CHBC Connect for February 16, 2024
God’s Vision for CHBC: 3 Piers, 3 Pillars, and 3 Purposes
3 Purposes: Equip Believers, Exalt Christ, and Extend the Gospel
We define the church by our statement of faith, which says, “A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth,” (BF&M 2000). To function according to what is defined, we must equip believers to know God and to know His Word.
In what we call Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, we read, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” I have underlined the phrase I want you to focus on as we consider the first of the three purposes of a local church.
The Lord Jesus Christ governs His church by divine authority (v. 18), which means we must know His laws, His ways, and His word. God has given to the church those who are entrusted to teach in the local church. That begins with those who are pastors/elders/overseers and extends to others who have spiritual gifts for teaching and counseling.
For the church to be equipped means more than just learning the knowledge of the Scriptures. A person who is equipped to follow Christ experiences a personal relationship with Christ, and walks in daily obedience to the will, ways, and words of Christ. Therefore, each member of a local church is involved in the equipping of all the other members by way of discipleship. Parents are discipling their children by teaching and example. Men and women are discipling one another in the church, equipping the body by shared knowledge and personal experience of what it means to walk with Christ through different seasons of life.
To completely fulfill the purpose of Equipping Believers is much more than a robust teaching ministry, or Holy Spirit empowered preaching. It is a culture of disciple-making disciples. What has God been teaching you through His word and your personal experiences? Who is in your life right now with whom you can share these insights? What questions do you have about the Bible or about how to follow Jesus in a certain aspect of your life? Who do you see that loves Jesus well, and to whom you could ask these questions? Maybe it is time to invite these people to coffee and begin equipping one another by having a conversation.
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
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