Rick Warren uses five words to summarize the Biblical purposes of the Church: "1) Magnify, 2) Mission, 3) Membership, 4) Maturity, 5) Ministry." I agree that all of these are purposes of the church. However, I believe worship, which he calls, "Magnify", is not a purpose, but is the purpose from which all of the other purposes flow. If we are true worshippers, all the other purposes - ministry, evangelism, fellowship, and discipleship will be natural outflows of our worship, empowered by Him. I believe that to be in complete agreement with both The Great Commandment and the Great Commission! "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." The One who calls us to the life of righteousness is the very One who by our consent, will live that life through us. The One who calls us to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, is the One who by our consent, goes and preaches to every creature through us. The divine genius of our Lord is that our witness and ministry would be a natural outcome of our worship.
There is no better statement on mission and worship than this one by John Piper:
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, mission will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.
"Worship, therefore is both the fuel and the goal in mission. It's the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God's glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God." mjm
Questions/Comments: michaelj@fbcrockwalltx.org
