If you ask typical church members why their church exists, you'll get a wide variety of answers. A survey of members of nearly a thousand churches asked the question "Why does the church exist?"
89 percent said "The church's purpose is to take care of my family's and my needs." For many, the role of the (preacher) is simply to keep the sheep who are already in the "pen" happy and not lose too many of them. 11 percent said, "The purpose of the church is to win the world for Jesus Christ."
The leaders of the same churches answered exactly opposite. 90 percent said the purpose of the church was to win the world and 10 percent said it was to care for the needs of the members.
Is it any wonder why we have conflict, confusion, and stagnation in many churches today? If the leaders and congregation can't agree on why the church exists, conflict and disagreement on everything else is inevitable.
Unless the driving force behind a church is biblical, the health and growth of the church will never be what God intended.
Why does Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ exist? No where does the bible suggest allowing others to assemble with us is a goal of the New Testament church.
Are we relevant? Are we having an impact? Is the church Jesus established on Pentecost better because we exist?
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