Page 21 - Ecclesiology Textbook Masters

Study Section 3: The True Purpose of the Church

3.1 Connect.

The church was born at Pentecost. Put yourself there on that day. There was no New
Testament to guide you and how to establish the church. All you had to go on was what Jesus
Christ himself told you verbally. You did not know about elders or pastors or deacons, or the
qualifications for becoming members. You knew basically nothing. What was about to
unfold, the church would have to figure it out as they went. It’s a good thing that Jesus left
the apostles to help guide and gave the Holy Spirit to every new believer. The church was in for some
interesting times, as it grew so rapidly, the apostles could barely keep up with it. And it was not long
before severe persecution arose. Let’s find out more…

3.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able explain the founding purposes of the church that are based on the
word of Jesus and describe the initial response of early believers.

2. The student should be able describe the spiritual gifts that God gave the church to prepare it
to fulfill its purposes.

3. The student should be able show how a person can find out what his spiritual gift is to be of service
to the church.

3.3 The Purpose of the Church

Within that broad and all-encompassing purpose for the church we can discern several
subsequent ones. Mark Dever summarizes them in this way: “The proper ends for a local
congregation’s life and actions are the worship of God, the edification of the church, and the
evangelization of the world. These three purposes in turn serve the glory of God.” The local
church exists to glorify God through worshipping him, edifying his people, and evangelizing
the world.
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Here are some verses that will help us understand what the body of believers, the church, is to be
centered on today.

Christ’s last words to his apostles gave them their calling.

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and to prayer.

13 https://www.challies.com/articles/whats-the-purpose-of-the-church

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