What is the Purpose of the Church?

What is God’s Purpose of the Church? Is it a place of worship? Is it a place of Christian fellowship? Is it a place where believers can be strengthened and equipped for the work of ministry? Is its purpose to make disciples and evangelize a lost world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Yes, to all the above and lots more, too.

One of our daughters attended a Christian university in Illinois. On one of her school breaks she asked my input about an assignment given by one of her professors: “Define the Purpose of the Church”. We spent considerable time over her school-break discussing and debating possible answers. We came up with two main ideas:

1. To carry out the Great Commission given by Christ; i.e., to carry the gospel to a lost world.
2. To serve as a place of worship and to equip the saints for ministry.

Maybe it depends upon one’s doctrinal and theological views and Biblical interpretations to insightfully answer that question. If one’s view of the church leans more toward the evangelical, then likely he/she will see the main purpose of the church as that of evangelism—to carry out the Great Commission. If, however one leans more toward the liturgical form of worship, then perhaps the main purpose may more readily be seen as a place of worship; a gathering of God’s people.

Both camps can find Scriptural support: Christ gave a very clear command to His followers to go, evangelize and make disciples—Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:46-47, John 20:21 and Acts 1:8.

And, of course we find many instances of the Church gathering to worship, praise, and study God’s Word. The church’s function in Acts 2:42-47 is a perfect example.

But, what does God’s Word say about the Purpose of the Church? In Acts 2:42, Luke gives us a beautiful portrait of the early church in Jerusalem:

“They (believers) were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

From that perspective and other Biblical descriptions, I believe we can find that God’s intended purpose of the church, is not limited to just one, but many.

From Scripture we find that the church has at the least a nine-fold function:

1. The Church is a House of Prayer

In Matthew 21:13, Jesus said . . .

“It is written, “My House shall be called the house of prayer.”
And Luke wrote in Acts 2:42 that the early church was . . .
“continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

2. The Church is a Place of Worship

Visiting with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus said to her In John 4:23 . . .

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.”

3. The Church is where God’s people gather to learn and Study the Word of God

Paul writes to Timothy . . .

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)

See also Ephesians 4:12-14

“ . . . for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.”

4. The Church is commissioned by God to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation to the whole world

After His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples . . . Matthew 28:18-20

“‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
And in Acts 1:8 the angel at the place of Jesus’ ascension told Christ’s disciples . . .

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

in I Peter 3:15, the Apostle tells us that the Church is to both promote the gospel and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel . . .

“But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

5. The Church is a place where believers can learn to love one another

On the night of His betrayal, after having washed the feet of His disciples as an example as to how they were to care for one another, Jesus said to them . . .

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

6. In the church, Christians can learn to help and serve one another

Writing to the church in Galatians 6:2, The Apostle Paul admonishes the fellowship of believers to . . .

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.”

7. The church is a place where we can learn to live as godly people

The Bible in Titus 2:11-12 says . . .

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”

We see a similar reference to godly living in James 1:27 . . .

“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

8. The church is where Christians may be equipped to ministry and to the building up of the Body of Christ

Concerning Christ’s equipping the Church for the work of ministry, Paul writes in Ephesians 4:11-13 . . .

“And He (Christ) gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

9. In the church, Christians can gather to observe and celebrate the two church ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

So, what is the purpose of the church? Perhaps no better explanation can be given than the illustration the Apostle Pal gave the Church in Corinth in I Corinthians 12:12-27 . . .

The church is God’s hands, mouth, and feet in this world—the body of Christ. We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do if He were here physically on the earth. Someone has well said, “The church is to be “Christian,” “Christ-like,” and Christ-following.”

I would love to know your thoughts. Certainly, this is not an exhaustive list of the functions and purposes of the Church. Maybe, from Scripture you can find others; or maybe you feel like I have missed it altogether. Reply in the comments section and let me know what you are thinking. Would love to hear from you.

• Pastor Mel