World Evangelism and the Purpose of the Church

David Mays

 

We commonly think of the purpose of the church as threefold, consisting of three dimensions, relationships or responsibilities:

  • upward in worship, prayer, listening, obedience,
  • inward in nurture, edification, care, fellowship, and
  • outward in service, ministry, evangelism, missions.

But are these complete in themselves or do they individually and together focus on something larger?  Something more comprehensive?

 

The church has historically seen its ultimate purpose as God’s glory.  Many today seem to say that the primary purpose of the church is worship.  However, when we speak of worship we tend to get fuzzy-minded. Worship is more than what we do when we gather at church and sing praises. It is possible to worship God with our lips while our hearts are far from him.

 

I like to think of worship as honoring God. Then we can compare it to a child honoring his parents. He honors his parents not just when he says good things to them or about them. He honors them when he incorporates into his life his parents' ideals, and values, and purposes, and goals. That is truly honoring them. We worship God when we live for what He lives for, his glory - in all the earth. We worship God when we align our lives with His desire to be worshipped - by all peoples.

 

Therefore, when I think of the purpose of the church as God's glory, it gives me perspective if I think of it as His glory in all the earth. When I think of the purpose of the church as worship, it gives me perspective if I think of it as the worship of God among all peoples. If the purpose of the church (the why question) is God's glory, then the mission of the church (what the church is to do) is to see to it that he is worshiped among all peoples. Therefore, I conclude, as do many writers, that the Great Commission is the marching orders for the local church.

 

Our problem is that the "mission" has slipped down to become one of the programs. And that has been so prevalent that it is very difficult to imagine what it would like if it were restored to the level of a purpose.  Programs come and go. Programs are optional. They are meant to fulfill purpose. Purpose is permanent.

 

There are two important conclusions here.

1.     Purpose belongs to every department and every person in the organization. Therefore world evangelism is a proper component, part of the plan and operation, of every department and ministry.  Missions education (input) and/or missions involvement (output) is part of every department.

2.     The purpose of the whole is the purpose of the parts.  Thus the unifying theme or overarching purpose of each ministry or department is world evangelism.  It is not just an add-on, but the direction-giving focus, the guiding principle of every department.

 

Might it be possible to make world evangelism the purpose of the whole church and every part of the church?  How might it be done?