What is the purpose of the church?
Here's the answer:
We may think of "church" as the building we go to on Sunday, but it is much more.
The "church" is a group of people who have accepted Jesus’ free gift of salvation. In Acts 2:42, we learn what the church is supposed to do. "The believers studied what the apostles taught. They shared their lives together. They ate and prayed together." In this verse, we learn that the purpose of the church is to:
• Study the Bible - The church helps us learn truth about God and the Bible. As we learn, we are to apply what we learn.
• Share lives together – The church is to fellowship together and support each other.
• Eat together - At church, we also observe the Lord’s Supper or communion. This is a time when we remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. We can also enjoy meals together.
• Pray together – We are called to pray for each other. Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him. Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds. He will do this because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood."
The church is also to tell others about Jesus and His gift of salvation. We can also help our communities serve those who are less fortunate.
Bible Truth
"Here are the beliefs and way of life that God our Father accepts as pure and without fault. When widows are in trouble, take care of them. Do the same for children who have no parents. And don’t let the world make you impure" (James 1:27).
"We will no longer be babies in the faith. We won’t be like ships tossed around by the waves. We won’t be blown here and there by every new teaching. We won’t be blown around by cleverness and tricks. Certain people use them to hide their evil plans" (Ephesians 4:14).
