Church On Mission: What IS Church?
Introducing a new series called "Church on Mission", shifting focus from relationships to the church's purpose. Pastor Tim asserts that the church's mission should be the central guiding principle for both the institution and individual Christians, connecting an individual's life purpose to the local church's mission, citing the Great Commandment (Mark 12:28-31) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) as biblical foundations for this directive.
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Study Guide: Church on Mission
Short-Answer Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each, based on the provided source context.
What is the name of the new sermon series, and for whom is it intended?
According to Pastor Tim, what are some common but incorrect, smaller visions for the church's purpose?
What key question should be asked to identify the unique mission of the local church, distinguishing it from other organizations?
How does Pastor Tim summarize God's mission for the church into a concise, three-part statement?
What passage of scripture does Jesus quote in Mark 12 to identify the most important commandment, and what is its historical name?
According to the teaching from Mark 12, what is the proper orientation of love, and why is this order important?
In Matthew 28, what authority does Jesus claim that serves as the foundation for his command to his followers?
Based on the Greek grammar discussed from Matthew 28, what is the main imperative verb, and what other actions describe how to fulfill it?
What is the "Good Idea Fairy," and how does it serve as a danger to the church's mission?
Why does God's plan ensure that believers will "never be fully prepared" to engage in His mission?
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Answer Key
The new sermon series is called "Church on Mission." It is intended for three groups: people who are not yet followers of Jesus, followers of Jesus who do not know the church's mission, and current Christians who need to be called to engage in that mission.
Some incorrect, smaller visions for the church's purpose include seeing it merely as a social gathering, a place to get more information, an institution to make people feel good about themselves, or a means to "your best life now." While fellowship is part of church life, it is not the central mission.
The key question is: "What specifically does the local church do that no other organization does?" This distinguishes the church's unique purpose from general activities like caring for people or assisting the needy, which organizations like the Lions Club also do.
Pastor Tim summarizes God's mission for the church as "loving God, loving others, and making disciples." He states that the purpose of Mercy Church is to continually help people grow in these three areas.
In Mark 12, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to answer the question about the most important commandment. This passage is historically known as the "Shema," which begins with "Hear, O Israel."
The proper orientation of love is first toward God and then toward others. This order is important because loving God properly helps a person to love others properly, flowing from a "heavenward" focus first.
In Matthew 28, Jesus claims to have been given "all authority in heaven and on earth." This total authority is the basis for the command, or Great Commission, that he gives to his followers.
The main imperative verb in the passage is "make disciples." This command is fulfilled through the actions of going, baptizing people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded.
The "Good Idea Fairy" is a term used by Navy Seals to describe how a mission can get derailed by adding numerous "cool" or good ideas that are not part of the core objective. For the church, this danger represents being distracted from the central mission by good, but non-essential, activities.
God's plan ensures believers are never fully prepared so that they will be constantly dependent upon Him. This dynamic is designed to drive people to prayer and reliance on God's help, as they will recognize that the mission cannot succeed without His presence and blessing.
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Essay Questions
The following questions are for deeper reflection and study. Answers are not provided.
Analyze the distinction Pastor Tim makes between church "activity" and the church's "mission." Using examples from the text, explain how a church can be busy with good things and still fail to fulfill its core purpose.
Explore the relationship between the Great Commandment (Mark 12:28-31) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) as presented in the sermon. How do "loving God and loving others" create the foundation and motivation for "making disciples"?
Pastor Tim argues that a Christian's personal life purpose is inextricably connected to the mission of their local church. Evaluate this argument, explaining why he believes this connection is essential and how it challenges a focus on mere self-improvement.
Discuss the two primary dangers to being a "church on mission" that are identified at the end of the sermon: the distraction of "cool" things and the feeling of inadequacy ("I can't"). How do these two forces work to pull believers away from God's intended purpose?
Explain Pastor Tim's cycle of discipleship: "loving God more and more, so we might love others, and then ultimately make disciples." Describe how each part of this cycle logically flows into the next and why it is problematic when the process stops short.
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Glossary of Key Terms
Term
Definition
Church on Mission
The title of the sermon series and the central theme. It posits that the church has a specific, God-given purpose it is called to actively carry out, rather than simply existing as a social club or information source.
Disciple
A follower of Jesus. The mission of the church involves making disciples, which is described as a process of helping people come to faith in Christ, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey his commands.
Good Idea Fairy
A term borrowed from the Navy Seals that refers to the tendency to get distracted from a primary mission by adding numerous other "good ideas." In the context of the church, it is the danger of pursuing good but distracting activities instead of the core mission.
Great Commandment
Jesus's teaching found in Mark 12:28-31 (referencing Deuteronomy and Leviticus), where He identifies the most important commandment as loving God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second as loving one's neighbor as oneself.
Great Commission
The final command Jesus gives to his followers in Matthew 28:18-20. It is the directive to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
Mercy Church
The name of the local church where the sermon is being delivered. Its stated purpose is to help people grow in loving God, loving others, and making disciples.
Ontological Reality
A term used to describe something fundamental to the essence or nature of being. In the sermon, it refers to the idea that humans are fundamentally made or designed to love God and others.
Shema (Shama)
The Hebrew name for the passage in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, which begins "Hear, O Israel..." It is the foundational declaration of Jewish faith that Jesus quotes when defining the Great Commandment.
Teleological Reality
A term used to describe something related to purpose or design. In the sermon, it is used to argue that the purpose for which humans are designed is to love God and love others.
