The Mission of the Church

Aim: To teach that the mission of the local church is to evangelize the world.

Point of Contact: Name the three branches of our Federal Government. Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Who makes the laws? Who carries them out? Now with God and His visible work there is a similar work.

Introduction: The local church is the Executor of the laws, decrees, and work of God on earth. God has made the laws for His work, has issued decrees and commands for the carrying out of the work that He wants His people to do. In other words, the local church is to carry out and be the executor of what God, the legislator, has instructed it to do. Today we want to study some of the things involved in this work. Our subject today is about the Mission of the Church.

I. To Bring Eternal Glory to God. (Ephesians 3:20,21)

The most important mission of a church is to bring glory to the name of God. This is accomplished by being obedient and carrying out God's purpose in the church.

II. To Evangelize. (Matthew 28:18-20)

A. Each church is to be a soul-winning station, seeking the lost and bringing them to Jesus.

B.Evangelism is always central in the Scriptures.

1.Christ gave the Divine example. Luke 19:10.

2. Christ commissioned His disciples to evangelize. John 20:21; Luke 19:10.

3. The early Christians were soul- winners.

4. The early churches were all evangelistic.

5. God's preachers were commanded to do the work of an evangelist. (II Timothy 4:5)

6. Through the ages New Testament churches have always been evangelistic.

C. There is always an urgent need for Evangelism.

1. The awfulness of sin makes evangelism a must.

2. There is no village, town, city, or community anywhere in which lost souls are not to be found.

3. One-half to three-fifths of the people in the world today are yet without a preacher or teacher of God's Word.

4. The pagan population of the world is increasing annually about six million faster than Christians are winning people to Christ.

5. Statisticians say there are 10,000 villages and towns without a resident pastor, and at least 13,500,000 children who are receiving no religious training of any kind.

D. The responsibility for winning souls rests upon each Christian and each Church. (Proverbs 11:30; Ezekiel 33:7,8; Daniel 12:3; Matthew 4:19; 9:37,38; 22:9; Mark 16:15; John 4:35; Acts 1:8; I Corinthians 9:22,23)

III. The New Testament Church was Evangelistic.

A. That Christ established His church with evangelism in mind as its primary motive is shown by its history.

1. Christ took John's baptized followers as a nucleus, and led them in a soul winning campaign in which Peter, Phillip, and Nathanael were the first fruits. (John 1:35-51)

2. Christ called the first preachers to be "fishers of men" thus laying the foundation for an evangelistic leadership for His churches for all time.

3. The Great Commission to churches, preachers, and individual Christians is purely and simply a command to win men everywhere to Christ and Eternal life. (Matthew 28:18-20)

4. At Pentecost, Christ put His church to work in prayer and soul winning.

5. The Deacons of the New Testament Church were all soul winners. (Acts 6)

IV. A Soul Winning Sunday School.

All the workers in a Sunday School should constantly put forth soul-winning effort. The Sunday School is the soul-wiinning agency of the church.

V. Missions.

A. The word "mission," comes from the Latin word, "mitto" meaning, "I send." A missionary is therefore a "sent one."

B. Each church, by the direct commission of Christ, is responsible for the proclamation of the gospel to the lost everywhere. Each church is to send out missionaries.

VI. The Missionary Idea in the Old Testament.

A. God said to Adam, "Be Fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth," indicating a world-wide design for Adam's race. (Genesis 1:28)

B. God gave Abraham a world-wide purpose in the promise, "-- in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

C. Joseph was a God sent missionary to Egypt.

D. The story of Jonah is a fine illustration of missionary work.

VII. The Missionary Idea in the New Testament.

A. John the Baptist was "a man sent from God": a missionary.

B. Jesus Himself was the great missionary. He constantly spoke of Himself as the Messenger sent by the Father to a lost world.

C. The disciples were all missionaries sent forth by Christ.

D. Christ established the Church and commanded it to be missionary. (Matthew 28:18-20)

E. The Apostles and the churches of the New Testament times were all missionary.

VIII. Missionary Methods. (Acts 13:1-5)

A. This passage of scripture sets down the method for sending missionaries. It is the pattern God has given and should be followed.

1.The Holy Spirit called the missionaries for the work God planned for them." -- the work whereunto I have called." Verse 2.

2. The Holy Spirit led the individual church to send these missionaries forth. -- "Separate me Barnabus and Saul for the work." Verse 2.

3. The local church sent the missionaries forth. -- "They sent them away." Verse 3.

4. On the field, these missionaries were under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Verse 4.

5. The missionaries received their financial support directly from local churches.

6. The missionaries always reported back to the individual churches.

Conclusion: As we have seen, our job is to win souls around the world. It is our job and responsibility to see that every person now living in the world hears the gospel at least once before they die. Are you doing all you can?

Questions:

1.Give a definition of the word "missions."

2.Discuss the missionary idea in the Old Testament.

3. Who were some of the missionaries mentioned if the New Testament?

4. How were missionaries sent out in the New Testament?

5. What is the church's most important mission?

6. Give examples showing that evangelism is always central in the Scriptures?

7. Why is there always an urgent need for Evangelism?

8. Give examples showing that the New Testament church was Evangelistic.

9. What should be the main purpose of a Sunday school?