What is the Mission of the Church?

What is the Mission of the Church? In “From the Horse’s Mouth” in the most recent issue of Credo Magazine, “Make Disciples of All Nations,” three pastors and authors answer this question. Here is what they had to say:

Andrew Farley

Senior Pastor of Ecclesia and author of The Naked Gospel

The mission of the church is to know Jesus Christ and to bear the fruit of his Spirit. We only truly love in the “agape” way when we first grasp how he demonstrated his love for us—by forgiving us all our sins; by freeing us from the impossible standard of the Law; and by giving us a brand new identity in him. Once we see the glory of his new covenant promises to us, we can transmit his love to the world around us!

Trevin Wax

author of Counterfeit Gospels

The church is a sign and instrument of the kingdom of God, a people united by faith in the gospel announcement of the crucified and risen King Jesus. The mission of the church is to go into the world in the power of the Spirit and make disciples by proclaiming this gospel, calling people to respond in ongoing repentance and faith, and demonstrating the truth and power of the gospel by living under the lordship of Christ for the glory of God and the good of the world.

Jonathan Leeman

author of The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love

Broadly, God has given his new covenant people on Planet Earth the glorious tasks of proclaiming the God-man Jesus—his substitutionary sacrifice and resurrected Lordship—and of living as a distinct society of Spirit-filled kingdom citizens who, little by little, are learning to embody Jesus’ own love, mercy, and justice toward one another first and the nations second, all for the sake of displaying the matchless glory of the Father. For the purpose of fulfilling these great tasks and ends, Jesus has authorized regular gatherings of two or more new covenant members to constitute themselves as official outposts of the kingdom, or local churches, by exercising the keys of the kingdom through preaching the gospel, binding and loosing those who confess the gospel with baptism and the Lord’s Supper, teaching everything that Christ has commanded, and spurring one another on to the aforementioned love and good deeds.

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“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) These words, spoken by Jesus after his resurrection, are famously known as The Great Commission. As disciples of Christ, it is our great joy to go and tell the nations about the good news of salvation for sinners through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. The March issue of Credo Magazine will seek to ignite a passion for missions. And what better timing as this year marks the 200th anniversary of Adoniram and Ann Judson setting sail aboard the Caravan with to take the gospel to Burma. Contributors include: Ted Kluck, Jason Duesing, Nathan Finn, the Housley Family (missionaries in Papua New Guinea), Kenneth Stewart, Brian Vickers, David VanDrunen, Matt Williams, and many others.