Understanding the mission of the church Congratulations for making it to this section In this lecture

we will discuss the nature and the mission of the church We'll do this in

four parts So by the end of this lecture you will have a clear understanding of the

church as Christ's body the Holy Spirit's role and what the church mission really is the church It's

not simply a building or an organization it is a community What is it a community of believers

like minded believers who gather together to worship to serve and to fulfill the great mission which we will

discuss So the church as the body of Christ Ok The Apostle Paul describes the church as the body

of Christ with Jesus as the head of that body for just as the body is one and as many

members and all the members of the body though many are one body So it

is with Christ We see this in First Corinthians 1212 So what does this mean What is it

telling us just as a body has many different parts working together those parts work together for a common purpose

So does the church each member has a unique role to play and contributes to the overall functioning and

growth of that body Think of your body how it functions and how it works

in the church Diversity is embraced and celebrated just like the different organs and the systems in

a human body serve different functions specific functions Each member of the church brings forth unique

talents skills perspectives to fulfill specific roles within that community Some may be gifted with teaching

or preaching or being ministers others serving others healing others in leadership roles others in youth all

together they form a cohesive unit that really works towards a shared mission of love service really spreading the

message of faith So when everyone contributes with their God given talents with their gifts with

their abilities what happens to the church It becomes a place where we are encouraged

we are edified we are built up we are empowered It's through this synergy that the

body of Christ really flourishes and has a chance to flourish as each person's contribution is

valued and very important for the overall health and effectiveness of the community as a whole Now the

church as a community of believers let's discuss this a little bit more This is

not just a gathering of individuals it is a community that is united by one thing

What is that one thing Faith in Christ faith in Jesus by this all the people will

know that you are my disciples If you have love for one another we see this in John 1335 this

community is defined by love and mutual support helping each other out encouraging one another serving as a safe haven

where believers can come together united by that faith in Christ The bonds formed in the

church community are strong members are genuinely caring for one another They wholeheartedly embrace that call to

live in unity Always ready to lend a helping hand uplift those in need So in

the church community very close knit community burdens are not meant to be carried alone You're

meant to share those have support believers understand the power of bearing one another's burdens recognizing

that strength it lies in that unity So they offer a listening ear comforting embrace practical assistance

when life's challenges become too overwhelming which they do and they probably will become multiple times in all

of our lives So they're rejoicing together in these times of joy celebrating each other's

victories there for the trials there for the tough times and the accomplishments sometimes might go

unnoticed Let's talk about the church as the pillar and foundation of truth But if I am delayed I write

so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is

the church of the Living God the pillar and the ground of the truth We see this

in first Timothy 315 So what does this mean The church it plays that pivotal

role It is the pillar it is the foundation of truth in our world that

is very conflicting has a lot of ideologies a lot of different beliefs going on The church really bears the

weight of the responsibility of doing what proclaiming and upholding the teachings of Christ through the Bible through

scripture who embodies that ultimate truth So that's the job of the church through its ministry of preaching and

teaching and discipleship the church equips believers and is meant to equip believers with the necessary tools to live in

accordance with God's word So as the world grows and as these views grow and

as things get more distorted the church should be standing firm as that beacon of

truth not changing its commitment to disseminate the wisdom and the values found in the Bible through Christ we wanna

faithfully transmit those teachings We want to empower members want to empower other people even nonbelievers

to find that guidance to find that support to find that encouragement by keeping the

Bible as it is and not adding to it or taking away through the dissemination of this

truth The church really builds that spiritual growth and has an opportunity to lead us individuals to

that path to find that path of God So in essence the church foundational role

is the guardian of truth providing a big sense of stability in a world that is marked

by a lot of confusion A lot of uncertainty and it continues to grow This

is meant to act as that strong pillar that does not go anywhere that does

not change That is always there to promote the teachings of the Bible So in the

teachings of Christ the mission of the church OK is making disciples So go therefore and make disciples of

all nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them

to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I am with you always to the end of

the age Matthew 2819 and 20 So what is this telling us here exactly Jesus gave the church one

clear mission Go out and make disciples of all nations How do we do that Sharing the good news

of salvation baptizing new believers teaching them to follow the commands of Christ Where do we find those

commands in the Bible in scripture So the church is called to be a light in

the world We are called to be salt and light bringing hope reconciliation and a ultimate transformation

through the power of the gospel Now let's talk about the church as a witness to the world but you

will receive the power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses

in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth acts 18 So

what is this telling us in acts the church is called to be a witness to the world reflecting

that character of Christ And again proclaiming his message of what of redemption reconciliation we have through salvation

So through the church's actions it's meant to demonstrate God's love bring glory to his name How by living out

the teachings of Jesus the church then becomes a living testimony of that transformative power of Christ

So in conclusion the church it's not merely an institution it is a living organism

empowered directly by the Holy Spirit It exists to glorify God solely by by doing what

by edifying believers and fulfilling the great commission of making disciples When we understand the nature and the mission of

the church what the church is supposed to do we can actively participate in its growth and

impact for the world for Christ So in the next lecture we will discuss how

baptism and communion work