Comments on: The Church’s Mission Statement? http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/ A Ministry of Shepherds' Fellowship Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:09:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: jonathan hawley http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-157359 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:01:45 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-157359 it seems to me that this discourse is divided between the work of the "church" as a whole and the work of the "church" as an individual entity. While both have their marching orders to evangelise the whole world, the local body also has as it role to educate/liftup the body of believers to go out and reproduce the same. Those "shepherds" who choose not to push their"flock" into being "disciples" are guilty of preaching 1/2 of the gospel. it seems to me that this discourse is divided between the work of the “church” as a whole and the work of the “church” as an individual entity. While both have their marching orders to evangelise the whole world, the local body also has as it role to educate/liftup the body of believers to go out and reproduce the same. Those “shepherds” who choose not to push their”flock” into being “disciples” are guilty of preaching 1/2 of the gospel.

]]> by: Daniel Chaney http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-99598 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 01:44:34 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-99598 We need to understand the difference in the word "church". The purpose of the universal church is that of preaching the gospel to all nations, whereas the purpose of the local church is that of upholding truth and equiping the saints (1 Tim. 3:14-15). The purpose of the local church is not to bring in the lost for evangelism (as today's seeker-sensitive churches believe), it is to equip the missionaries. The purpose of the universal church (all believers in Christ) is the great commision. We need to understand the difference in the word “church”. The purpose of the universal church is that of preaching the gospel to all nations, whereas the purpose of the local church is that of upholding truth and equiping the saints (1 Tim. 3:14-15). The purpose of the local church is not to bring in the lost for evangelism (as today’s seeker-sensitive churches believe), it is to equip the missionaries. The purpose of the universal church (all believers in Christ) is the great commision.

]]> by: Steve Scott http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98991 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:52:13 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98991 Jesse, Thanks for the direction to John's 1/16 post. Yes it is his point that our main task is evangelism. But his point is only his opinion, and I don't see him arguing it from Scripture. That nothing advances His kingdom or reveals His glory as well as evangelism is only an opinion. I do see from Scripture that ONE of our tasks is evangelism, but it is not the only task, and I don't see from Scripture anywhere that it is the most important. Following MacArthur's own logic, if evangelism were the most important thing, God wouldn't have given us families, property, vocations, education, etc. He stated that Christ's "ONLY" reason for coming to earth was to seek and save the lost. But 1 John 3:8 says that His purpose was to destroy the works of the devil. I don't despise evangelism, but want to put it in its proper place in my life. Jesse,

Thanks for the direction to John’s 1/16 post. Yes it is his point that our main task is evangelism. But his point is only his opinion, and I don’t see him arguing it from Scripture. That nothing advances His kingdom or reveals His glory as well as evangelism is only an opinion. I do see from Scripture that ONE of our tasks is evangelism, but it is not the only task, and I don’t see from Scripture anywhere that it is the most important.

Following MacArthur’s own logic, if evangelism were the most important thing, God wouldn’t have given us families, property, vocations, education, etc. He stated that Christ’s “ONLY” reason for coming to earth was to seek and save the lost. But 1 John 3:8 says that His purpose was to destroy the works of the devil. I don’t despise evangelism, but want to put it in its proper place in my life.

]]> by: Jesse Johnson http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98633 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:16:50 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98633 Thanks Carl. One of the other guys here is going to write a longer response that will manifest itself as its own post in the next few weeks. It will chase down the NT commands to the church to be faithful in evangelism. Thanks for prodding us on, and thanks for your faithfulness. Jesse Thanks Carl. One of the other guys here is going to write a longer response that will manifest itself as its own post in the next few weeks. It will chase down the NT commands to the church to be faithful in evangelism. Thanks for prodding us on, and thanks for your faithfulness.

Jesse

]]> by: Carl Fletcher http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98572 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:34:44 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98572 Hi Jesse, Thank you for the reply/conversation. I agree with that saying and I would never want to keep anyone from evangelism. As Christians we wake each day with the privilege of living life to the Glory of God which includes coming to know Him more and being more conformed to Christ. Evangelism flows from that rather naturally. However,if we hold out evangelism as our purpose we possibly encourage telling to the neglect of living. This, I confess, I believe I have seen often. I have struggled seeing the drive to tell being greater then the drive to conform to Christ since my conversion through the evangelism of a college ministry. Preaching through the N.T. I have yet to see a concern for the whole church, and not just individuals like Timothy, to evangelize with words. I do believe I see the priority of sound doctrine or knowing and living the gospel. Enough virtual ink on my part. This is an issue I continue to wrestle with especially as a pastor with a passion for the church. Lord have mercy to Your glory. Thank you again for your time. In Him, Carl Hi Jesse,
Thank you for the reply/conversation. I agree with that saying and I would never want to keep anyone from evangelism.

As Christians we wake each day with the privilege of living life to the Glory of God which includes coming to know Him more and being more conformed to Christ. Evangelism flows from that rather naturally. However,if we hold out evangelism as our purpose we possibly encourage telling to the neglect of living. This, I confess, I believe I have seen often. I have struggled seeing the drive to tell being greater then the drive to conform to Christ since my conversion through the evangelism of a college ministry.

Preaching through the N.T. I have yet to see a concern for the whole church, and not just individuals like Timothy, to evangelize with words. I do believe I see the priority of sound doctrine or knowing and living the gospel.

Enough virtual ink on my part. This is an issue I continue to wrestle with especially as a pastor with a passion for the church. Lord have mercy to Your glory.

Thank you again for your time.
In Him,
Carl

]]> by: Jesse Johnson http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98422 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:10:21 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98422 Steve, Thanks. Read John's post from today (1/16) to see if that answers your question. Christians are commanded to do more than evangelize, but the point John makes today, which I was hinting at here, is that the main thing we are to do is evangelism. It is not one of many things, but the thing. This is because we are seeking first his kingdom and his glory, and nothing advances his kingdom or reveals his glory as well as evangelism. Thanks Steve, Jesse Steve,

Thanks. Read John’s post from today (1/16) to see if that answers your question. Christians are commanded to do more than evangelize, but the point John makes today, which I was hinting at here, is that the main thing we are to do is evangelism. It is not one of many things, but the thing. This is because we are seeking first his kingdom and his glory, and nothing advances his kingdom or reveals his glory as well as evangelism.

Thanks Steve,

Jesse

]]> by: Jesse Johnson http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98421 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:07:30 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98421 Carl, Read John's post from 1/16 and see if that helps. There are exhortations for Christians, in the epistles--as well as Revelation--to do the work of an evangelist. See 2 Tim 4.5 for a very clear example. I also don't think you can keep new believers away from evangelism. Consider many of those who met Jesus, and after they were saved he immediately sent them out to tell their families, their own towns, or those that they were with. I am fond of the expression that if you don't know enough to evangelize, you probably don't know enough to be saved. Thanks Carl, Jesse Carl,

Read John’s post from 1/16 and see if that helps. There are exhortations for Christians, in the epistles–as well as Revelation–to do the work of an evangelist. See 2 Tim 4.5 for a very clear example.

I also don’t think you can keep new believers away from evangelism. Consider many of those who met Jesus, and after they were saved he immediately sent them out to tell their families, their own towns, or those that they were with. I am fond of the expression that if you don’t know enough to evangelize, you probably don’t know enough to be saved.

Thanks Carl,

Jesse

]]> by: Brian Culver http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98375 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:34:27 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98375 sorry about that Keith, Galesburg, IL sorry about that Keith, Galesburg, IL

]]> by: Steve Scott http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98168 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 07:30:41 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98168 Jesse, I'm not certain but it seems that you are equating the mission statement of each individual Christian with the mission statement of the church. Would you say this is a fair statement? I would add the following Scripture (I take these as mission statements for me) and would say that the mission statement of individuals is far more broad than the mission statement of the church because the church is only a small part of the kingdom. "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Gen. 1:28 -and- "But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness" Matt 6:33 Jesse,

I’m not certain but it seems that you are equating the mission statement of each individual Christian with the mission statement of the church. Would you say this is a fair statement? I would add the following Scripture (I take these as mission statements for me) and would say that the mission statement of individuals is far more broad than the mission statement of the church because the church is only a small part of the kingdom.

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen. 1:28

-and-

“But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness” Matt 6:33

]]> by: Carl Fletcher http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98111 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:44:57 +0000 http://www.sfpulpit.com/2008/01/14/the-church%e2%80%99s-mission-statement/#comment-98111 Hi Jesse, While I tend to agree with what you are saying I have wondered at the lack of exhortations or commendations or rebukes in the rest of the N.T. to churches regarding making disciples. Correct me please if I am missing them but I do not see letters to churches, including the 7 in Revelation, addressing their faithfulness or failure in making disciples. I believe preaching the gospel and making disciples is part of our purpose but to hold that out as the purpose does not take into account the different places Christians are at in their growth. I do not think a new convert needs to hear exhortations to preach the gospel or make disciples. Those who heard Christ at the end of the four gospels and in the beginning of Acts had been with Christ for years. I do believe that a new convert and an old convert need to hear that we exist and are to live our lives to the glory of God. Such a purpose should motivate the new convert in dealing with those blatant sins that would hinder their preaching the gospel and motivate the old convert to continue to put sin to death while sharing the good news of eternal life with others. In Him, Carl EFC Santa Rosa Hi Jesse,
While I tend to agree with what you are saying I have wondered at the lack of exhortations or commendations or rebukes in the rest of the N.T. to churches regarding making disciples. Correct me please if I am missing them but I do not see letters to churches, including the 7 in Revelation, addressing their faithfulness or failure in making disciples.

I believe preaching the gospel and making disciples is part of our purpose but to hold that out as the purpose does not take into account the different places Christians are at in their growth. I do not think a new convert needs to hear exhortations to preach the gospel or make disciples. Those who heard Christ at the end of the four gospels and in the beginning of Acts had been with Christ for years.

I do believe that a new convert and an old convert need to hear that we exist and are to live our lives to the glory of God. Such a purpose should motivate the new convert in dealing with those blatant sins that would hinder their preaching the gospel and motivate the old convert to continue to put sin to death while sharing the good news of eternal life with others.

In Him,
Carl
EFC Santa Rosa

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