The Church and Mission
The Church and Mission
The Church is the tool God uses to bring the Gospel to all nations and reconcile humanity to himself.
Unfortunately, even the term "church" has been beaten, twisted, and skewed away from God's intention and definition. The Greek word that describes church refers to "the called out ones." The church is called to pursue holiness just as the Lord is holy. With the power of the Holy Spirit, the church body can follow Christ as He intended.
The New Testament describes the church as a group of local believers and all Christians everywhere, a mixed body of believers. A part of this diverse group is people in various seasons of life with different spiritual gifts to be used for the body as a whole.
"It is worth noting that the church is the only institution in the history of the world to whom God has given an absolute guarantee that, in the final analysis, it will not fail. The great institutions of the world come and go, but the church of Jesus Christ will remain.” (R.C. Sproul)
The church has the power of God; therefore, no one can stand against it in totality. In understanding the power behind the church and the purpose of the church, the importance of attending a gathering with other believers.
“To summarize, the proper ends for a local congregation’s life and actions are the worship of God, the edification of the church, and the evangelization of the world.“ (Mark Dever)
Put more simply, the church's purpose is to worship God by gathering believers through their daily lives. This includes praising God through song, reading of Scripture, praying, and other spiritual disciplines that worship God through the believer's lifestyle. The worship of God must be central to our lives.
Every Believer As A Missionary
Ultimately, the church is to be the appearance of the Gospel and how it plays out in the lives of those who follow Christ. What if I told you that the call to be a missionary was not just reserved for the person who moves their entire family overseas but for each follower of Christ with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them?
Christ himself in Matthew 28:19-20 commanded the disciples to make disciples of all nations. This means that each disciple, or follower of Jesus, is commanded to teach others to obey all Christ taught. In other words, those who follow Christ are tasked to teach others how to follow Christ, too.
In Luke 24:47, the believers are told to be His witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This shouldn't be all that surprising. As believers live for Christ, others close to them and far from Him will notice. This involves intentionally sharing who Christ is with those around them.
How does this apply to you?
Now that you know Jesus' command on the life of the believer, it changes how you live. Though it can be easy to continue in community with other believers, you must not keep your faith in Christ private. Romans 10:14-17 reminds us to share this good news with those around us. By asking rhetorical questions, Paul urges the reader to consider sharing the Gospel with those around them. Colossians 4: 3-4 shows Paul's longing to have the opportunity to share the Gospel and spend time with those who do not believe in Christ. Verse 3 shows us that this is so that He may reveal who Christ is to them. Consider this: Is your heart for sharing the Gospel with those who don't know similar to Paul's?
Does your life display the Gospel in a way that nonbelievers notice? If not, pray that God would do this in you as with Paul. You do not need to wait until God calls you overseas to share the Gospel; you can share the Gospel in your present circumstance. Remember, it is God who provides the growth for the faithfulness you have to plant seeds of the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 reminds us that we can water and plant seeds of the Gospel, but God gives them growth. Who is far from Christ and near to you? How can you intentionally teach them about Christ?
