Why Church: To Fulfil God's Mission
The great theologian Emil Brunner once said, "The church exists by mission as a fire exists by burning." He meant that a sense of mission and calling gives life and meaning to the people of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus made it plain to his followers that they had a mission. He told Peter he would build his church out of people like him, and that church would overcome the gates of death itself! He sent his followers out two by two on a preaching tour. After his resurrection, but before his ascension to heaven, he told them they were to go and make disciples of all nations. This disciple-making mission was to take place in the context of churches. While individuals went out and shared the good news, they always did it in connection with a church or group of churches. Early Christ followers took up this mission and transformed the ancient world. But once Christianity become predominant, mission work weakened and nearly died...