The Church's Purpose

The Church's Purpose

Ephesians 2:8-10

The church serves as the hands and feet of Christ in the world. As Christ's body, the church seeks to accomplish that mission through a three-pronged approach that reaches up, in, and out.

First, the body of Christ reaches up through its worship of God. Believers' worship is a response of trust in God and an expression of gratefulness for what Christ has done for them (Eph. 1:11, 12).

Worship is a 24/7, year-round offering made to Christ by Christians who present themselves to Him for His service. We live in the ways God designed us to live: "

We are His workman-ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10; see also Rom. 12:1, 2). The weekly hour in the church building is only a fraction of our worship.

Worship includes our treatment of people, our daily work, our free time, our chore time, and everything we do and say.

The church's purpose reaches in through its efforts in the area of personal disciple-ship.

Believers are called to be shaped in the likeness of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29) and to become "perfect in Christ" (Col. 1:28).

Christians have a responsibility to "grow in the grace and knowledge" of Christ (2 Pet. 3:18).

For more information about this, see the concept notes on sanctification

Leviticus 11:44, 45; Hebrews 2:11-13; 2 Thessalonians

2:13; James 1:22-25; Romans 12:1, 2; and

2 Corinthians 2:14, 15.

The church promotes spiritual growth through relationships and solid doctrinal teaching.

The church reaches out through evange-lism, sharing Jesus Christ with those who still need to know the love of Christ.

Before Jesus left earth, He gave His disciples the promise. of His authority and His presence Matt.

28:18-20).

These two elements empower believers to continue the work of making disciples of Jesus Christ around the world until the end of the age.

It is impossible (and improper) to exclude any of these areas from the life of a healthy church. God expects all three activities from His people, and believers must balance all three areas for His glory.

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