The Significance of the Biblical Mission for your Church

Churches are seeking significance. 

Local churches are tempted to allow the drive for bigger to become the mission. Capacity has become significant. Congregation size, social media followers, and massive facilities are relevant criteria for modern church culture. However, the local church misses the mark when it seeks significance in real estate, not the community’s eternal state. 

Your church can find significance in the mission God has given the church. 

The question that can define the organizational mission of your church is, What are we supposed to do? It is crucial for local churches that want to answer this question to direct their attention to the Bible. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus provided the biblical mission for the church through the Great Commission. By passionately embracing the biblical mission, the church will see three outcomes. 

Biblical Mission reflects God

Ministry leaders often want to replicate the next big church, YouTube celebrity pastor, or high-profile ministry. While replicating a specific ministry is not fundamentally wrong, your church's mission is not to reflect a mega-church but to reflect the Mighty God. 

The local church is made up of image-bearers who have been designed to reflect God in the world. Psalm 96:3 says, “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.” As your church grasps the biblical mission given by Christ, your church reflects God’s heart for the nations. 

Follow this link for an excellent study of God’s heart for the nations. 

Biblical Mission provides a Clear Focus

Genesis 3 makes it clear we are easily distracted. Distractions in ministry often lead to procrastination in the mission. However, clarity in the mission leads to missional urgency. A biblical mission provides a clear focus for the local church. 

So, how can a church gain clarity in its mission? First, recognize distractions. Pray through Psalm 139:23 and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal your church’s distractions. 

Next, avoid perfectionism in ministry. Perfectionism is the enemy of the mission. Many leaders fail to lead their church forward because they haven’t found the perfect strategy. God has not called you to unveil a perfect strategic plan. The perfect God has invited imperfect people to participate in His perfect plan of redemption. 

Finally, celebrate the mission. Has someone shared the Gospel with a neighbor? Does your church have a baptism scheduled soon? Do you have members praying for the unsaved? Rejoice! Celebrating God’s work will provide a clear picture of the biblical mission. 

Biblical Mission provides a Unified Direction

Unity in the local church begins with identity in Christ, not mission. Seeking Him and growing your relationship with Him brings unity within the local church. As you are united in connection, He will give your church direction. Unity in Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, motivates the mission. 

So how does a biblical mission provide a unified direction? First, your congregation will be unified in their passion for glorifying God and reflecting Him in the community and the world. 

Secondly, your congregation will be unified in prayer. The global expansion of the church started with a small group united in prayer. Acts 1:14 states, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer together.” Churches that pray together are united together. 

Finally, your congregation will be united in their purpose. When the church is not united in mission, they are divided in direction. Even under the same roof, without a biblical mission, well-intended groups can pull the church in different directions. However, when a church submits to the biblical mission, every member, committee, council, and leader will be united in their purpose. 

Now what? 

Ask yourself, “What is your church supposed to do?”

The significance of understanding the biblical mission of your church is not to find notoriety in your creative methods or crafty strategies but to magnify the great name of God together. A biblical mission magnifies God by making disciples of all nations. 

Jesus provided the mission. What's the next step for your church? 

Go.