Is reaching souls for Christ our number-one function as Christ's church?

[com7fy8]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

Yes. That is what Jesus instructed: "Go into all the world and make disciples."

 

[Jonaitis]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

Evangelism and Discipleship.

If we have one without the other, we have failed our commission.

 

[royal priest]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

There is an extremely important caveat to be made with regard to 'reaching souls'.
Our efforts to reach the lost ought to fulfill the high and holy standard of Jesus' instruction to His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20,
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
If we understand reaching men to mean, 'appealing' to them, 'attracting' them, or 'seducing' them to the Gospel, then we can be tempted to emphasize those elements which are agreeable to sinful men (such as forgiveness of sin) while de-emphasizing another (such as repentance). Our number one function really is to show forth the glory of God

 

[Blade]

Yes.. letting that light shine so the world can see. This is not our home.. we are not from here. Were just passing through. But.. He has you where He wants you.. ask Him to put you where He wants. Remember.. what He wants you to do.. if far more better and makes you more happy then ANYTHING you think you want. I think sometimes we need to ask for His heart on this. So many times in my life I never wanted cared about people coming to Christ. Shows you where my heart was.

Remember ..want to do it.. from your heart. See.. its never ever us. He brings them to Him.. not us..ever. Just be you.. walk by faith..knowing that you just share what He is and done in your life. Going on a branch here.. Jesus really did shine.. there was just something about Him when you saw Him. That LIGHT is REAL! its in all of us that believe. But most don't believe. Just letting that light shine is a cute song!

Ever just stand there.. like at Collage Eastern Washington Univ.. there were playing a movie out side. Nothing ever about Jesus lol. It was a black and white if I remember. And just standing there and this girl comes up.. says "your a Christian arent you?" I said yes how did you know? She said "theres just something about you". Not me.. thats the JESUS in you.. that LIGHT is real. Song playing older.. Ray Bolts"thank you" man always makes me cry... haha..wow huh.. well its playing whats that song about? What are we talking about? Holy JESUS.. perfect timing..again.. praise YOU FATHER.. writing this.. about the song.. is when I noticed. haha

 

[Justified Sinner]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

Though we share the gospel as we have opportunity, and we should be pleased to tell others about our Savior, evangelism is not the #1 function of the church. What is?

Worshiping God and communing with Him and one another (believers).

Evangelism isn't even the main idea in the great commission. Disciplemaking is. In fact, disciplemaking is an imperative (command) in the original. So in the great commission, the church is not commanded to evangelize. It's commanded to make disciples. How does the church make disciples? Baptize and teach (Matt 28:18-20).

In the English, "Go" looks like the main verb, but it's not. It's a participle (i.e., "going" "as you go").

Evangelism may play a role in disciplemaking, it's not the main function of the church.

To often we "share the gospel." Then when someone "makes a decision for Jesus," we set our sights on someone else without discipling the new believer. That's a failure to fulfill the great commission.

The Justified Sinner

 

[com7fy8]

Romans 8:29 says God has predestined His children to be "conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (in Romans 8:29)

To me, it does not look like evangelism gets people conformed to the image of Jesus, but a person does need to get saved, including trusting in Jesus (Ephesians 1:12). But this by itself does not accomplish what we are saved for. So, I consider that ministering people to be conformed to Jesus is necessary in the main function of the church. I would not say evangelism is more or less important, but all is needed.

And our Apostle Paul says >

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily." (Colossians 1:28-29)

Also, he says >

"but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head---Christ---" (Ephesians 4:15)

So, we need to have speaking which ministers us to grow "in all things" of Jesus.

 

[Mr. M]

John 13:35. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
On this both evangelism and discipleship succeeds or fails.

 

[rturner76]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

1 Feed the hungry
2 House the homeless
3 Clothe the naked

Do it for God in the name of Jesus and the church will build there. IMO

 

[bbbbbbb]

Actually, there is no number one priority for Christians. All things are top priority. The church is a body in which each member differs from each other in their gifts and calling and none are more significant than any of the others.

 

[Julian of Norwich]

In His Commandments He made it very clear that we are to love God totally (which, off course, includes obedience) and love each other as we do ourselves. These, I would say, are our "prime directives". Part of the 2nd Commandment would include, I believe, bringing souls to Him.

 

[Marilyn C]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

Hi com7fy8,

I believe being made like Christ is the first requirement for out of that comes the ability, insight and understanding of what the Holy Spirit would have us do in relation to others.

Discipling/mentoring is then needed as it is through those growing in the Lord that other relationships in the world are developed. Then as those mentored become more confident in hearing the Holy Spirit then they too can go on to mentor others.

 

[com7fy8]

Thank you, everyone, for sharing things for me to feed on

Evangelism and Discipleship.

So, we do not only bring people to Jesus, but then take care of them and disciple them. And in order to do this, we ourselves need to be healthy in God's love and be His good "examples to the flock." (in 1 Peter 5:3) So, while we disciple others, there is how we ourselves need to help one another to grow in Jesus > "speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head---Christ---" (in Ephesians 4:15). God wants us to share with Him in all His good things, while we reach and disciple. And, of course, this means we ourselves are being discipled, while we may be discipling others

I have fun, in a way, telling newer children of God, that they are important enough with God so they can help and bless me, and teach me and correct me. Because God can use every child of God to be good for any other person.

We need to learn how to live in Jesus Christ's "rest for your souls" (in Matthew 11:28-29) so we can minister this to others; I just thought of this. Our ministering needs to be in His personal guiding in His rest and peace, so this is in our example > because > part of our basic calling is to obey how God rules us in His peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

 

[GenemZ]

Is reaching souls for Jesus our number-one function as His church?

If not, what is?

Also > in any case, what else is most important?

Reaching them for what? I got saved by reading a tract handed to me while walking to class in college. The person who handed it to me said not a word other that "here." (take this)

The number one priority for any Church is to become a school of higher education for teaching sound doctrine.

For without one gaining a good to excellent understanding of God's Word? Everything else we might do would end up being vanity - ending up being evaluated and burned up by the Lord as wood, hay, and straw. (dead works)

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is
Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly
stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because
the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will
test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the
builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss
but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the
flames. - 1 Cor 3:11-15

​

grace and peace

 

[HappyHope]

Evangelism and Discipleship.

If we have one without the other, we have failed our commission.

Yes!