The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum The Chief End of the Church, Evangelism.

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

You have asked several questions in your post and I can't begin to answer them all. I'll leave that to the more learned members of this group. But I'll certainly add my 2¢. I have spent the last 30 years in mainline evangelicalism where "saving souls" was the chief end of the church. The Great Commission was the be-all, end-all of the gospel, and the text of most sermons. (I wish I had a nickle for every message where the preacher said something like, "You can't MAKE diciples if you don't GO," or words to that effect.)

Ephesians 3:10, 11 says, "His [God's] intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord." This verse clearly tells what the purpose of the church is and doesn't even mention "soul winning" in the evangelical sense. Of course there are other verses that mention adding to their numbers daily and the necessity of preaching the gospel to the unsaved. Paul himself writes (Rom. 15:20), "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known..." So even the most hyper-Calvinist would not totally disregard the importance of evangelism. But for me it's a question of emphasis and teaching the whole counsel of God.

I would appreciate the input of other members of this group who are more familiar with Reformed thought and practice in this regard.

BrimstonePreacha,

I think Relztrah hit the proverbial nail right on the head. The primary responsibility of the Church is to "make disciples", i.e., to upbuild the saints. Here are just a couple of passages which speak directly to this matter:

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ASV) "So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit."

Ephesians 4:11-16 (ASV) "And he gave some [to be] apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we may be no longer children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in [due] measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love."

Hebrews 12:22-24 (ASV) "but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel."

So, the Church is the earthly haven for those who by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the Word have extricated from the world. The Church is primarily that place where those who have repented of their sins, having left the world and all that it is and stands for, seek refuge, comfort and knowledge of the Holy that they might live henceforth in righteousness and worship the one true living God. The Church is NOT like the world, or at least it should not be contrary to the current trend to immulate the world; it's philosophies and methodologies. As the people of God have been set apart so the company of the saints, i.e., the Church is to be an organization and organism that is apart from the world.

Having said that, it is also true that it is FROM the Church that the redeemed are to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel with the sure confidence that those whom the Lord has predestined to salvation will come, also separating themselves from the world and join with the saints who await the return of their precious Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, the word "Church" itself, meaning "the called out ones" should give a clear indication of what it is, its purpose and of whom it consists. Evangelism is one important aspect and responsibility of the Church, but evangelism is primarily something which is done outside the Church although it certainly is appropriate to challenge those who are attending the Church to come to Christ from time to time for not all who are of Israel are the true Israel of God.

One would do well to read R.B. Kuiper's book, The Glorious Body of Christ, published by The Banner of Truth.

In His grace,