The Primary Purpose of the Church is to Spread the Gospel. The gospel (good news) is the power of Christ's atonement, a clear explanation of prophecy and of God's judgment, and the call to obedience through faith. In the Lord's plan, the church is a dynamic missionary enterprise that encompasses all humanity. We find the key mandate for that mission in Genesis 12:1-3 and Matthew 28:18-20. "Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all"--The Desire of Ages, p. 195.
"Churches are to be organized and plans laid for work to be done by the members of the newly organized churches. This gospel missionary work is to keep reaching out and annexing new territory, enlarging the cultivated portions of the vineyard. The circle is to extend until it belts the world."--Evangelism, p. 19.
This week we will look at the church as a missionary enterprise and what that means for us.