioned to proclaim the good news of His salvation to the world. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with … The songs, prayers, and rituals of a regular Church service can help people remember their faith and worship God as a congregation. The foundation for today’s global church can be found in the book of Acts and the example of the early church led by the apostles of the New Testament. This truth, of course, must include the idea that there has been a “new birth-experience” (John 3:7), and so reaching people for Christ is intrinsically involved. If all you do is attend a weekly church service, but you’re not involved in using your gifts to serve, you are not fulfilling Christ’s purpose for your life. If this were the purpose of the Church, you would have to admit the Church, no matter how broadly you define it, has failed. Building up the body of Christ is the grand mission that drives the church’s function and structure. According to the New Testament, elders are responsible for the primary leadership and oversight of a church. Regular fellowship and community are therefore essential attributes of the church. The church is the dearest place on earth. Even the second church chronologically mentioned in Acts, the church in Antioch (Acts 11:19-26), did things quite differently than the first local church in Jerusalem. Its Purpose and Identity. 2. However, more than a follower, an apostle was (and is) an anointed leader commissioned by Jesus to build the church, represent His kingdom, and spread His teachings. For the church to be effective, it must pursue this mission as well. In the book of Acts, the author writes that the members of the early church frequently gathered together, “continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42). We have already read that the church’s purpose is to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth and is also commanded to assemble together on a regular basis. The pastoral teaching ministries of well-known, evangelical voices like John MacArthur and John Piper fit this model of ministry. We sometimes call specific areas of service ministries. In this passage, church leaders, like “evangelists” and “pastor-teachers” are given the imperative to “equip,” or to complete, or instruct, believers to serve the Lord, which in turn, builds up the entire body of Christ — the church. Perhaps there is a balanced view that offers a true combination of these two perspectives. 1948). This particular passage of Scripture presents a true balance of the two seemingly conflicting viewpoints — and the balance must be a combination of the two. More information about his speaking and writing ministry can be found at www.GoingOnForGod.com. The church is to be a place that promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. It’s interesting and important to note that “cookie-cutter” churches were never God’s intent. How the Church historic sites are fulfilling their purpose during the pandemic - Church News Therefore, it is imperative for the church to be about the task of seeing people come to Christ and helping them grow towards maturity in Christ. The church is a special place filled with special people. The topic of the tithe has always been one followed by disagreement amongst believers. 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