In the years I have been in ministry, I have learned that people have a vast number of ideas about what the purpose of the church is. Some of our religious friends have a concept in mind that is more akin to a country club or a social organization. They go to church primarily to mingle and fraternize. To others, the church is a family identity. Phrases like, “Our family has always been, and will always be (fill in the blank type church)” are a common way some people express their family name. Some see the church as a networking opportunity or a point of contact for clients, or constituents. Still, others view the church as existing only to provide benevolence to themselves or the community. Even among the churches of Christ, members often have varying views as to the purpose of the church.
So, why does the church exist? What is the purpose of the church? It certainly is not for any of those things mentioned above. The answer is found in the Bible. It is found in the purpose Jesus stated to His disciples, “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus had one mission: salvation of souls. Before He returned to heaven, He commissioned His disciples to continue carrying out that same mission (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8). His purpose was now to be their purpose. His mission became their mission. Just as He spent His entire ministry seeking the lost to save them, the disciples must be about the same.
That is the true purpose of the church – to seek and save the lost. The church is a community, a common union of souls who were once lost, but are now saved, who are to be seeking other lost souls to save. It has one mission, the same mission Jesus had. The Apostle Paul confirmed this truth in his letter to the Ephesian church. “Then God would use the church to show the powers and authorities in the spiritual world that he has many different kinds of wisdom. God did this according to his eternal plan. And he was able to do what he had planned because of all that Christ Jesus our Lord had done. Christ now gives us courage and confidence, so that we can come to God by faith.” (Eph 3:10-12 – CEV) There are many wonderful aspects about the Lord’s church and benefits that come from being a member. But the most important is, that God “foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Ephesians 1:5 – ASV). The saved are now part of God’s family and the kingdom of heaven. That is the family identity that Christians can enjoy. Indeed, there is also wonderful fellowship that members enjoy (see 1 Cor 1:9; 1 John 1:7). So, the social aspect is certainly a blessing that God provides in His church. There are also opportunities to extend charity to those in need (Galatians 6:10). Thus, the church does provide for the surrounding community in many occasions. And, of course, because it’s such a close-knit community, there will be opportunity for networking that may lead to a job procurement, or support in some way. Yet, all of those are simply blessings that come from membership, none of those are its primary purpose! God did not set up the church for those purposes.
The whole purpose of God sending Jesus to earth, establishing the church, and providing the Bible was that “in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” (Ephesians 1:10). In other words, God wants His creation to be with Him in heaven. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost or perish (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, He put a plan in motion to rescue mankind from the consequences and condemnation of sin (that’s what the entire Bible is all about) and make them part of a celestial community, the church. “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,” (Ephesians 1:4). So with that in mind, let all of us “be about our Father’s business” and keep our focus the same as His focus. Let us fulfill the true purpose of the church – to seek and save the lost!
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