WHAT'S THE POINT?

One of the things I have been pondering for a couple years is "What is the purpose of The Church?"

Many, incompletely quote Ephesians 3:10 which says:"so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places." They leave out the second half of the verse and say that the purpose of the church is to make God known. In other words, the church is God's vehicle for reaching the world.

However, that is not what the verse is saying, is it? It's talking about the church demonstrating the manifold wisdom of God to the "rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" (which I think means "the bad guys"). Interesting thought, but not about reaching unbelievers.

Probably a better text for saying that the Church (which by definition means all the Christians in the world who live or have ever lived) has an influence over others is in John 17. Starting at verse 17 it says:

Sanctify them in the truth: your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I conscrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

I think I will study John 17 more. Unity matters. But unity comes through truth. Unity without truth is a cult! Unity with truth helps the world believe in God.

In the meantime, I was at the Grace web site (atgrace.com) and found their bylaws. I thought their statement of purpose was well thought out. The church is way more than God's vehicle for reaching the world.

I will end with their statement of purpose.


A. To promote the worship of God in personal and corporate prayer; to seek to win the lost to Christ through personal witnessing and public preaching of the Word of God; to cultivate a positive Christian testimony in our community; to establish a strong missionary program; to minister to people spiritually, socially, mentally, physically and emotionally.

B. To teach the Word of God; to properly administer the biblical ordinances; to administer church discipline; ordain pastors; commission missionaries and license ministers of the Gospel.