“The Purpose of the Church”

May 31, 2009 Acts 4:23-35    Play AUDIO (mp3)  Play VIDEO (wmv)

●    A CHURCH’S CHANGE: FROM SOAKING TO SHAKING

    ○    Post-Pentecost infant church spent time in fellowship, worship, teaching, ministry, evangelism (Ac 2:42ff)
    ○    altered focus in response to threats (Ac 4:18)
    ○    Sense of God’s Sovereignty (4:24)
    ○    Wonder of God’s Word (25)
    ○    Power of God’s Purpose (27f)
    ○    Spunk and Selflessness of God’s Servants (29, 32)
    ○    Good news, Grace, and Giving of God’s Group (31ff)

●    REVIEWING / FINE TUNING OUR PURPOSE

    ○    LWCF at first benefited from healing/consolidating time ‘soaking’
    ○    need to ‘own’ Great Commandment / Great Commission in our own words (Mt 28:18ff)
    ○    ‘Family Reunion Church’ emphasizes fellowship / caring / relationships, but not much gets done (R Warren)
    ○    not the purpose of the church to ‘make disciples’: responsibility of disciples themselves (P Delsaut)

●    PURPOSE - DISCOVERED, NOT DICTATED

    ○    Criteria for process of refining purpose: should be Biblical; discover what Christ is saying
    ○    look at Christ’s ministry; NT images / examples of church; Jesus’ commands