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What is the supreme task of the church?

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Comrade, Aug 2, 2004.

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  1. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    What is the supreme task of the church?
    Is it to have the largest, nicest building? Too be the biggest church? What is it?

    This is what I believe. The supreme task of the world is to spread the Gospel to the entire world? Let us think on this for a moment. John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world" (Emphasis added) Jesus spoke that. He also said "Go ye into all the world" and "ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth"
    It is not a missions board's job to evangelize the world. It is ours. And so far it has not been done. God had one son and he sent him to be a missionary.
     
    #1 Comrade, Aug 2, 2004
  2. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    truer words have never been spoken. This is why so many Churches today never grow. The Church members never take their belief beyond the doors when they exit the building.
     
    #2 GODzThunder, Aug 3, 2004
  3. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    What is the supreme task of the Church?
    Now I take it, since you mentioned the building, you are not talking about the body of Christ spread throughout the earth, but the local congregation.
    I go back to Ephesians 4:12: "for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry."

    "...spread the Gospel to the entire world."
    No disputing that, but I will only point out that it is individuals (or small groups)within the Church that carries out the great commission, but it is the local Church's "supreme task" to equip those Chriatians to do that. By preaching, teaching, encouraging, prayer and, if need be, financial support, this is the local Church's responsibility. Now for those each of us encounter in our everyday lives is the individual's responsibility.
     
    #3 Watchman, Aug 3, 2004
  4. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    You are right. The problem we have today is that the USA has 4.7% of the world's population and 95% of the preachers. Less than 1% of Bible college students are going to the mission field. It seems we have lost sight of the world and only work the mission field of Maple and Elm street. Jesus said the fields were white unto harvest. If you don't harvest a crop when you should it goes bad. We need to win the lost at any cost. "Why should people in America hear the Gospel twice before the malority of the world has yet to hear it once." (-Oswald J. Smith) If we don't the blood of those lost people are on our hands (Ezekiel 33)
     
    #4 Comrade, Aug 3, 2004
  5. rufus

    rufus New Member

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    Matthew 28:18-20 is the supreme tasks of the church, given by the Lord Jesus Christ!
     
    #5 rufus, Aug 3, 2004
  6. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    yes it is small groups but we don't have enough going. But the church is not a group of people in a building worshipping the Lord it is the entire body of Beleivers as the body of Christ. And yes I should have entitled the topic "The supreme task of the Church"
     
    #6 Comrade, Aug 4, 2004
  7. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Supreme task of the church? Don't focus on the secondary "commission". The GREAT COMMANDMENT is clear: Worship God. Love him with heart and soul and mind and strength.

    My church should be a place of true worship.

    The other parts (ministering to others, evangelizing, fellowship, discipling) will all rightly follow.
     
    #7 Dr. Bob, Aug 5, 2004
  8. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    Yes you are right but if all we do is worship then the harvest will be ruined. Yes you can love God with all you heart and with all your mind and with all your strength and not get beyond your county. Another commandment that we are given is to glorify God. The best way to glorify God is to get others to glorify Him with you.
     
    #8 Comrade, Aug 9, 2004
  9. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Agreed. If a church does so, and as a result, ends up with a bigger building, great, God bless 'em. If a church does this, and remains in the same building they're in, then great, God bless 'em. We tend to falsely judge churches because of what we see on the outside.
     
    #9 Johnv, Aug 9, 2004
  10. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Au contraire. True worship will have the effect of sharing the evangel, proclaiming the eternal Gospel. We're not talking about sitting around singing all day!
     
    #10 Dr. Bob, Aug 9, 2004
  11. WallyGator

    WallyGator New Member

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    The main function of the church( be it universal or local) is to be the Body of Christ by exalting the Savior, equipting the saints and evangelizing the sinner.
    WallyGator
     
    #11 WallyGator, Aug 9, 2004
  12. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Good point. Part of worship involves being doers of the Word, not just hearers.
     
    #12 Johnv, Aug 9, 2004
  13. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    With all that is said I must agree with you all. You all say that our job in the church as christians is to spread the Gospel. Only one problem: It hasn't been fully completed. Only about 35% of the world is Christian (Counting catholic and other denominations) For the most part the world does not have the Gospel to hear. Jeremiah 8:20 says "The harvest is past, the summer is ended and we are not saved" If we don't go to the world, the blood of those people we were suppose to tell will be on our hands. John Falconer said "I have but one candle of life to burn, I would rather burn it in darkness than in a land flooded with light" If our job is to spread the Gospel and tell the world then why is it that we have 5% of the population of the world in the US but 95% of the preachers?
     
    #13 Comrade, Aug 11, 2004
  14. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    Matt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

    Apparently the church is to go up against the gates of hell...and it will win.

    Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

    It is to be the body of Christ.
     
    #14 Artimaeus, Aug 12, 2004
  15. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    secondary commandment? Part of loving God with all your heart is doing his will. His will is the great comission. It is not secondary it is a hand in hand, side by side, one is not possible without the other commandment. You cannot love God and not submit to his lordship and you cannot win souls outside of his love.
     
    #15 GODzThunder, Aug 12, 2004
  16. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    speaking of great commission, I have heard some argue that it is something that was only for the twelve apostles. I say nay! They were commanded to teach ALL things to those whom they disciple, all things includes the great commission. They were to teach the great commission to their disciples and in turn they were to teach it to their disciples. Now here is a question. I have heard even the dryest Church plea from the pulpit that people need to win souls BUT how many Churches are teaching evangelism training? Doesn't that break the chain of the great commission? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the Church, to build the kingdom? I never read in the Bible where it is the pastor's sole responsibility to win souls.
     
    #16 GODzThunder, Aug 12, 2004
  17. Comrade

    Comrade New Member

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    You are exactly right. It is our job.
     
    #17 Comrade, Aug 16, 2004
  18. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Where in the NT is "soul winning" even mentioned? Where in the list of qualifications of a pastor is it listed?

    We have developed the "cult of the soul winner" that has zero biblical foundation. Now, I preach, I witness, I share the Good News of the evangel all the time.

    But I don't "win" souls. What a self-glorifying phrase.
     
    #18 Dr. Bob, Aug 16, 2004
  19. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Amen and Amen. Evangelism, discipleship, etc. are all secondary to glorifying God (1 Cor 10:31).
     
    #19 TomVols, Aug 18, 2004
  20. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Once again, amen and amen. The heresy of "soul-winning" is a man-made, pop-psychology deal created to "sell" the gospel like you sell cars and real estate. It has created easy-believism and the shallow religion that is passing itself off as Christianity these days, even in far too many baptist churches.
     
    #20 TomVols, Aug 18, 2004
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