What Is The Mission of The Church?

If we are going to understand the mission of the church we have to come to grips with who the churh is. The church is the body of Christ. That means that Jesus' mission is our mission. We as the church don't just make up what we want to do, we join Jesus in what He is aleady doing. What was and is Jesus' mission. Jesus according to Hebrews 13:8 is the same yesterday and today and forever, He doesn't change therefore His mission wouldn't change.

According to God's Word Jesus had five overarching aspects in His mission.

1. To Share God's Message.

Jesus said to them, "Let's go somewhere else, to the samll towns that are nearby. I have to spread the Good News in them also. This is why I have come."   Mark 1:38 (GWT)

2. To Show God's Love.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.   John 13:34 (NKJV)

3. To Build a Community.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.   Matthew 16:18 (ESV)

4. To Provide Salvation to Mankind.

During his days on earth, Christ offered prayers and requests with loud cries and tears as his sacrifices to the one who was able to save him from death. He was heard because of his godly devotion. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he had been made perfect, he became the source of salvation for everyone who obeys him.   Hebrews 5:7-9 (CEB)

5. To Glorify God.

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you."   John 17:1 (NLT)

That was Jesus' mission and that is exactly what He did. This is also the mission of the church. The key to allowing Jesus to accomplish it in us as His Body, the church is found in John the Baptizer's words in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must descrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.]  (Amp)

For God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls we as the church have to get back to Jesus' mission. We have to join Him in what He is already doing (not make it up ourselves).

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                              Joe

The Need for Revival



I haven't posted for awhile. Forgive me. It has been a rough and busy summer. It has had it great moments too. I have a new grandson, Jeremiah Lucas. We hired two new staff guys at the church. It has been a difficult time also because of some conflict within the church. God has taught me some amazing things in the midst of this conflict. I want to share three of them with you.

The first one is how much the church in America needs revival. I knew that the church needed revival and my wife and I having been praying for revival for several years. But God has shown me through out church's struggles how much the church truly needs a powerful moving of God's Spirit in the us.

The chuch and when I use the word church I am refering to the people, not the building or the programs or the ministies or the structure. The church is as self-centered as the world is. The church is as much about comfort as the world is. The church is as pleasure obsessed as the world is. The church needs transformation. The church needs to become God-Centered. God has given me a greater desire revival. He has given me a greater urgency to pray for revival and teach and preach about revival.

The second thing God has been teaching me is how to beg. God is causing me to plead and cry out for revival. I used to pray nice little prayers for revival. I now get on my face and cry out to God to please bring revival. I picture myself as a beggar pleading for bread and the bread is Jesus the Bread of Life. I want Jesus to come and renew His church and once again be the Head of His church.

The third thing God has been teaching me is how to love those who not only disagree with me, but attack me and try to harm me. I am learning to love people who really don't like me and have nothing good to say about me. It is easy to love the people who think am a great pastor. However, Jesus tells me to love the one who don't like me, who see me as their enemy.

Allow God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls by make you desperate for revival. I want to ask  that you would set aside some time each day to cry out to God for revival in your church and in the church in America.

Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
                              Joe