The purpose of the church

 In 1995 Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Church, was released. It immediately became a best-selling book, and it remains one that should be required reading for all pastors and church leaders. The reason is simple: most of our churches are drifting with no real sense of direction and purpose. Warren's book shows us how to turn that around.

We are wrapping up another year. If your church is like most churches, you may look back and wonder what you actually accomplished for the Kingdom of God. You may have had a lot of programs and activities, but at the end of the year, what did they accomplish? One primary reason for the lack of achievement in most churches is that they had no sense of vision and purpose behind the things they did. Until we identify the purpose of our church and begin to have a vision for how we can accomplish that purpose, we will continue to drift and achieve little.

The mission of the church is quite simple: it is to fulfill the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. This mission is the same for every church regardless of location or size. The vision of the church, however, will be different for each church because it will address how a particular church will fulfill that mission. Your community will be different with different needs, and the people in your church will have differing gifts and passions. What will enable one church to fulfill its mission will be different than what will work in another church. Therefore, the vision must be different. But, once your purpose and vision is clear you can then focus on doing the things that will produce results.

The challenge then will be to make the changes necessary in the church that will allow you to focus on that purpose and vision. Nobody likes change except a small baby. Most of our members are not comfortable with change, and in all honesty, neither do many pastors. We like the familiar, the known, the life that doesn't create problems. Once you begin to refocus the direction of the church you will encounter problems.

Church members who view their pastor as the church chaplain won't like it when he or she begins to focus more attention on unchurched people. Years ago I coached my son's Parks Department baseball team. A friend who pastored another church was also a coach in a different league. His church told him they didn't pay him to coach baseball, they paid him to be their pastor. He finished out the season and soon left the church. They could not see the ministry value in him being involved in the community.

What is the purpose of your church? Can your members clearly express that purpose? Does your church budget and calendar reflect that purpose? As we begin a new year, what needs to change to make that purpose a reality in your church?