The Purpose and Program of the Church

Introduction:

  1. It is said that Socrates was wise, not because he knew the right answers, but because he knew how to ask the right questions.
  2. The question "Why" cuts to the heart of the matter. Why does the church exist?
  1. Wrong Reasons
    1. social club
    2. entertain
    3. growth
  1. Possible reasons
    1. evangelism
    2. fellowship
    3. edification
    4. worship
  1. Is there ONE PURPOSE of which everything else is a part? Or are there SEVERAL PURPOSES?

Transition: There is one guiding purpose for the church manifested in three areas.

  1. The over-all purpose of the church is to GLORIFY GOD.
    1. 1 Cor. 10:31; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Rom. 15:5-6; 2 Thess. 1:11-12
    2. The church is relatively new in God’s program. Man had a purpose before the church ever came into being. That purpose was to bring glory to God. God instituted the church to help man in achieving this goal. Thus, the purpose of the church is to help man to bring glory to God.
    3. What does glory mean?
      1. Secular Greek meant "reputation" or "opinion." The world’s opinion of God is shaped by what they see in Christians and the church
      2. Bright light such as the Shekinah glory
      3. Refer to a unique characteristic (1 Cor. 15:39-41)
      4. Magnify, elevate another. "He must increase, but I must decrease."
  2. We bring glory to God through the church in three ways
    1. Ministry to the Lord ("upreach" in worship)
      1. "worship" comes from "worthship." We are ascribing worth to our Lord
      2. How do we worship?
        1. Sing with meaning, feeling
        2. Listen intently
        3. Respond appropriately
        4. Give cheerfully
    2. Ministry to one another
      1. 1 Cor.10:24
      2. Rom. 13:8 "love one another"
      3. Rom. 14:13 "judge not one another"
      4. Rom. 15:7 "receive one another"
      5. Rom 15:14 "admonish one another"
      6. Gal. 5:13 "by love serve one another"
      7. Gal. 6:2 "bear one another’s burdens"
      8. Eph. 4:32 "kind one to another"
      9. Eph. 5:21 "submit to one another"
      10. 1 Thess. 4:18 "comfort one another"
      11. Heb. 10:24 "consider one another"
    3. Ministry to the World (evangelism)
      1. Luke 19:10; Matt. 20:28; 9:13; 28:20
      2. We bring glory to God by bringing others to Him
  3. Program of the Church (Acts 2:42-47)
    1. 4 Ingredients
      1. Doctrine
      2. Fellowship: corporate
      3. Breaking of bread: ordinances or small group fellowship
      4. Prayer
    2. Questions to ask when developing programs for the church
      1. Does this activity bring glory to God? If so, how?
      2. Does this program promote worship, fellowship, or discipleship (evangelism)?