Purpose of the Church

[Joshua-777]

Finished my research paper for the purpose of the church. It's due 3/3.

Divine Purpose By Joshua Shaw

If the church is the presence of Christ in this world, then the purpose of the church has to reflect His reign. We get to participate in Gods redemptive reign on the earth. The purpose of the church is to reconcile the fallen world into an intimacy with God through the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to nurture each other as one body as we are transformed into His image through the power of Holy Spirit. In this purpose we will find the great commandment to love and the great commission to make disciples.

The Church is a community that has been restored to a right relationship with the Lord through the work of Jesus on the cross. (Jn. 3:16) The ruler of this world has been judged, we have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 12:11, Jn. 16:11, Lk. 10:18) We have been set free from our sins. (Rom. 6:22, 8:1, 1 Jn. 1:6-9) Without this separation, believers are free to engage and interact with God in the intimacy mankind was created for. This intimacy with the Lord becomes the reflection of our core being and is the starting point of all fruitfulness. The purpose of the church is to bring the lost into this intimacy, and to nurture one another to grow deeper in this intimacy with the Lord.

The church is called to serve this fallen world in love. Jesus walked on earth as a servant and served the broken, the poor, the sinners, and outcasts. (Matt. 9:10-12, Lk. 15) Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus gave a model of love and service for the church to follow. In John 13:14 Jesus says, “If I then, Your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Through Love, Jesus served us even to the point of laying down his own life. Heidi Baker writes in her book Compelled by Love, “Jesus is the ultimate example of God dwelling among us. Love Himself walked the earth. We fix our gaze on Jesus as the perfect model for life.” (Baker, 141) 1 John 4:16 says “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him.” Jesus, was God manifest in the flesh, therefore Jesus is love. If the church is the presence of Jesus then the church must become love in all its functions, from the bringing in to the body, to the edification of the body. Brad Harper and Paul Louis Metzger wrote, “What God initiates in his encounter with humanity, before all other things, is not a decree to save, but an objective and personal act of love that saves us.” (Harper, Metzger, 96) The church is called to lay down their lives in sacrificial love as Jesus did. (John 15:12-13) If the heart of Jesus is for the poor, the broken, sinners, and the outcasts, then the heart of ministry must be for them as well. (Matt. 11:18-19, Is. 58:6-11, James 1:27)

The Church has been commissioned to preach the gospel, and to make disciples of all the nations equipping them in the teachings of Christ (Matt. 28:19, Mark 16:15). Matthew says “Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Mark says in verse 16. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved;” I believe the baptism is referring to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Mark reveals this baptism is followed by the signs of the power of the Holy Spirit by saying they will cast out demons, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, be protected from poison, and heal the sick (Mark 17:18). John the Baptist also referred to this baptism saying about Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt 3:11) The Holy Spirit is the seal of our faith in Jesus and the guarantee of our inheritance. (Eph. 1:13) Through the Holy Spirits indwelling, the love of God has been poured out in believer’s hearts thus they partake in direct fellowship with God as they are transformed into a new creation. (Rom. 5:5, 2 Cor. 5:17)

In the book When Heaven Invades Earth, Bill Johnson wrote, “The Holy Spirit encompasses the Kingdom. While they are not the same, they are inseparable. The Holy Spirit enforces the lordship of Jesus, marking His territory with liberty; The Kings domain becomes evident through His work.” (Johnson, 73) The Church is the doorway to the kingdom of God, and is empowered to release this kingdom through the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:20 says “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. “This verse shows that the kingdom of God resides in the power of the Holy Spirit. In being reconciled to Christ, believers have been given the ministry of reconciliation, and are ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:18-19) Jesus has given His followers the authority to trample over all the powers of the enemy. (Lk. 10:18) Van Gelder states, “As a new humanity, the church is responsible to bring God’s redeeming power to every dimension of life. It does so by confronting the powers of evil and bringing back to right relationship that which was lost.” (Gelder, 98)

Peter Althouse states “It is impossible to stress too strongly that the beginning of mission is not an action of ours, but the presence of a new reality, the presence of the Spirit of God in power.” (Althouse, 235) To step toward the ministry of reconciliation the church must surrender in all ways to the leading of the Holy Spirit in love, and devotion. The church is the vessel the Holy Spirit flows through. The church must be grounded in intimacy to fulfill its purpose. The structure of the church reflects its purpose. The church gathers to grow in intimacy with the Lord by worship, training in the word, and fellowship to equip one another for righteous living and spreading the gospel, through all aspects of our lives. Through this intimacy the church participates in God’s redemptive reign.

Bibliography

New King James Version, Thomas Nelson Inc. 1982

Van Gelder, Crag. The Essence of the Church: a community created by the spirit. Grand Rapids, Baker 1991.

Harper, Brad. Metzger, Paul Louis. Exploring Ecclesiology: An Evangelical and Ecumenical Introduction. Brazos Press 2009.

Althouse, Peter. Toward a Pentecostal Ecclesiology: Participation in the Missional life of the triune God. Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Sep2009, Vol. 18 Issue 2, p230-245

Johnson, Bill. When Heaven Invades Earth: A practical Guide to a Life of Miracles. Treasure House, 2003

Baker, Heidi. Compelled by Love. Charisma House,

[nebula]

Very good!

May I print this?

[Joshua-777]

Very good!

May I print this?

Sure, you can print this.

[Jesusplusnothing]

Jesus is the Christ.

I see no errors.

The more we learn about the function of the human body, the more we know about the function of the body of Christ.

The body only functions properly when all the parts are righteously connected to the head.

Since there is only one body, we must all be of one mind.

The body God gave His Son, took 30 years to grow.

The present "body" has not grown up yet.

Praise the Lord!

[Botz]

Excellent bro....you just need to put the 'I' in this bit....Luke 11:20 says

[Joshua-777]

Excellent bro....you just need to put the 'I' in this bit....Luke 11:20 says

[xequedox]

Amen! Praise him~

[MeCajunboy]

Finished my research paper for the purpose of the church. It's due 3/3.

Divine Purpose

If the church is the presence of Christ in this world, then the purpose of the church has to reflect His reign. We get to participate in Gods redemptive reign on the earth. The purpose of the church is to reconcile the fallen world into an intimacy with God through the testimony of Jesus Christ, and to nurture each other as one body as we are transformed into His image through the power of Holy Spirit. In this purpose we will find the great commandment to love and the great commission to make disciples.

The Church is a community that has been restored to a right relationship with the Lord through the work of Jesus on the cross. (Jn. 3:16) The ruler of this world has been judged, we have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 12:11, Jn. 16:11, Lk. 10:18) We have been set free from our sins. (Rom. 6:22, 8:1, 1 Jn. 1:6-9) Without this separation, believers are free to engage and interact with God in the intimacy mankind was created for. This intimacy with the Lord becomes the reflection of our core being and is the starting point of all fruitfulness. The purpose of the church is to bring the lost into this intimacy, and to nurture one another to grow deeper in this intimacy with the Lord.

The church is called to serve this fallen world in love. Jesus walked on earth as a servant and served the broken, the poor, the sinners, and outcasts. (Matt. 9:10-12, Lk. 15) Jesus said in John 13:34-35,

[nebula]

Very good!

May I print this?

Sure, you can print this.

Thanks!

Next question, will you post this on Facebook? Or may I share it there, linking to you?

Or would that not be a good idea before your paper is graded?

[Joshua-777]

Very good!

May I print this?

Sure, you can print this.

Thanks!

Next question, will you post this on Facebook? Or may I share it there, linking to you?

Or would that not be a good idea before your paper is graded?

Ya you can post it on face book, or post the topic on facebook. If you do post it on facebook, use my full name, Joshua Shaw. I just added the bibliography to it and my name