God’s Purposes for the Church Revisited

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When was the last you revisited your church’s purpose? You can get help with that on the MinTools.com site which has a section devoted to the church’s purpose beginning with a look at God’s unchanging priority. The TrainChurchLeaders.com site also deals with God’s purposes for the Church and how it affects various leadership responsibilities.

Do We Align with God’s Priority?

Based on what Jesus defined as the greatest commandments, we could conclude that our purpose would be to live out those commandments.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:37-39)

The next verse cues us in to the importance and priority of these commands. Jesus asserted, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

If the Law Hangs on Love for God and People, So Should our Church Purpose

The Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20 are ways to show love for God and love for people.

Love for God:
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol.
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Love for People:
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false testimony.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house … wife.

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The theme of love for God and love for people runs through Scripture with the various commands lining up under these purposes. God’s objectives haven’t changed. Consequently, we should be able to make a two column chart for our church with the headings Love God and Love People. What we do should be able to fit under one column or the other. That which does not clearly fit, should be examined for its value of the time and resources it takes in light of these purposes.

The question we must ask is if we are actively pursuing and lining up with God’s purposes as a church. If not, why not?

Need Help with Revisiting God’s Purposes?

Church Purpose Bundle
In addition to content provided on the above mentioned sites, check out the Church Purpose Bundle. The Church Purpose Ministry Manual builds off of the content on the MinTools.com site and the Steering the Church Toward God’s Purposes Leadership Guide from the TrainChurchLeaders.com site. Together, these two resources provide a more comprehensive look at our church purpose but they can also be ordered individually.

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The Way God Made Us Gives People Value

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All God Created is Good and Has Value with People Most Significant

We have a creative God who made the heavens and earth (Gen. 1:1). Everything God made was “very good” (Gen. 1:31), giving value to all He created. But, His final work, mankind, had more significance than anything else. People weren’t just the culmination of His creative activity. They were special and superior.

The way God made us has implications for our ministries and relationships.

Two Reasons God’s Creation of People Gives Them Value

1) God made people special.

“God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them.” (Gen. 1:27) Of no other created being or thing do we read of it being created in God’s likeness. Having been made in the image of God gives people value unlike anything else He made. People are special.

Implications: Let’s help each other find our worth in Him. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made”, a reason to live a life of praise and thanksgiving (Ps. 139:14). And, let’s treat people with dignity and respect. No wonder Jesus said that whatever we do for even those who seem to be the least among us, it’s like we’re doing it to Him (Matt. 25:35-45).

2) God made people superior.

Having been made in the image of God, people are capable of ruling over all other creatures He made (Gen. 1:26, 28). The Psalmist prayed, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet …” (Ps. 8:4-9)

Implications: Let’s keep a people first perspective. People should take priority over programs, objects, or any other created thing. Let’s not lose sight of the value God places on people.

Bottom Line: We value the people God made because He does.

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Where Should We Be As a Church?

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We need to constantly ask ourselves strategic questions to make sure we get or stay on track as a Church — ministry assessment questions. Start with the question “Where should we be as a Church?” because that provides God’s standard against which to measure all other questions we might ask.

God’s Standard for Answering the Question, “Where Should We Be As a Church?”

God's Standard Answers Where We Should Be as a ChurchWhile the Church has undergone changes in recent days, we still have an unchanging standard for where we should be:

  1. God’s Purposes for us to love Him with all of who we are and to love people (Matt. 22:37-40)
  2. God’s Design for the Church to function as a Body (1 Cor. 12)

How we get there may change but the above realities should remain our priorities for when we are who we should be, we will tend to do what we should do — God’s mission (Matt. 28:18-20).

Reflect on the potential, not the current reality. Then in light of God’s purpose and design for His Church, zero in on what ministry you should be doing to accomplish His priorities.

The question “Where should we be as a Church?” is the first of five helpful questions we might ask. Input for doing ministry assessments using those five questions is included in the Staffing Ministry Manual because to effectively staff, we need to see where it fits into the big picture so we recruit the right people for the right ministries and provide them with the training and resources they need to do the work.

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Bible Verses on Ministry Objectives of Greatest Commandments

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Ministry Commandments Aimed at What Matters Most to God, the Greatest Commandments

In a previous post about ministry objectives, six objectives were listed.

The post drew these objectives out of Matthew 22:37-39 where Jesus identified love for God and love for people as the greatest commandments under which all else comes.

Bible verses that back up ministry objectives based on the Greatest Commandments:

Below you’ll find the first two principles with related Bible verses. The remaining principles along with Scripture for them are listed in the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool.

  1. Keep God first in ministry, not the ministry itself or the people we serve.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt 6:33)

You shall have no other gods before me. (Ex. 20:3)

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. (Ps. 118:8)

  1. Make ministry about loving God and others, not mere activity.

Love the Lord your God with all … Love your neighbor as yourself … All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. (Matt. 22:37-40)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13:1-3)

 

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Bible Verses About Ministry Objectives

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Bible Verses Light Path for Ministry Objectives

Scripture provides direction for all we do in ministry, lighting our way.

Let God’s Word shed light on establishing and pursuing both broad and specific ministry objectives. Take time to reflect on the following Bible verses.

Bible Verses that Give Guidelines for Establishing Ministry Objectives

Our ministry objectives need to come under the umbrella of God’s top priority. (Read: Ministry Objectives Based on the Greatest Commandments)

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40)

Specific objectives to meet God’s priorities must be established by looking to Him for wisdom and understanding.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5)

Ministry objectives need to align with God and His ways, not what we think is important; nor the ways of the world.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matt. 6:19-20)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt. 6:33)

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. (Jn. 6:27)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom. 12:2)

You’ll find these guidelines in the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool along with some brief commentary about each point. In addition to Ministry Objectives, this resource also looks at eight other key elements to doing ministry God’s way. Each element is covered in three pages, with the first two pages answering some questions about the element and the third page a Bible study guide about it.

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Bible Verses for Ministry Alignment

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Ministry Alignment

When talking about ministry alignment we must not only focus on aligning our actions with God but also our thoughts and hearts with His. When we do, we’ll have more of a tendency of aligning with one another in our ministries.

What better place to learn about aligning than from God’s Word! Therein we learn about His character and ways.

Bible Verses Pointing to Why We Need to Align Ministry with God’s Character & Ways

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. (Ps. 145:17)

A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart. (Prov. 21:2)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isa. 55:8-9)

Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. (Hos. 14:9)

For more help looking at Ministry Alignment through a biblical lens, order the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool. It looks at what’s required to align with God and results of doing so. It also guides you through a study of God’s Word to better understand the role of prayer, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Himself in order to align your ministry with God. In addition to this key element, it also consider 8 other elements important to doing ministry God’s way.

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