The Purpose of the Church
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - Last week I spoke on how the Spirit of the Nicolaitans is operating in the church today. In that message I dealt with what I called superfluous fluff when I spoke on so-called Ecclesiastical Attire, Clerical Vestments, Robes, Staffs, Clerical Hats, and any other unnecessary stuff that separates people in the church in a hierarchical manner. Now I know, because it has been said that the Bible says, “Do all things decently and in order”. In my many years in the church I have heard that scripture used more times than I can count. What I find amazing is how we can take a scripture and use it and twist it to fit a certain situation or prove a certain point; however, in doing so we take out of context the scripture and minimalize the meaning and purpose it is truly intended to be.
When Paul wrote to the church of Corinth, which is where that scripture comes from 1 Corinthians 14:40, there was confusion in the church, the people of the church had made ineffective what God intended to be effective and Paul was letting them know what was truly important; therefore, when you speak in tongues make sure it is done decently and in order. When we take scripture out of context and use it to support an agenda, to convince of a personal desire, to propagate a vision it loses its effectiveness and becomes words that are cisterns without water.
Today I am going to talk about the Purpose of the Church. Now we could make a list with a multitude of items on stating what the purpose of the church is. However, my wife has always said just preach the Word and as one pastor told me only preach what’s in the book, if its not in the book don’t preach it. The Bible says in Revelation 22:18 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book”.
PRAYER: -
SCRIPTURE: - 1 Corinthians 14:1 – 40.
Now I am not going to read all of those scriptures, but I do want to highlight a few. Vs 40 says, “Let all things be done decently and in order”. As I said this scripture is used for many different purposes specially to prove a certain point or agenda, but let’s look at the verse before it and see it in context. Vs 39 says, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues”. The all things done decently and in order of verse 40 refers to the gifts of the spirit especially prophecy and speaking in tongues.
The unity of the church is one of the most striking and transformative characteristics she has to offer the world. Unity is demonstrated most tangibly in love. Jesus said it this way in John 13:34–35 as he washed the feet of his disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Corinthians was written because of a crisis of unity in the church of Corinth. There were issues of discipleship, belief, and ethics that Paul addressed in this letter, but it all boiled down to the chaos of disunity among the believers.
Paul deals with this unity the church must have and how the church must operate in Love. We must realize that God has purposed the church to be clear, powerful, effective in the world and operate in loving kindness and unity.
Then we get to the 14th chapter, and he begins to deal with the worship. Even today the church is divided over worship. Do we sing the new songs or the old songs, do we use a band and a praise team, or sing hymns or use the big screen. Understand worship has nothing to do with what you like but has everything to do with God and must be done in spirit and in truth, which satisfies Him, and the Joy of the Lord is your strength. Worship is done because of who God is and what He has done. Well here in the 14th chapter the people of the church all wanted to do their thing. In other words, they were taking the worship service and turning it into a talent show who could preach the best, who could sing the best, who could speak in tongues the most and Paul is letting them know in the 14th chapter because they have seemed to forgot What is the Purpose of the Church.
The Purpose of the Church: - 6 portion breakdown of the purpose of the church.
In the Bible, the number 6 symbolizes man and human weakness, the evils of Satan and the manifestation of sin. Man was created on the sixth day. Men are appointed 6 days to labor. Six years were appointed for the land to be sown and harvested. The number 6 is also associated with Satan in his temptation of Jesus. Man's system on earth is made up of three parts economic, religious, and governmental. The bringing together of three 6's is the number and mark of the Beast, which represents the economic, religious, and governmental system.
Verses 1 – 6 First, pursue love, Love is the foundation of the churches purpose. Paul says, “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
The purpose of the church is to Love – Love the people where they are.
Yes, speaking in tongues is good and it edifieth the one speaking but seek prophesy. Verse 3 says “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort”.
The purpose of the church is to Edify, Exhort, and Comfort.
Edify:- To construct, build up or establish to promote growth in Christian character. Romans 14:19 says, “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may EDIFY another”.
Exhort: - to urge by a strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice, or appeal. Paul instructs Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13, saying, “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching” The word most often translated “exhort” or “exhortation” comes from the Greek word paraklésis, which means “to call to one’s side; to summon, encourage, admonish, entreat.”
Comfort: - Comfort when the Bible talks about someone being comforted or consoled, it generally means that they are being offered ideas that will help bring them to a more peaceful spiritual state, whether it is a new state or the restoration of one that had been under attack. Thus, "paraklesis", or "comfort", means, "to come alongside". In simple terms, "church" (ekklesia) is comprised of people whom Jesus has "called out of" (ekklesia) the world and placed "alongside" (paraklesis) other "called out people".
Verses 7 – 12 Paul deals with making distinct sound. Apparently, tongues were being used mostly for praying aloud to God in unknown languages. Paul agrees that this may be encouraging to the one who prays, but it is useless in the church service. If nobody can understand what is being said, the church is not being built up. He is letting them know that although speaking in tongues is good make sure you strive to build up the church. Teaching the importance and understanding of offering unto God the sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13:15, the says, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.”
The purpose of the church is to teach people how to worship. The purpose of the church is to Teach people how to worship.
Verses 13 – 19 Worship with your Spirit and with your Mind. A critical point and the heart of the worship in the church is taught in 1 Corinthians 14:14–15, which says, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” I posted earlier this week a repost from the HBCU – “The state of the Black Church” and a statement by Professor James Cone. In that statement he said, “We have taught people word but have not taught them to Know the Word”. He went on to the Bible says Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. We must teach people how to Love God with the mind. We must teach people how to think on the word of God reflect on the word of God and apply the word of God to situations in life. So often we worry about speaking in tongues and Vestments and other stuff in the church but not about building up the souls. How do we live when the tongues are done. After we have shouted and gave our offerings and dressed in our attire – how do we apply the word of God to deal with the 12-year-old at home who doesn’t know if they want to live or die. The world is not an easy place to live we need a thinking church; we need to teach people how to love God with the mind. Loving God with your mind is being able to effectively cause humility trust and faith in Him and His Word. Understand having faith does not mean giving up knowledge and understanding. Loving God with our mind Bible study, prayer, thoughts, and conversations that help my faith grow in ways that make me less easily distracted by a world that is constantly trying to tempt, defeat, and discourage me.
The purpose of the church is to Cultivate the Mind.
Verses 20 – 26 Speak to the Congregation to Convict Sinners. The Corinthians were not thinking maturely. In 1 Corinthians 14:20 says, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” The people of the church of Corinth as well as the church of today are and were better than the talent show of spiritual gifts and other things in the church. Verse 26 says, “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” When the church gathers, we must let all things be done for edification. We must make sure that we preach and teach a convicting word that will cause the sinner to be convicted, convinced, and converted. No Apostolic Order, Ecclesiastical Vestments, Bishop hat or staff is going to convict, convince and least of all convert a sinner.
The purpose of the church is to be the catalyst that will ignite change in the sinner through and with the unadulterated word of God convicting sinners of their sin, convincing them that God loves them and died for their sins, and converting them teaching them what must be done Repent, Be baptized in Jesus name and hey shall receive the gift off the Holy Ghost.
Verses 27 – 38 Paul deals with letting the people know God is not the author of confusion. Some believe that they cannot control the Holy Spirit within them and evidently those in Corinth gave this same excuse. This is not true. God is not a God of confusion, and the church is not the place for such confusion. Verses 32-33 says, “and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,”
The purpose of the church is to show the World that God is not the author of Confusion but of Peace. In a world full of confusion, you can have peace and not just peace but peace that passeth all understanding.
Verses 39 – 40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Every time that you hear that verse, know that this is talking about the Church and how all things must done for Christ’s purpose through the edification of the mind.
Closing: - So let’s wrap this up – The purpose of the Church.
1. To Love: – especially the world right where they are.
2. To Edify: - To construct, build up or establish to promote growth in Christian character.
3. To Exhort: - to urge by a strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice, or appeal.
4. To Comfort: - Comfort when the Bible talks about someone being comforted or consoled, it generally means that they are being offered ideas that will help bring them to a more peaceful spiritual state, whether it is a new state or the restoration of one that had been under attack.
5. To Teach: - The purpose of the church is to Teach people how to worship.
6. To Cultivate the Mind. The world is not an easy place to live we need a thinking church; we need to teach people how to love God with the mind. Loving God with your mind is being able to effectively cause humility trust and faith in Him and His Word.
7. To be a Catalyst of change. Igniting change in the sinner through and with the unadulterated word of God convicting, convincing, and converting causing them to ask what must we do to be saved.
8. To show Unity: - The purpose of the church is to show the World that God is not the author of Confusion but of Peace.
I stated that I was giving a 6-portion breakdown of Chapter 14. In closing the are 8 purposes of the Church. The number 8 means New Beginning. Let us the church have a New Beginning and truly live the purpose of the church.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
