Hi, this is really and trully an opinion question, but it's got to do with theology.

Recently (last couple of months) I've had a few friends who've brought to me the question of what the church is for, why the church exist. One has asked if the church is for Christians(I guess for their edification) or if it's for lost people (for their salvation), if lost people should be evangelized outside the church and then brought in or if they are to be brought into the church building to be evangelized by the pastor or something like that. Others have seemingly suggested that the main business the church is to be about is "gospel evangelism" or converting people or something like that (sometimes it seems that this is to the total detriment of any other ministry efforts).

I've looked at the WCF (chapter 25 about the church) and I've thought about it, and it's not like I haven't considered the Bible and the example of the church shown in the Bible (like Acts).

I'm kind of stuck on the idea of the church as the Body of Christ, and if the Church is a body, then evangelism becomes either a reproduction or a growth of new cells for the body. As if we must constantly be making new babes in Christ (which of coarse, that sentence is so common but does put so much of the emphasis on the we or the me). If we think of it as a reproduction then doesn't it follow that solely focussing on evangelism is like being obsessed or addicted to a sort of spiritual reproduction of self? Where then does that leave the mind and the spirit of this body? Where's the culture and the humor and the other parts of life that seperate this living body from the kind of action of animals with the simple goal of reproduction?

I guess what I really wanna know, is evangelism the main goal of a church seeking to glorify God? I know some say that God is most glorified in souls being saved (and made satisfied in Him), but I don't know if those two things are the same and if they are sufficient goals for the church unto themselves.

Are their other goals and missions the church ought to apply herself to, if so, what?

Does a church which isn't growing (say annually doubling, as one pastor I know suggested), does that church necessarily have a lack of love for Jesus and the gospel? Is such a church who's not bringing in a lot of people (say maybe just 10 to 15 % of the current number of the congragation), is such a church a failure or failing? Should such a church assume that it's methods are wrong and seek new and different methods of evangelism (defined as bringing people in to hear the gospel).

And, how do you say, "I support evangelism" but also say "it shouldn't be our soul focus"? How would one get away with saying something such as "There shouldn't be so much and such an extreme focus on evangelism."?

Anyway, I was just pondering some local situations and was wondering what you all thought, answer which ever question you want with this one.

Thanks for your replies,

Bro. Luke