Over and over again I hear this said. It is sure to get you a standing ovation at the NACC.

"Evangelism is the #1 Priority of the Church!!"

My question is....is it??? If so....where is our Scriptural undergirding of that.

I'll give you what I think is the #1 job of the church with more than 99% of the N.T. supporting this. Here it is.....

"The #1 job of the church is keeping it pure!"

Scriptural evidence??? No problem. Look at every single epistle including Revelation. Is not the emphasis in each of these books....purity in personal living....and purity in the church?? In fact.....very little is said about evangelism.

In fact, look at the first act of Church discipline found in Acts 5. Notice the reaction of both the church and those outside the church. It states...."and great fear came over the church, and over all who heard these things."

NOW....HERE IS THE BIGGIE....notice the result of that in Acts 5. It states in verse 14...."And all the more beleivers in the Lord....were added to their number."

You see....I believe people will flock to the church when they take us seriously.....and they are not going to take us seriously until we focus on purity of life and purity of church.

So those of you who think the little things don't matter (i.e., what we call ourselves)....ought to rethink your position on that. Especially in light of the overwhelming N.T. evidence.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

Answers

Michael....

There is no throwing out the baby with the bath water....just a matter of getting the horse pulling the cart.

You see......an emphasis on doctrinal purity as well as personal piety NATURALLY lends itself to evangelism as we strive to be all that Jesus wants us to be.

However....the church of today is pushed by this drive of "numbers"....and what we end up with is a church where just about anything is tolerated in the name of "Christian love" in order to get those reports to the Standard and make us as Preachers feel we have done something.

Mr. Kelley...

You mention a "plethora of N.T. evidence." Give me some???? Just 5 verses from the epistles that indicate that evangelism is the #1 priority of the church. Just five???

Also Mr. Kelley....I have no desire to argue with a Baptist....I have a desire to see them saved.

Theresa.....

That is the great commission....the overal purpose....to which all else is the end result.

For instance....James says...."pure and undefiled religion in the sight of God is the care of widows and orphans."

As the church takes care of business like that....then the world is attacted to the message of Christ as they see that His disiciples are known by their "love one for the other."

The fulfillment of the Great Commission is the result of seeking doctrinal and moral purity.

Even Jesus said the Greatest Commandment was "to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength".....not "go thou and evangelize."

Again...if I love the Lord like that....then I will be open to the Second Greatest Commandment to "love my neighbor as myself"....and when that happens, the NATURAL result is my desire to see them saved.

Again.....my purpose is to question.....with the emphasis on numbers....have we not put the cart before the horse??

I certainly think so.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

David.....

Very well said!!!!

Thanks!

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Nate....

I'll give you an "Amen"....because I think you get my point.

We need to stop using language the N.T. does not...(i.e., "Evangelism is the #1 priority of the church.")

You are right.....it is all important.

PS: Sorry I cannot share your "follicly challenged" problem. I have the other problem. Since I turned 40....I got hair growing where I didn't think it was supposed to!!!!

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Malcam.....

You got my point PRECISELY!!!!

You're not ignorant. You understand my point...therefore...you are billiant!!!

ROFL

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Michael....

I asked for 5 verses that show that evangelism is THE priority of the church. (Key word is "the.")

You gave me 5 verses (ones that I agree with) that show that evangelism is IMPORTANT in the life of the church.

I think you even hinted at it in an earlier post....it is not either/or....it's both.

I know you would agree as otherwise....you would not be as committed as you are to studying the word to feed your people so that they mature in their personal walk with Christ.

-- Anonymous, October 27, 1999

Hello Danny,

I would like to make a few comments on your subject. First we have to understand what the *church* is. Doing that then....leaves us with the idea that we each keep ourselves pure and not worry about the *church* being pure because that is a mistranslation and gives the idea the body of Christ is an *it* and not the people. Since the body of Christ is not an *it* there is no way we can try to keep *it* pure or draw people to *it*.

Thanks,

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

huh?

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

Huh....what??

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

Danny,

I think the purpose of the church is multi-faceted. There is the old- line teaching of nurture and evangelism, but I think that you are onto an idea but I don't buy into it fully.

I think your emphasis is wrong because it is the priority of the one to the downplay of the other.

I can argue just as well from every epistle to Revelation that the equipping of the saints for evangelism is also an inherent theme. Focus on purity to the downplay of evangelism is wrong, just as evangelistic focus to the downplay of the edification of the saints.

Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

Hello All,

I thought Jesus declared the purpose of the church in the great comission. "Go therefore into all the world and preach the gospel to all nations, baptsing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit....." It seems clear to me.

Teresa

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

Danny,

There is a plethora of evidence of evangelism is an important if not a major priority of the Church (look further in the NT). As the people evangelize and disciple the people in turn will be edified. As for purity- yes much of the N.T. is written to combat false teachers, but look at the big picture. We are instruments that Christ uses to grow His Church. Jesus said "If I be lifted up... I will draw all men to me." If we are busy in evangelism and discipleship then, doctrinal purity will come as natural as we search the scriptures to show people Christ.

Perhaps, one of the many reasons that our churches do not grow is this very issue. We worry NOT about sharing our faith or helping those who are lost find Christ- instead we want to fight with the Baptist or any denomination that disagrees with us. Instead let us worry about finding the lost or unchurched and bringing them to a saving relationship with Christ. Well I gave my two cents worth.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

I believe the church is to be evangelistic but I believe that this is only part of the job of the great commission. We are also to teach "them to obey everything I have commanded you." We are to help people mature in Christ as well. This equips them to further spread the Gospel in the field in which the Lord has called them to work. It is not an either or situation. It goes together and it shows the wisdom of our Lord. So evangelize but also let's help mature all people in Christ Jesus. Paul himself said in Colossians 1:28-29, "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." Let's labor to make all people perfect in Christ. This happens by teaching and teaching and teaching the Scriptures which show us Jesus.

-- Anonymous, October 24, 1999

You say Tomato, I say ...wait just a second here!!!

I really wish I had a hair to split! (mild reference to my bald pate) but it seems to me that ya'll hare having a little bit-o-fun at my expense!!! Evangelism, Purity, Unity (that's my input) Love, /what does it all matter??? It was my understanding that we were to do all of the above, not to any greater or lesser degree, just all of it! Am I wrong? Can I get an amen brother?

In Christ,

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Amen! Of course, brother Nate, I'm bald too. No time to split hairs. But I am glad that we wrestle with priorities. It shows that we really do want to please Christ. Now I gotta go. I am late for my appointment with "Hair Club for Men". Maybe next week I'll have some to split.

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Call me ignorant if you want to, but I don't know how the two issues (evangelism and purity of the church) can be kept separated. As I read God's word it seems to me that evangelism without purity is as worthless as purity without evangelism. Would I be wrong to say that they need to go hand in hand, perhaps "equally important"? For Jesus' mission was to seek and to save the lost (evangelism). But this evangelism/salvation for us was to be done through His atoning sacrifice (which made us pure)[purity and evangelism "hand in hand"?]. And I honestly don't know which side, if either, I should error on trying to emphasize more, for I think to neglect either one would have to be sin.

Living in the grace of the Lord Jesus, Malcam

-- Anonymous, October 25, 1999

Danny, I never said one was more important than the other. Yes, they do both go hand in hand. But, we must consider that if I am busy trying to win the lost and Disciple them then I will be fulfilling Christ's command in the Great Commission. It is vital that we "seek and save that which is lost" that should be the motto and purpose of every Church and Christian existance. My point is that too often churches resemble country clubs for religious fat cats. Rather it is a MASH unit where the sick and dying find both physical and spiritual healing and life. Many churches (and we all are guilty) become a place where tradition or the bylaws set the mood and drive of the church rather than the NT. The very nature of the Christian is to share the love of Christ- through evangelism and good works and love. We can fake our salvation (what I appear to be) but we cannot fake love- that is for all who need Christ. In fact, the word Christian means "little Christ". Are we indeed a little Christ, if so then should we not have the same purpose to "seek and to save" the lost. For Jesus himself said that it is not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Danny...

I am not Mr. Kelley, but I would like to take you up on that offer of five verses from the epistles. Here are a few for your consideration, the first being 1 Peter 2:9 and then 1 Peter 3:15 (these verses are coupled with the idea of peculiarity in the world as an attractive agent for the lost). Of course there is Colossians 4:2-6 which is a favorite passage of mine stressing the importance of evangelism in the marketplace (i.e. - the daily grind). There is Philippians 1:15- 18 which demonstrates Paul's heart in his ministry (which we know we can example in our own life). There is Philippians 2:3-4 which is the real reason to share the gospel, because we care for others over ourselves. There is the example of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 which gives us a valid precedent.

These are just a few, by no means exhaustive, but I thought we could chew on them for a while. Let me know your thoughts.

-- Anonymous, October 27, 1999

I know I am late in getting in on this one, but no one cited the example of what the church started doing immediately after it was started. That would give us a clue, don't you think?

Right before Acts 2:42, we see that some 3000 were added to "their number" that is, to the body of Christ, the church, at the day of Pentacost. What did Luke say they immediately started doing?:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

We see that the church immediately: fellowshipped, study the apostles teaching, praised God, prayed. They took care of one another, serving each other, even selling their possessions to pay to help each other. There is little mention of anything some would call evangelism, but still, people were coming to the Lord, as people were being added daily. Jesus himself did little evangelism; he helped people. Evangelism followed from that.

So I actually think that the priority of the church is to love. The great commandment! When we love as God loves, and as Jesus loves us, we will have purity, and we will have evangelism, and caring for the widows and orphans, etc. All that has been mentioned in this thread in fact, will follow if we love. [Now, loving people doesn't mean we tolerate everything they do -- some times you have to practice "tough love"]

-- Anonymous, November 12, 1999