The Mission of the Church
What is the Mission of the Church?
Outreach, creation care, social justice, strategies to serve the community…there are a lot of options out there for outwardly motivated people. But what should we focus our efforts on?
What does God want us to do? THE GREAT COMMISSION.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of 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 28:18-20 ESV)
The Great Commission is the mission of the church for two very basic reasons: (1) there is something worse than death (eternity in hell), and (2) there is something better than human flourishing (eternity in heaven). The mission focuses on the initial and continuing verbal declaration of the gospel, the announcement of Christ’s death and resurrection and the life found in him when we repent and believe. All to the end of making lifelong, die-hard disciples of Jesus Christ who obey everything he commanded.
We go out in the power of the Holy Spirit and in submission to the Son just as He was obedient to and dependent upon the Father. Our activities should be constrained by what helps others come to believe that the Messiah, the Son of God is Jesus. Good deeds can be a display of love that may break down misconceptions of the church, circumvent people’s defense mechanisms against Christians, and open the way for the gospel.
PROJECT OUTCRY
Project Outcry is not another team or life group at the church. Project Outcry is how Integrity Church helps its members serve their neighbors spiritually and physically.
It is our desire to love the City of Greenville and see a City changed by the Gospel. If Integrity Church disappeared today, would there be an outcry from the city for us to come back? We hope the answer would be yes. Project Outcry seeks to make this a reality in the City of Greenville through loving and serving our city.
Integrity enacts the Great Commission through our Life Groups. They may set aside several Saturday’s during the year to serve neighbors in areas close to where they meet each week for Life Group. Or they may meet with people daily, weekly or monthly. This is just another way that Life Groups can live together and love their neighbors.
FURTHER READING:
Bible Verses to encourage good works:
Titus 2:14; Galatians 6:9; 1 John 5:3; 1 John 4:19; Matthew 22:36-40; Matthew 5:13, 43-45; Genesis 1:27; Matthew 7:16-20; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:17; 1 Tim 6:18
The Book of Acts: If you are looking for creation care, plans for societal renewal, and strategies to serve the community, you won’t find them. But if you are looking for preaching, teaching, centrality of the Word, fellowshipping, the breaking of bread, prayer, miracles, conversions, church planting and edification, this is your book.
What is the Mission of the Church? Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom and the Great Commission by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert. Crossway Wheaton, IL 2011.
