Laser-Focused Mission

Light is a powerful force. When spread out over a room, it is neutralized. It can however be focused to such a degree that it cuts through steel. When it comes to the mission of the church, laser-focus is especially important. The mission of the church is to make disciples.

The church makes disciples by being witnesses of the Gospel. The church also makes disciples by shepherding and equipping those who believe the Gospel further into spiritual maturity. These men and women (including pastors who must lead the way by example) then go out to the world to be salt and light. When we deviate from this mission, we dilute the work of the local church and neutralize its effectiveness. Here are some ways we can become distracted from the mission of the church:

1) It is not the primary mission of the church to do politics

This at first glance seems obvious. However, churches can so easily get pulled into political aims, however noble, that are not about the primary mission of the church. A prominent Brazilian pastor recently told me the Pentecostal church in Brazil has been neutralized primarily by its obsession with politics. We are in near danger of the same.

Individual disciples may be called to work within government, military, litigation, or police, and in doing so, act as agents of the state. Others are simply called to do more on the political front as good citizens. The local church plays its role by helping disciple these Christians to serve as God has called them, without confusing its own role as disciple-maker.

As churches make disciples, who mature in worship, fellowship, service, and outreach, it will no doubt transform how Christians go about all areas of life including social responsibilities.

2) It is not the primary mission of the church to enact social justice

I want to tread carefully here, so please don’t misunderstand me. It is absolutely the mission of Christians, individual disciples, to enact biblical justice. We must pursue justice if we want to faithfully follow Jesus. It is part of how we love our neighbor. That said, it is not the primary mission of the local church. 

Good is the enemy of the great, and when it comes to the mission of the church, we find the greatest good in the world. The world needs churches to do its role, and individual disciples to go out into all the world and do their job which includes pursuing justice. Might a church be involved in race relations, poverty alleviation, or the opioid crisis? Certainly, so long as it does not lose focus on the primary mission. These ministries can work as means to the end of making disciples. More often, the local church will be discipling individuals who will serve in various capacities in the global community.

3) It is not the primary mission of the church to pastor the city

Do the work of an evangelist. Reach out into the community. Serve the city. However, a pastor is a shepherd of a local church family; he is not the shepherd of a city, town or parish. In the end, a pastor will stand before God and answer for the care of souls of the members of his church family. Thank God he will not, nor could he, answer for the souls of the entire city.

I love my city. I want to witness many in my city come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. I hope many of them do end up joining my church family, and if so, I will have the opportunity as their pastor to help disciple them to serve as God has uniquely called them. 

Focus is a powerful thing. There are only 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, 365 days in year. The buffet of good things a church can do with that time is virtually endless. However, the most important thing should never be lost in the smorgasbord. Make disciples. Witness to the world of Jesus Christ and help Christians grow deeper in their faith. Then individual Christians will know how God is calling them to serve. If we do this right, all these other areas will be better served by our focus. Like a laser, the local church’s ministry will cut deeply into the culture and change the world for Jesus Christ.

Rick Harrington is a pastor at First Baptist Church - Haverhill in Massachusetts. He is the author of the books "How to Find a Church: Seven Steps to Becoming Part of a Spiritual Family" and "The Weight of Preaching: Heralding the Gospel of Grace". You can follow his writing on his blog The Lamp Post.