What is the local church’s mission according to the Bible?
According to Scripture, the local church’s mission is to proclaim, preserve, and display the gospel.
- Proclaim the gospel. Jesus charged the apostles with proclaiming the gospel to all nations (Matt. 28:18-20), and he established the church to carry out that task. Preaching the gospel is central to the church’s mission (2 Tim. 2:15, 4:2)
- Preserve the gospel. Paul calls the church a pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). The church is charged with the task of preserving the true gospel throughout the ages (1 Tim. 1:3-4; 2 Tim. 1:13; Tit. 1:9). It does this through faithfully preaching the gospel, refuting false teaching, and maintaining doctrinal and moral purity among its members.
- Display the gospel.Paul says that through the church God makes known his wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places (Eph. 3:10). Through the holy lives of its members and its unity-in-diversity (1 Cor. 12:12-26), the church is called to be a vivid, living color display of the gospel it preaches.
