RayStedman.org/permissions. And members of the early church met in temple courts when they did not have a formal “church building” to meet in. We are told that the church should be speaking to all the issues of life today and should be concerned about problems of metropolitan government, mass transportation, suburban segregation, equal representation in legislatures, and other problems that confront our modern world. The first job of the church is not the welfare of men, important as that may be, and as it definitely enters into the picture. Instead of doing your own easter egg hunt, why not partner with the parks and rec department in your city? You have it again in Chapter 1 of Ephesians, Verses 22-23: ...he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Notice, this is always addressed to the individual Christian. It does not say “let us consider how we may spur our [singular] friend on toward love and good deeds”. Think of that! And this is why Christians need to be members of the church. As we consider why we gather week by week, we can quickly identify two common but unbiblical views on the purpose of the local church.The first is that the local church exists for evangelism. Why does the church exist? Website © 2021 by Ray Stedman Ministries. The problem with this world is that it does not know God. We are now primarily concerned with the first verse, which constitutes a highly significant exhortation to Christians. And how does one local church, GCC, fit into the bigger picture of the global church? This got me thinking. Does “where two or more are gathered” really mean a night out with some Christian guys is more like church than church? The theme of this group seems to be, "Come weal or come woe, the status is quo." It also goes on to say Christians should not give up meeting together. The whole explanation for the confusion about the church that exists so widely today is that Christians have been looking at the things that are seen instead of the things that are unseen. We are designed to do so, to be "holy and blameless before him." I quoted Charles Bridges, the 19th century Anglican pastor, who wrote: “[The church] is the grand scene in which the perfections of Jehovah are displayed to the universe.” Bridges goes on to mention another, equally important purpose of the church. This is why the church should exist. We’ve talked about the four reasons people may visit a church. They’ve also gotten involved tutoring, mentoring, and they’re now an integral part of local high schools in Tallahassee. If anything the opposite is given to us. Obviously you cannot have a heart filled with love for fellow human beings and not be concerned. Obey your orders! • October 12, 2014. - To minister to … God became Man for no other purpose. Whatever Christians do, they should be able to bring … And this is truly at the heart of why the church exists. We are the Church and we exist for the world.” Why start being the Church? For permission to use this content, please review Church members frequently understand themselves to be the raison d'êtrefor which their congregations exist: “Our church is here to meet our needs.” But, as they move toward a missional stance, many congregational leaders today seek a shift from providing for members to empowering members. That is one of the purposes of the church. One of the most effective ways we can do this is by getting out of “church world” and into our communities. -- proper as these things may be in this world from other points of view. “If you ask typical church members why their church exists, you’ll get a wide variety of answers. 2 January 11, 2016 . The church is a body under the control of the head, and what a tragedy it is when the human body refuses to respond to the direction of the head. And in a place where they’re not alone. Part 2 Acts 4:31-35 Last Sunday we began a five part message on Why Does The Church Exist ? They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. In the midst of this kind of confusion the letter to the Ephesians calls us back to reality. The church is a body under the control of the head, and what a tragedy it is when the human body refuses to respond to the direction of the head. The church is on this earth for three reasons: 1) the glorification of God, 2) the edification of the saints, and 3) the evangelization of the world. (Ephesians 1:12 RSV). -- which is but to suggest that Christians ought to be evident by the way they talk and live, the way they think and act! A witness is one who declares and who demonstrates. In the eyes of the world the church is weak, ineffective, out of touch, the enemy of … You catch my drift. Church, then, is primarily evangelistic in its purpose. Where in the New Testament do you find any programs suggested for social betterment? Its voice is not heard and eventually it is despised and ignored. Peter has a wonderful word about this in his first letter, Chapter 2, Verse 9: ...you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. At the end of the day, we can be the friendliest, most involved church community in all the land. We are to talk about the reality of a life-changing encounter with a living Christ, and to demonstrate that change by an unselfish love-filled life. We pray in Christ's name, Amen. The revolution he sought was a far deeper one, without which reforms could be only superficial and transitory. But why is the church here? The church was planned long before the world was made], that we should be holy and blameless before him. Let’s get them involved in a community of believers where they will be encouraged and spurred on where. And what does this mean for us that are pastors or on a church staff? Well, what is the answer of the apostle to this? Just before he ascended he said to his disciples, "...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." Some exist for entertainment. There is the holy mystery of the church, it is the dwelling place of God. Thus, every ministry of the church must seek to serve and exist in such a way that the excellences of Christ (Rev 1:4-8) are seen and heard in all that is said and done (Col 3:17; 1Pet 4:8-11). But God has to do His part and move people’s hearts. While that is a part of our calling, it isn't our primary purpose. Now, what does he mean? (2 Corinthians 4:6 RSV). Church structures facilitate the role of God’s people, but they do not fulfill it. If we want to know what that purpose is let us observe these statements. Let me quickly run through these first three chapters and point out some of these statements. The race seethes with unrest and lawless rebellion. We know you care deeply about leading a healthy growing church because it means leading more people to Jesus. It is so necessary that we get our direction from the revelation of God in Scripture. Think of the figures the apostle uses for the church in this very letter: The church, he says, is an army under the command of a king, and an army that will not obey its leader is useless as a fighting force. Lewis, one of the greatest theologians of recent times, took a crack at answering that question. But for most, we find people are visiting a church because they want to meet people. The hurricane winds of change are everywhere blowing in our world. (Ephesians 2:19-22 RSV). So he does not say, I am the prisoner of Caesar. The secret of the church is that Christ lives in it, and the message of the church then is to declare him, to talk about Christ. It sounds so logical, so consistent, so practical. It is here in the first three chapters of this letter and scattered in many other places in the New Testament. The church exalts God through proper worship. Subject to permissions policy, all rights reserved. Let them meet the need, directly and positively. But these answers aren’t coming from them. And this is truly at the heart of why the church exists. Now this polarity of view as to what the church should be, and how it should work, is a perfect example of the ability of the devil to drive people to extremes and thus weaken the faith of many and cast a cloud of obscurity over the truth. The church does not exist so that we might be comforted. We are being told that Christians can only show their faith as Christians if they are willing to carry a placard in Alabama, risk jail in some picket line, join the fight for land reform, or the abolition of laws against homosexuality and adultery. Evaluate the friendliness of your church. There's no way of finding out." The church, they say, belongs in the vanguard of the struggle for social justice and the reason Christianity is shunned by the world is because Christians will not dirty their hands or risk their reputations. Of the church … According to one survey, when asked, “Why does the church exist?” 89% of church-goers said, “The church’s purpose is to take care of my family’s and my needs.” Only 11% said, “The purpose of the church is to win the world for Jesus Christ.” [According to another source, the surveyed pastors answered the exact opposite, flip-flopped] … if the pastor and congregation … Now, we must start there. Maybe if churches are hitting their mark, they should re-think their purpose, before they do as well. Why do churches exist at all? We may spend energy and effort to make the world a paradise itself where the lion of capitalism can lie down with the proletarian lamb. That silence needs to be faced seriously, for the days in which our Lord and the apostles lived were no different than today. Why can’t they meet at a hip coffee shop, learn about Jesus together, and call it a day? A church exist Well we we talk about the Great Commission where Jesus as he prepared to ascend into heaven and when he when he met with the with the disciples, he said. That is the thing we need to face. Well, in Scripture, the only message that the church has for the world is the gospel. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. Shall we become nothing more than another political action group, or succumb to the fallacy that change, any kind of change, represents progress? (Ephesians 4:1-3 RSV). Pastor Greg VanderMeer (Lead Pastor, Fair Haven Church) wrote about the answer to why the church exists in a weekly email to the church he leads back in March 2014… C.S. Or more simply put, the church exists to convert, immerse, and obey. Should we surrender the greatest revolutionary message the world has ever heard, which can come to it from no other source, and content ourselves with doing what any worldling can do? "Why did God create and choose this institution called 'church'? This is the heart of the “seeker-sensitive church” movement that was championed by Bill Hybels and Rick Warren, with Warren’… This is a revolutionary age. He traces what happened to that mighty empire and how it disintegrated from within. “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. (Ephesians 4:1 RSV). But for most, we find people are visiting a church because they want to meet people. (Ephesians 1:4 RSV). While the … 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Here’s why this is important – everything we do in the church must be filtered through this mission. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”. Why On Earth Does The Church Exist ? Obey the directions of the Head. One of the famous books of all time is Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He says of Jesus. Then I opened up Acts because it speaks a lot about the early church. The passage clearly states “one another” [plural]. You can bring a pig into the parlor but that doesn't change the pig -- though it certainly changes the parlor! That is the great message. And Jesus said, "You could have no power except it be given you from above," (John 19:11). (1 Peter 2:9 RSV). Injustice prevails and misery exists everywhere you turn. His answer is, "lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called." In a place where they can make disciples. “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. They’re coming from people of all walks of life. We are to be a moral example to the world, reflecting the character of Jesus Christ. The calling of the church is to declare by our word and to demonstrate by our lives the character and the work of Jesus Christ who lives within. We who first hoped in Christ, we Christians, have been destined and appointed (here is our calling) to live for the praise of his glory. There are those today who tell us that we should start with anything but truth. For example, to say we exist to preach the gospel, --we need then to … Nor does it exist in order to provide a safe haven in which people can hide from the wicked world and ensure that they themselves … As always, when we come to the Scriptures we are returning to the fundamental issue of any matter, to basic, essential, underlying truth from which we can work our way out again to the application of these things in every area of life. Romans 15:6 tells us: The church exists so . Now that is clear, is it not? How do we overcome the barriers we feel are in front of us? We have been considering the defense of the Christian in the midst of a highly confused and darkened world. We may hang on the walls the thrilling pictures of freedom: here, the signing of America's Independence; there, the thrilling portrait of Joan of Arc; yonder the Magna Carta; and on this side the inspiring picture of Garibaldi. Notice how the Lord Jesus himself confirms this in the opening chapter of Acts. Christian maturity is found in continually making more and more use of these means for our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace. Why Does the Church Exist? (Who’s who in your town? Or listen to a podcast instead of walking into a church building? Arthur Brisbane says a very interesting thing in one of his columns. Help us to see that the only impact we can have in this world is by being faithful to the message which has been given to us that in doing so we become the instrument of introducing into this world an element, a dynamic that no other group can introduce, and without which all the attempts at reform are useless and weak. My Father is the gardener. Our neighbors cannot see our faith, but they can see our works. For some, they are lost and searching for answers. The church does not exist so that we might relax or be uplifted. It is the story of what God is and does. The expression of the church's witness may sometimes be corporate, but the responsibility to do so is always individual. That is the calling of the church. In our shallow concern for externals we treat symptoms and not causes, and, therefore, we apply superficial remedies that work only for the moment -- if they work at all -- and then the situation is as bad again. There are others, beside men, watching the church. Full of Grace and … Meditate on John 15:1-8 below: “Jesus said to his apostles, “I am the true vine. Partnering with the city to put on an event, Researching demographics and current events, Attending city-wide events from book clubs to football games. But they are not Christian. That is an important question … The church of Christ exists … Today, approximately 2,000 years later, that church still exists in communities around the world. (Ephesians 1:22-23 RSV). And how we can encourage each other. That is where you see the glory of God, in the face of Christ, in his character, in his being. It simply exhausts human language to set forth the great realities that the Christian and the church, as a body of Christians, possess in Jesus Christ. Take your direction from the head of the church. Also in this series. That’s why it’s important for people to be a part of a local church body. However, I can’t help but notice the passage in Hebrews. On the other side there is an equally vocal group which says the job of the church is to thunder against evil from the pulpit, to denounce Communism, and anti-Americanism, and, thus preserve, if possible, the blessings of bourgeois materialism for Christians to enjoy to the full. I'll take that bet." Look at Verse 12 of the same chapter: ...we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory. Look at Ephesians 6, Verses 5-7: Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ; not in the way of eyeservice, and men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to men, (Ephesians 6:5-7 RSV). It’s a simple question, but do we know the answer? Your email address will not be published. Making disciples. The church is a body under the control of the Head, and what a tragedy it is when the human body refuses to respond to the direction of the head. I believe in being a part of a local church and wanted others to be a part of it too. But that is because we are so superficial. 1:11-12. Just recently I read of two American men who were riding on a train in Britain. As His body, we are responsible for being good stewards of His body. How different that is from what it is suggested the church should be saying in relationships like this today! It has no knowledge of him. In the compartment with these two men was a very distinguished looking gentlemen. The word of the Lord is, "Bless those that persecute you, do good to those who hate you, overcome evil with good." Tags: Church Purpose Of If we’re trying to draw people to be a part of a local church, we have to meet them where they’re at. Today, many churches have become more about social justice, entertainment, and even the preaching itself. When those involved in these problems experience this, the testimony of history again and again has been that the problems begin to be solved. These are just a few examples of how relationships are made. What we need is a peace conference with the Prince of Peace. There is the calling of the church, to be witnesses of Christ. Can an individual only glorify God through church attendance? We’ve talked about the four reasons people may visit a church. Well, what is God's glory? Here are a few things to help us with engaging people and encouraging them to explore the local church. Yet, in places like Matthew 28:18 – 20 and Acts 1:8, we … There are those today who tell us that we should start with some kind of dream, an idea, whether it be true or not; and, building on that illusion, we are to work out practical solutions to our problems. admin 8 May, 2006 “According to the early Christians, the church doesn’t exist in order to provide a place where people can pursue their private spiritual agendas and develop their own spiritual potential. Lewis says “The church exists for nothing else but to draw men to Christ, to make them little Christs. If you were a missionary to a foreign country, you would have been sent with a specific purpose: - To spread the gospel to a tribe in Uganda. As a result we created a free guide to breaking barriers that will bring clarity and help begin to alleviate your frustrations. Why Does the Church Exist? Christians are not to witness in arrogance and rudeness, not in holier-than-thou smugness, not in sanctimonious presumption, and certainly not against the continual background of ugly church fights and harshness and sharpness between Christian and Christian. I believe the church is on this earth for three reasons: the exaltation of God, the edification of the saints, and the evangelization of the world. 7:23), “…and you are not your own” (1 Cor. I’d say you could read these passages and many others and come up with several reasons that the church exists, but there is one thing that stands out throughout all of these Scripture passages. This whole passage is a greatly condensed summary of the reason why the church exists and a statement of what its function should be. This is an important aspect of its ministry. Ultimately, church growth is up to God. Some may find Lewis’ approach sacrilegious, but I think that the point he was getting at is that if all people do is stick their nose in their Bibles and don’t get out and do anything with what they’re learning, what’s the point? In a place where they can learn. You have it again in Chapter 3, Verses 9-10. (Ephesians 4:2-3 RSV). Hate and bigotry abounds in our world. Win Arn, a consultant to churches, once told me about a survey he took. The Lord Jesus himself reflected this same attitude when he stood before Pilate. Live in me, as I live in you. So the first man approached the gentleman and said, "Sir, would you mind telling us, are you the Archbishop of Canterbury?" We’re going to talk about the church today and why it exists. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose.”. The church exists to glorify God. Why should I tell someone to get off their butt, pick up their caramel-flavored latte, and get inside of a church building? He does this so that it will produce even more fruit. He begins with telling people the truth (the truth is nothing but what we call doctrine); but is that which forms underlying foundations. We may not be entirely correct. They say we must attack with scorching language anyone who dares to raise questions about the Bible, or threaten the special privileges of Christians in modern society. Because that is where ultimate answers lie, that is where truth is found, there is the explanation behind all visible things. Because God asked us to. So, what does that mean? No, the church says little about these things because the Christian knows that the only way to help in these problems is to introduce a new dynamic, the life of Jesus Christ. The church exists because God in his infinite… But are we doing everything we can to ensure our church is healthy? Speaker: Jon Jenz. In Chapter 1, the apostle says, Even as he [Christ] chose us in him before the foundation of the world [this is no afterthought with God. The church “is not a building” because they had no building to meet in at the time. One is a faithful church member who attends upon these ordinary means of grace with due preparation, prayer, and practice. ( Romans 12:14, Matthew 5:44, Romans 12:21). This has a direct bearing upon the issue Paul is discussing in this passage, the purpose of the church. The two Americans were quietly discussing this gentleman among themselves. Want to get insanely practical ideas, resources, and blogs in your inbox once a month? Why does the Lord's church exist? Jesus told His followers that He would build a church (Matthew 16:18). Where are Christians told to demand of government leaders correction of the evils and abuses that were so widespread throughout their land? From someone who used to be a pastor and church planter, I know it can be frustrating. (Concert, anyone?) (Ephesians 3:9-10 RSV). Cities are like people. The church exists to bring glory to God. We not only crave community, we are called to it. Then again in Chapter 3, the verses immediately before the passage in Chapter 4 that we are considering, Paul says, Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Reflect. If he could cleanse the human heart of selfish desire, cruelty and lust, utopia would come of itself and all those institutions that rise out of human greed and violence and the consequent need for law, would disappear. The moral character of God's people is a primary essential in understanding the nature of the church. Now that is the job of the church, to declare the glory of God, the gospel of God's grace and character. What the blank difference does it make to you?" - Plainfield, IL - Why does church exist? If you asked me why I think the church exists, you might be surprised by my response. What the apostle desires is that we heed our calling, That we renew our commitment to the Lord who is behind all things to become individually responsible to tell this radical, revolutionary, life-transforming, life-changing good news throughout society; That we should invade commercial and industrial life, education and learning, the arts and family life, morals and government with this tremendous, unequaled message. The whole point is (supposed to be) to make disciples. 2. That is not only true of us in a worship service, but it is also true of us in life. Our Father, we pray that these words may ring in our ears these days when so much is being said to the contrary. Why does the church exist? This is why the church exists. Both wise and true, but both are often used as arguments as a reason to not be a part of a local church. . They were surrounded with grievous social issues, as we are, but never is there any direct approach to these problems suggested. Why does the church exist? Ask any Christian what is the greatest thing that ever happened to him in his life. Romans 15:5-6, 1 Cor 6:19-20, 1 Cor 10:31, 2 Thess. Most churches claim to be the “friendliest church”. One can never understand this body that exists in human society unless you view it as more than an organization. 6:19), this must be a priority. “that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The church exists … In this letter we have a declaration of the intention of God in forming the church, and a clarifying of its purpose and its ministry -- not only in the 1st century but in the 20th as well. The first thing is that we may live to the praise and the glory of God. Another question to ask that helps clarify the answer to the first is this: “Why did God send your church to your community?” I think it is helpful to think like a missionary. Required fields are marked *. God forbid! The apostle never does this, he starts with the truth, the truth as it is, things as they really are. Evangelize the world. He says, For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness" who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But if we turn into that splendid room mankind with the same old heart, deceitful and desperately wicked, we may expect to clean house again not many days hence. What is the purpose behind the church? The church also has a bottom line. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (24-25). He cuts off every branch in me that doesn’t produce fruit. In this same chapter, the fourth verse confirms this, In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God. This is always the structure of a Pauline letter. The visible and local church is, of course, the physical churches that we see around us and around the world, as well as … This is what men need. When did Jesus Christ ever tell the disciples to organize a picket line, or to boycott a business, or conduct a lay-in? We are … Why the Church Exists, Pt. Why Do We Assemble? As a result, several high school students (and their parents) have begun coming to the church that seemed to care so much about them. For some, it is dutiful. They are worked out by the dynamic of a new life that has been introduced into the situation. NewSpring Church in South Carolina has a handy video that explains that the church is not a building, but rather a group of people committed to following Jesus.