The Church & Its Mission

Growing up in a large church in the Midwest, I was exposed to a wide range of ministry opportunities. The church was heavily engaged in the community, provided support to nations overseas, and sent students and young adults on frequent mission trips. I can distinctly remember my friends building homes for the homeless in Mexico. I recall the food drives that collected non-perishable foods items for a local rescue shelter. I even remember serving at a camp for students with special needs.

All these opportunities were life changing for someone. Those in Mexico received a home. The families at the rescue shelter received adequate nourishment. The kids at camp were allowed to participate in games and activities that they would not otherwise have been able to do on their own. All these things were done in the name of Jesus Christ and made me feel like a faithful servant of the Lord.

But do these things in and of themselves encompass what God has called the church to do? Was the service rendered to these different groups truly life changing? To ask the question another way, was I carrying out the mission that has been given to the church? A careful study of Scripture shows that, though these are all great things, they do not fully embrace the true mission of the church. So what exactly is the true mission of the church?

I. THE DEFINITION OF THE MISSION:
What is meant by the word ‘mission’?

Before the topic at hand can be tackled, it is important to secure the foundation of this article’s premise: mission. What exactly is meant by this word? How are we to understand the church’s job in this world? Is the mission of the church different from the responsibilities given to individual Christians? There are many facets to what people call “mission.” Ultimately, we have to consider what we are talking about when we use this complex and divisive word.

There are some who find mission to encompass everything we do as Christians. Mission is simply faithful obedience to God or doing good deeds in the name of Jesus Christ. While these are all wonderful things and should rightfully be commended, they seem to miss the big picture. Are believers called to be obedient? Yes! Are believers called to do good? Absolutely! But as Keith Ferdinando puts it, “If everything is mission, nothing is mission.”1 There are many commands given to the church, but which one stands out as the singular calling of the New Testament church?

Much can be communicated when one uses the word “mission.” So what does this article intend to communicate in the subsequent pages? In short, mission is the ultimate goal of the universal church. In other words, the mission of the church is the assignment it seeks to complete. As DeYoung and Gilbert have fittingly noted, “If you ask most Christians, ‘What is the mission of the church?’ they will hear you asking, ‘What is the specific task or purpose that the church is sent into the world to accomplish’?”2 Such is the premise by which this article operates.

As Christians who are committed to both the local and universal church, we must be faithful to mission. Mission is our goal. Mission is our purpose. Mission is the reason we still exist this side of glory. Mission is the task we are called to fulfill. Ultimately, mission is what Jesus sends his followers into the world to accomplish.3 As such, mission should be deemed our great privilege as obedient followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

II. THE COMMISSION OF THE MISSION:
What is the mission given to the church?

Now that a proper understanding of mission has been established, the question now begs an answer; namely, what is the mission of the church? The following sections will show that the mission of the church is summed up in the Great Commission passages of the New Testament, and that the mission given to the church is ultimately an extension of God’s mission in redemptive history as demonstrated through the life of His Son.

1. The Church’s Mission: The Great Commission

Few things carry greater weight than an individual’s final words. History is replete with men who uttered famous last words. Take for example Julius Caesar: “Et tu, Brute?” (“You, too, Brutus”). Such were the words that came through Caesar’s dying breaths as he looked into the eyes of a close friend who had betrayed him.4 Or consider the final words of the Greek conqueror Alexander the Great. In response to his generals asking who would inherit the empire, Alexander responded with “To the strongest!”5 If there is one thing history has taught us, it is that the final words of great men speak volumes about their character and their hearts’ desire.

This too can be found when we search the Scriptures. One might consider the prayer of Moses for the second generation of Israelites as they were about to enter the Promised Land:

So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom…Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.”6

Or perhaps we may think of Joshua:

Behold, this stone shall be for a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us; thus, it shall be for a witness against you, so that you do not deny your God.7

And then there are the final words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians elders:

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.8

In short, last words matter, especially if some form of those words are shared across multiple sources and record the final wishes of the most important and transcendent figure in human history. That is what we find in the Great Commission passages of the New Testament. It is there we find the mission of the church.

Some form of the Great Commission is given to the church in each of the gospels, as well as the beginning of the book of Acts.9 Each conveys a slightly different facet to the command He gave His disciples after his death and resurrection yet prior to His ascension into heaven. Given that Jesus will not return until His Second Coming to restore and establish His earthly kingdom,10 His final words are all the more important. In fact, they were so important that both the biblical authors and the early church found them to be crucial instructions for the shaping of their missional identity.11

So what exactly is entailed in these Great Commission passages? What are the features evident in the mission given to the church? The first element involves movement. Observe what Jesus says in each of these passages:

Matthew 28:19: “Goall the nations.

Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world.

Luke 24:47-49: “…to all the nations…And behold, I am sending for the promise of My Father upon you.”

John 20:21: “I also send you.”

Acts 1:8: “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.12

It is apparent from each of the Great Commission texts that Jesus calls for His disciples to move. They are commanded to leave their current place of residence and transition to another. The ultimate destination, as can be seen from the words of our Savior, is the entirety of the world. In other words, Christ intends for His followers to spread to every nation on this globe. They were not to maintain residence in Jerusalem but spread to every nation.

In no place is this movement more evident than the book of Acts. Jesus first commanded His disciples to be witnesses to the city of Jerusalem. This can be seen in the establishment of the church on the day of Pentecost and its progressive growth throughout the early chapters of Acts.13 It was the martyrdom of Stephen and the breakout of persecution that caused the disciples to spread even further. As Acts 8:2 reports, “They were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.” Thus, the second phase of Jesus’ missional roadmap was accomplished through the continual spread of the gospel throughout the nation. By the time we reach the end of the book, the gospel had already reached Rome, the most powerful city in the empire.14 In a sense, the conclusion of Acts marks the beginning to the final phase of Jesus’ missional agenda: the remotest part of the earth.

The movement, though it has been vast, is not yet complete. While disciples of Jesus Christ are present in nations across the globe, there remain tribes, tongues, and nations in the remotest parts of the world where worshippers of the one true God do not exist. It is the responsibility of the church to go to them. It is the desire of our Savior to see men, women, and children of all nations become a part of the universal church body of the church.15 Thus, obedience to the Great Commission first involves movement.

The second element present in the Great Commission involves a method. There is a method, that is, a technique, to how the Great Commission is to be accomplished. The way in which the church makes disciples of all nations is by proclaiming the good news of the gospel. See what Jesus Himself says in the Great Commission:

Matthew 28:19-20: “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.”

Mark 16:15: “Preach the gospel to all creation.”

Luke 24:46-47: “And that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name.”

Acts 1:8: “You shall be My witnesses.16

Jesus Himself says that the mission of the church is to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel to this lost and dying world. In other words, evangelism is the method God uses to draw sinners to Himself. This precisely echoes the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:14-15:

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

People cannot be saved unless they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. They cannot believe in His name unless they hear the good news. They cannot hear the good news unless someone goes and gives it to them! Thus, the method God gives to the church is evangelism. The church is called to be a body of believers who preach the good news of the gospel. To put it plainly, a church that is not proclaiming the gospel is a disobedient church.

It is important that we note from these passages that evangelism involves speaking. While our actions as believers may be attractive to the unsaved, it is our words that God uses as the means to save the lost. As John MacArthur puts it:

Few unbelievers ever get to heaven because they’re converted by observing some believer’s testimony lived out before them. Sooner or later you’ve got to give them the words of the gospel.17

The final element present in the Great Commission is the message. As we have seen from the previous points, the mission of the church is to go and proclaim. But why do we go? Why do we proclaim? The answer is found in the message of the mission:

Matthew 28:20: “…make disciplesbaptizing them…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.

Mark 16:15-16: “…preach the gospel…He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved.

Luke 24:46-7: “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name.”18

Jesus’ words clearly spell out what the message of our proclamation should be – the gospel. The reason we go and proclaim is because we have been entrusted with the words of eternal life. This very message is what brought us into a saving relationship with God and it is now the very reason we must share it with the lost. It is our responsibility to declare the sinfulness of man in light of the holiness of God. We must teach that forgiveness of sins can only be possible through repentance and faith in the substitutionary death and resurrection of our Savior. We must show that salvation comes not through man’s own efforts 19 but by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.20 We must take up the missional mindset that Paul laid out in 2 Corinthians 5:20-21:

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As Christians, we are called to be ambassadors for Christ. We are His representatives on this earth. As such, we have been entrusted with the mission of reconciliation.21 We have been given a great responsibility, but very seldom do we consider the immense joy that comes with this ministry. Not only is evangelism a matter of obedience, it is a matter of desire. It should be a natural longing for followers of Christ to see men, women, and children of all nations saved through the message of the gospel. We are Christ’s ambassadors! What an honor! What a privilege!

Finally we must note that this message is glorious because it transcends culture and time. Jesus Himself said the gospel was to spread to the remotest part of the earth. Thus, the gospel is not reserved for a singular geographic area or culture. The gospel is powerful enough to reach and save all people. Additionally, the message of the gospel is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago. It is just as relevant to our generation as it was to first century Israel. The mission of the church remains the same: preach the gospel.

2. God’s Mission: Global Redemption through Christ

An important factor in understanding the Great Commission is the unfolding plan of redemption God set forth from the beginning of time. We must go all the way back to Genesis 3 and the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. It was at that time that God promised He would send a Savior into the world. From Genesis 3 to Revelation 21, Scripture tells the story of a gracious God who brings rebellious man back to a right relationship with Himself.22

In Deuteronomy 4, God gave the Israelites a Great Commission of their own. Rather than go and proclaim their mission was to stay and obey.23 They were to be a light to all other nations – a beacon of hope in a crooked and depraved world. Thus, covenant obedience to the Old Testament law served as the first means God used to draw people to Himself. Unfortunately, the nation of Israel was less than faithful with this mission. God sent them into exile for their stubborn and wicked ways. He even remained silent for over 400 years after their return to the land. Ultimately, God’s plan of redemption entered a new phase in the New Testament with the arrival of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ mission differed quite drastically from Israel’s. The Father sent Him with a much different purpose. Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost,24 preach the kingdom,25 forgive sins,26 provide eternal life for those who believe,27 save sinners,28 and reconcile us to God.29 Simply put, evangelism was at the heart of our Savior’s mission. If we fail to understand the importance of evangelism, we simply miss the entire point of Jesus’ ministry: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”30

We must recognize that our being sent by Jesus is a picture of the Father sending the Son into the world.31 Jesus commissioned his disciples with a similar commission that He Himself had received from the Father. Consequently, it should be the aim of the church to follow in our Savior’s footsteps. Jesus was perfectly obedient to the will of the Father32 and fulfilled His earthly mission. It is now up to the church to remain faithful to the commission set in place by her head.33

Thus, we can see that the Great Commission is ultimately an extension of the mission given to our Savior. Just as the Son was commissioned by the Father, so the Son now commissions His followers with a mission that mirrors His own.34 The church must be faithful to the ministry she has been entrusted with. Local churches must teach the gospel with precision and encourage members to be active in sharing their faith. As Jesse Johnson states:

The goal is for a healthy church to understand the gospel more clearly, and be able to proclaim it more powerfully.35

III. THE OPPOSITION TO THE MISSION:
What about social justice and mercy ministries?

 

Though the Great Commission is set forth in the New Testament as the clear undertaking of the church, there are still people who believe in alternative missions. Of particular interest is the attention many churches have given to social justice and mercy ministries. Suddenly, any activity done in the name of Christ can be perceived as “missional.” There seemed to be a day in which mission referred to the Christians sent out across the globe to convert souls and plant churches. Nowadays mission seems to be anything and everything that is beneficial to our society.36

This subject is particularly pertinent to young Christians who are ambitious to serve the Lord and make a difference in the world. Studies have shown that younger evangelicals are more concerned about the poor, digging wells, sex-trafficking, and orphans than at any time in history.37 In my own lifetime, I have seen several young people go on mission trips to build houses for orphans and give food to the homeless all “in the name of Jesus Christ.” But can these trips really be deemed missional?

So how should the church understand platforms such as social activism and mercy ministries? If they are not the mission of the church, do they even have a place in Christian ministry? In short, the answer can be yes but comes with caution. Therefore, a few thoughts of consideration should be taken into account when weighing the church’s place in these matters.

Caution 1: Mercy Ministry and Social Justice is NOT Evangelism

It is good for Christians to desire outreach to the needy and less fortunate. After all, we as believers are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves.38 At the same time, Christ gave the church a clear directive to proclaim the gospel message. Thus, social action or mercy ministries must never be mistaken for evangelism. They can certainly be used as a means to preach Christ, but they cannot be deemed a substitute mission of the church.39

By making mercy ministry and social justice a primary cause, the church gives a false impression of its intended purpose. The lines get crossed and the mission becomes fuzzy. This should concern believers. We never want there to be confusion regarding our primary agenda. If we get caught up in a zeal for social issues rather than gospel proclamation, we run the risk of marginalizing the distinctive that makes our mission truly Christian: making disciples of Jesus Christ.40

Caution 2: Mercy Ministry and Social Justice is NOT the Responsibility of the Church

There is freedom on the part of the church to do things that it deems beneficial for the advancement of the gospel. This may or may not include mercy ministries or social activism. The point is this: there is a difference between may and must. The church can choose to take part in some of these activities, but it is not morally obligated to do so. There is no biblical mandate that requires the church to be an active agent for social justice. Therefore, we should not be quick to condemn the church if it chooses not to be a part of such movements. Every possibility does not mean responsibility, nor does every opportunity demand an ought.41

We should also be reminded that the church does not carry the institutional responsibility to alleviate world issues. Christians should care about the physical needs of the unbelieving community. They should be concerned about issues of education, politics, and mercy ministry. However, these issues are the proper concern of schools, governments, and other structures of society.42 The church does not carry this burden.

The only case that can be made concerning this matter is that the church does bear the responsibility to take care of its members who are in need. The local church community should be like a family that cares for its own. The First Century church was known for its love for the brethren. They gave supplies to those in need43 and cared for widows in their distress.44 Thus, the local church can serve as the source of refuge for those within the household of faith, but it need not be the social custodian for the rest of society.45

Caution 3: Mercy Ministry and Social Justice is NOT the Ultimate Plan of God

Once again we are confronted with the reality that the big picture of Scripture does not center upon the alleviation of poverty or perfect world order. There will come a day when the world will be restored to its original glory. The Tree of Life will reappear in the New Heavens and New Earth, and we will dwell with the Lord forever. Scripture records it as the most wonderful day in history:

He [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain.46

History is moving toward a day when there will no longer be any pain or injustice, a day in which those who follow Christ will experience His perfect mercy for all eternity. And you know who will be the one to bring ultimate peace and restoration to this earth? It won’t be the church. It will be our wonderful God who values justice and mercy.

Caution 4: Mercy Ministry and Social Justice is NOT the Greatest Need for Unbelievers

Finally, we must be reminded that there is ultimately a fate worse than death. While social injustice is a terrible thing to witness, it is not the biggest concern facing the unbelieving community. The greatest concern facing the non-Christian is the gospel. You can build a home for an impoverished family in a third-world country, but unless they hear the gospel, they will not be saved. You can give food to the homeless man down the street, but if he does not place his faith in Christ, his soul will suffer eternal punishment in hell. Though you may have offered him temporary relief from his physical need, his spiritual need remains untouched.

The most powerful source of freedom we can offer to those in need is the gospel. If the gospel is the greatest good for a non-Christian and we are to love our neighbors, then the most loving thing we can do is share the gospel with them. This makes our mission all the more important. As DeYoung and Gilbert fittingly put it:

In the end, the Great Commission must be the mission of the church for two very basic reasons: there is something worse than death and there is something better than human flourishing.47

The gospel is the greatest need for the unbelieving world, and it is our mission as the church to give it to them.

CONCLUSION

As one can see, the mission of the church is much bigger and much better than the temporary provisions offered through social activism and mercy ministries. Though these forms of social action are important and should be commended, they do not encompass the essence of our Savior’s final words. Jesus commanded his followers to go into all the world and preach the good news of the gospel to the lost. The church that concerns itself more with social justice than the advancement of the gospel is a disobedient church that has failed its mission.

If the gospel is going to spread as our Savior intended, then it will require the participation of the entire universal church body. In other words, evangelism is a collective effort on the part of all who have been saved. It is not a task solely reserved for the spiritual elite. Part of the problem with the church today is its reliance on pastors and the “spiritually mature” to do all the work.

This reminds me of the famous words of former Oklahoma football coach Bud Wilkinson. When asked in 1963 how he would define the game of football, Wilkinson responded, “Football is twenty-two men on the field who desperately need rest and 50,000 people in the stands who desperately need exercise.”

No doubt Wilkinson’s response was witty, but it also provides a frequently accurate picture of the church today. Too often the ones criticizing and calling for pastors to do more are the very ones who are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing at all. Too many people in the church today are lazy and out of shape spiritually because they have not been exercising their evangelistic muscles. The Great Commission calls for all who follow Christ to be participants in His grand redemptive plan. When we are obedient to this command, then and only then can we be true imitators of God’s heart for the world.

 

 

  1. Keith Ferdinando, “Mission: A Problem of Definition,” Themelios 33, no. 1; http://thegospelcoalition.org/publications/33-1/mission-a-problem-of-definition. []
  2. Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2011) 20. []
  3. Ibid., 29. []
  4. https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/last_words. []
  5. https://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/last_words. []
  6. Ps 90:12, 17. []
  7. Joshua 24:27. []
  8. Acts 20:28. []
  9. Matt 28:16-20; Mk 16:15-16; Lk 24:45-49; Jn 20:21; Acts 1:8. []
  10. Acts 1:6-7. []
  11. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 43. []
  12. The italics in all of the above quotations are mine. []
  13. Specifically Acts 1:9-8:1. []
  14. Acts 28:30-31. []
  15. Revelation 5:9-10. []
  16. The italics in all of the above quotations are mine. []
  17. John MacArthur, The Master’s Plan for the Church (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991) 118. []
  18. The italics in all of the above quotations are mine. []
  19. Eph 2:9. []
  20. Eph 2:8. []
  21. 2 Cor 5:18-19. []
  22. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 75. []
  23. Jesse Johnson, “God’s Global Goal” in Evangelism: How to Share the Gospel Faithfully by John MacArthur and the Pastors and Missionaries of Grace Community Church (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2011) 25. []
  24. Mk 10:45. []
  25. Lk 4:43. []
  26. Jn 1:29. []
  27. Jn 3:16. []
  28. 1 Tim 1:15. []
  29. 1 Pet 3:18. []
  30. Lk 19:10. []
  31. Jn 5:36. []
  32. Jn 6:38; Phil 2:8. []
  33. Eph 1:22-23; Col 1:18. []
  34. Gregg Allison, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2012) 141. []
  35. Johnson, 21. []
  36. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 18. []
  37. Ibid., 142. []
  38. Mk 12:31. []
  39. Mark Dever, The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (Nashville, Tenn.: B & H Publishing Group, 2012) 82. []
  40. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 22. []
  41. Ibid., 176. []
  42. Dever, The Church, 84. []
  43. Acts 4:35. []
  44. 1 Tim 5:3-16; Js 1:27. []
  45. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 176. []
  46. Rev 21:4. []
  47. DeYoung & Gilbert, What is the Mission of the Church, 242. []

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