As a purpose driven church, we must commit ourselves to fulfilling all five tasks that Christ ordained for His Church to accomplish

 

PURPOSE #1: GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES - MISSION/EVANGELISM

This purpose we call evangelism. The Church exists to communicate God's Word. We are ambassadors for Christ and our mission is to evangelize the world. The word "go" uma pesquisa In the Great Commission is a present participle in the Greek text and it should read "As you are going."

It is every Believers responsibility to share the Good News wherever we go. We are to tell the whole world of Christ's coming, His death on the cross, His resurrection, and His promise to return.

The task of Evangelism is so important that Christ actually gave us five great commissions, one in each of the Gospels, and one in the Book of Acts. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 20:21; and Acts 1:8

We are commissioned to go and tell the world the message of Salvation.

This is more than a responsibility, it is our great privilege. We are invited to be a part of bringing people into God's eternal family.

If you knew the cure for cancer, you would do everything you could to get the news out. It would save millions of lives but you already know of something better; you've been give the Gospel of eternal life, which is the greatest news of all.

 

PURPOSE #2: LOVE THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART - MAGNIFY/WORSHIP

The word that describes this purpose is worship. The Church exists to worship God.

How do we love God with all our heart? By worshipping Him! When we express our love to God, we are worshipping Him.

The Bible says, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only" (Matt 4:10). Worshipping God is the Church's first purpose. Sometimes we get so busy working for God; we do not have time to express our love for Him through worship.

We do not worship out of duty; we should worship because we want to. We should enjoy expressing our love to God.

NOTE: There is in inborn urge in each person to worship. If we do not worship God, we will find something else to worship: Jobs, Family, Money, Sports. Ourselves!

 

PURPOSE #3: BAPTIZING THEM - MEMBERSHIP/FELLOWSHIP

In the Greek text of the Great Commission, there are three present participle verbs: going, baptizing, and teaching. Each of these is a part of the command to "make disciples."

Going, baptizing, and teaching are the essential elements of the disciple making process. Why is baptism so important to warrant inclusion in Christ's Great Commission? We believe it is because it symbolizes one of the purposes of the Church: Fellowship - identification with the body of Christ.

As Believer's we are called to belong, not just ot believe. We are to belong to Christ's family and be members of His body. Baptism is not only a symbol of salvation; it is a symbol of fellowship. It symbolizes a person's incorporation into the body of Christ.

We are not alone. When new Believers are baptized, we welcome them into the fellowship of the family of God.

We have each other's support. "You are members of God's very family. and you belong in God's household with every other Christian" (Ep 2:19 - Living Bible Translation).

The Church exists to provide fellowship for Believers.

 

PURPOSE #4: TEACHING THEM TO OBEY - DISCIPLESHIP/MATURITY

The word we commonly use to refer to this purpose is discipleship. The Church exists to edify (educate) God's people. Discipleship is the process of helping people become Christ-like in their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

This process begins when a person is born again and it continues throughout the rest of his life.

Colossians 1:28 reads "We continue to preach Christ to each person, using wisdom to warn and to teach everyone, in order to bring each one into God's presence as a mature person in Christ" (N

After someone has made a decision for Christ, he or she must be discipled. It is the Church's responsibility to develop people to spiritual maturity. This is God's Will for every Believer.

"So that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Ep 4:1-16).

 

PURPOSE #5: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF - MINISTRY/SERVICE

The word we use to describe this purpose is ministry. The Church exists to minister to other people. Ministry is demonstrating God's love to others by meeting their needs and healing their hurts in the name of Jesus. Each time we reach out in love to others you are ministering to them.

The Church is to minister to all kinds of needs: Spiritual, Emotional, Relational, and Physical.

Jesus said that even a cup of cold water given in His name was considered as ministry and would not go unrewarded.

Remember, whatever Christ did in His physical body, He wants to continue in His spiritual body - the Church.