Those who made up the primitive church were busily engaged in this great mission. "At that time
a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered
throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles...Therefore those who were
scattered went everywhere preaching the word." (Acts 8:1,4). "For from you the word of the
Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith
toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." (1 Thess. 1:8). This should
be the primary mission for the church today - "Sound forth the Word of the Lord." In so doing,
souls will be saved. There is no greater service which can be offered to mankind.
The church of the Lord is not a social club. Churches of today use all kinds of gimmicks and man
made inventions in order to win and hold members. Instead of offering the Word of God only, as
did the early Christians, they offer food, recreation or entertainment. This reduces the church to
nothing but a social club or an entertainment society. The Bible says, "The kingdom of God is not
eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 14:17). "If
anyone is hungry, let him eat at home..." (1 Cor. 11:34). The apostles and early Christians never
tried to win and hold members by offering food or entertainment. They simply offered "the
implanted word, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21).
The church of the Lord is not a social reform society. When the gospel is taught, society is
reformed only as a by-product. When the Word of God changes the hearts of men, they reform
their own society. They make their own community a better place to live. The primary concern,
therefore, "sound forth the Word of the Lord." It will get the job done. "For the word of God is
living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul
and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
(Heb. 4:12). "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void,
but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isa
55:11)
Many churches today, however, are going at this in reverse order. One well illustrated it by
saying, "Churches today are more concerned about healing the sores of Lazarus than about
changing the heart of the rich man!" Also, "Jesus didn't come to get the people out of the slums,
but the slums out of the people!" If we reform and change society only, we haven't yet
accomplished anything toward the saving of people's souls. However, if we preach the
soul-saving message (the gospel of Christ), we not only reform society, but we prepare individuals
to meet God in judgment.
Again, the mission of the church is to declare the divine message, and there is no greater service that can be rendered.