The purpose of church

October 9, 2018 | 10 comments

Church is about more than attending services on Sundays and Wednesdays, manning committees, and consoling a sense of duty to God through worship that may border more on ritual than inspirational. Church is about establishing the kingdom of heaven on earth.

Of all institutions on earth, church is the one organization that is designed to teach and demonstrate spiritual reality. Church, at its best, is an organization focused on understanding spiritual reality, demonstrating the unity of man with God, and proving the power of good over evil, conquering sin, disease and death.

When Jesus called together his first church group in the form of the twelve disciples, he set the standard for all church work. He sent them out to share with their neighbors the truth that he had shared with them. He instructed, “Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!” (Matt. 10:7,8, NLT).

Church work, done right, results in people experiencing more of the presence of heaven in their lives, and less suffering. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10, KJV), Jesus taught his followers to pray.

Within the true purpose of church, is the grandest and noblest of ideals for humanity to strive for. Political, economic and social goals pale compared to uniting all mankind into the one Mind of Love, healing the sick with truth and love, restoring hope, life and health to those who suffer, and demonstrating heaven on earth.

When all activities of church are focused on the divine ideal of demonstrating the presence of heaven, squabbling among members, selfishness, hurt feelings, apathy, indifference, fear, and their kin, will vanish from church memberships. Congregations will not be focused on themselves, but on loving and healing their neighbor. And these congregations will grow.

10 thoughts on “The purpose of church”

  1. Hi all dear SpiritView friends, I suppose you all have not got the SpiritView of today in your PC inbox, just as I havn`t, too. But then I look at the SV of yesterday, and if I see a square with the word “next” at the right side of the bottom , just above the three photos, you can click on it and you get today`s uttermost important and so loving SpiritView. Ok, if you arrive to this page, you have done all that I just declared.

    Dear Evan, I do love this topic so very much, as our spiritual concept of “Church” is so much more than only the edifice. It is mainly healing, as you say, and a lot of loving our members, and everybody else. . I cannot say too much to this, it is simply utterly wonderful !!!
    Yes, all the committees and duties in church has the one and only goal – loving and healing our church and the communities!

    Specially the last paragraph is unspeakable good and desirable and true. It is so so necessary and so very inspiring – endless thanks, dear Evan for this loving and healing advice for us a l l, in order that our churches and the whole CS movement prospers !! 🙂

  2. What a lovely church, Evan, and I hope that all the other SV fans find to this page, too!
    I hop I receive your valuable SpiritView tomorrow as normal. When I try to put my mail-address into the subscibe-line another window opens, saying that I already subscribe to SpiritView.
    So I think its just only a misfire and tomorrow I will get it again. Love from Uta! 🙂

  3. I didn’t get this till very late in the day but like Uta I am very grateful for it! My own branch church is very small now and we have just changed from a Church to a Society but we are all dedicated members who love church and love each other. We are blest!

    1. Thank you Linda for your comment. Our church is also not so big, and we pray to love each other more and more, so that visitors from outside feel good in our church. I am also very thankful for our church and the blessings God gives us!

  4. Same here…thanks , Uta, for letting me/ us know how to get this one. . I clicked on yesterday’s…down at right bottom..”newer”.

    Hope it comes later or new one tomorrow. Ha

    Love the subject of church. So needed.

  5. U are all so faithful. I just found this one from yesterday. My little branch church went thru’ Hurricane Harvey and is almost restored a year later, so the thoughts on the real church are especially poignant. Each step of the way we had “ to listen.”
    And the verse: before we call, he answers. We are so grateful to friends, strangers, branch churches & The Mother Church who helped in the restoration process
    We are sooo grateful.

  6. Yes, isn’t what you write of Jesus’ church activity exactly defined in Science and Health’s definition of church? “The structure of Truth and Love?” The uprightness and strength of the truth of Love, the loving of Truth and the living of that love?

  7. Thank you Evan for this reminder we all need from time to time. Making sure we are not focusing on ourselves but on loving and healing our neighbor as you pointed out. That’s the purpose of church.

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