Why Does The Church Exist?

“So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” – Matthew 28:18–20.

If you asked a group of people what they like best about their church, you would probably get a mix of the following answers:

• I love our worship, especially the music.
• I love our preacher – he speaks in a way I can understand better, yet apply in my life.
• I love our devotion and work for Jesus Christ and His Lordship.
• I love that people are being saved.
• I love we are well grounded in the scriptures.
• I love our KiDS programs.

If we were asked that question, our answer would based on the purpose or the mission of the church. I thought I would seek an expert opinion on that subject, C.S. Lewis. Mr. Lewis was kind enough to answer this question for us during the 1940’s when He wrote “Mere Christianity.” Mere Christianity was actually adapted from a series of BBC radio talks with C.S. Lewis during World War II, while he was at Oxford. But, I believe his insights are spot on for us today 70 plus years later.

“It is easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects—education, buildings, missions, holding services … the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose. It says in the Bible that the whole universe was made for Christ and that everything is to be gathered together in Him.” (C.S.Lewis, Mere Christianity)

If Lewis is right that “the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs,” that has to be the sole focus of our journey and the mission of Northstar. We can have a lot of really great things going on, but if it is not to “draw people into Christ,”  it is not the best use of our time.

There are a lot of great programs that we in the Church view as pillars of the church. But, if it’s not drawing people to Christ, it’s a luxury, not a necessity. Lewis goes on to say, “God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other purpose.” Jesus became a human for no other purpose, than to draw others to Himself.

“Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.” (C.S.Lewis, Mere Christianity)

That is why the church exists.

Discussion Question:

1. Why do you think the church exists? How do I fit into the church? What do I contribute? In what ways am I improving in how I harmonize with fellow believers?
2. What does it mean to make little Christs?
3. Things to wrestle with: Am I prepared to explain the message of Jesus? Can I clearly convey to someone how to be saved? Do I believe that God could use me to share his message of hope to someone who needs Him? Am I ready to share what Christ has done in my life?
4. Pray for Northstar that we will make “little Christs” each week?