For many centuries, the church has played a significant role in our local communities. Any town in America or any city in Europe may be identified by the towering spirals of steeples and spires that indicate the presence of church structures below.
However, the environment is shifting. Nowadays, congregations gather in repurposed malls and retail centers, rented school facilities, residences, or conference rooms in hotels. Some churches even meet in secret, occasionally almost below ground, away from the onerous gaze of local authorities.
As diverse as the region in which the edifice is located, church architecture is imaginative. Additionally, each church has a different structure and programming, which is likely influenced by the culture in which it is located. As God’s missionary efforts to preach the gospel moved from Jerusalem to Rome and beyond, the New Testament also records a huge variety of local churches.
It’s intriguing and significant to realize that God never intended “cookie-cutter” churches. Other New Testament churches did not share the characteristics or practices of the early church in Jerusalem. Even the church in Antioch, which is the second church in Acts to be mentioned chronologically, operated in a very different way from the first local church in Jerusalem. By the end of the New Testament, it was clear that each local church had distinctive qualities that set them apart from the others.
Today’s churches in America and around the world are clearly very different. God’s people assemble in a variety of venues, including megachurches and homes, but they all do it for the same important reason. The church is God’s idea and is God’s plan (Matthew 16:18), and regardless of the design of the structure or the layout of the activities, the church must be utterly dedicated to being the church that God intends it to be.
Even while it seems like many individuals are becoming more spiritually inclined, very few are turning to the church for support. Instead, a record number of people are either not attending churches at all or quitting them in unprecedented numbers. Perhaps it results from a widespread misconception of what the church ought to be.
Why is there a church? Is it here to assist you in taking care of your family’s needs? Is it intended to win people to Christ? Is it there to make social injustices in the world right? You might be surprised by the Bible’s answer.
Scripture teaches that the church exists for three main reasons: to exalt God, to edify the saints, and to evangelize the world.
The exaltation of God
To live “for the honour of His glory,” as God has commanded, We are here to know and worship the Creator of us all. But you are His special people, a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, so that you may extol Him who called you out of darkness into His dazzling light.
The edification of the saints
Paul claimed that his personal objective was to “present every person [mature] in Christ,” not just to evangelize.
The evangelization of the world
We will naturally desire to spread the good news of salvation to others if our actions are honoring God and building up the saints. We’ll also wish to follow the Lord’s commands. Jesus expressly commanded us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” therefore that is exactly what we should do.
These values need to be balanced in the right way at all times. We should not prioritize one above the other.
Jesus’ Church Founded
We are aware that the church cannot be prevented from forming because Jesus Christ declared that He would establish His church and that death or the gates of hell would not be able to defeat it. The church of which I serve as an under-shepherd is not mine, the church of the elders, or even the church of the congregation’s members; rather, it is the church of Jesus Christ. The church, also known as the Body of Christ, is headed by him. The apostles, prophets, and Jesus Christ, who serves as its main cornerstone, laid the foundation for the church.
The Church’s Purpose
We’ve already read about the church’s mandate to regularly congregate together and to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. If you believe that leading a Christian life is a solo endeavor, you could not be more mistaken. The author of Hebrews urges us in chapter 10:25 to “not avoid getting together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing close.” It is clear from a brief read of Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 13 that you cannot accomplish this on your own. We are called to come together for one another, to advance in knowledge and grace, and to encourage one another to carry out good deeds.
Conclusion
The New Testament makes it very plain that the goal of the church is the same as the reason we were created: to exalt God and spread the gospel to every nation. These are the main goals of humanity and the church, and we can honor God by following Christ’s example, loving our enemies, reaching out to the lost, showing one another affection, and performing deeds that please God. We must also make sure to give the Lord the glory for all of our blessings. When wonderful things happen to us, we should always give thanks to God for them and let others know that it is He who is most deserving of recognition and credit. Nothing occurs apart from God’s omnipotent will. Even negative events turn out for the best. Recognize Him in everything.