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Mission work is not good enough unless it produces a strong church. Christians would be wise to remember that the mission of Christ was to establish his church and then to cherish her and nurture her as a husband would his bride. This intimate relationship between a husband and wife is, in fact, inextricably bound up with the strong connection between Christ and his church.
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Paul tells the Ephesians that Christ had great passion for the church. That passion is seen in his deep love for the church and in his willingness to sacrifice himself for her. Christ died not only to redeem individuals, but also to establish his church. Those who go out in his name should remember the divine bridegroom’s ardor for his bride and make that passion a central focus of their ministries.
The apostle also says that Christ’s great purpose focused on the church. His strong affection for the church and his willingness to lay down his life for her was motivated by a single objective: “that he might present to himself the church in all her glory.” This is Christ’s plan, his agenda and, despite many obstacles, he is bringing it to pass.
Missionaries must share the passion and purpose of Christ for the church. Wherever they do their work for the Lord, missionaries should include building the church of Jesus Christ. Going about doing good, living the Jesus life, and baptizing individuals are essential, but they are insufficient if they do not result in strong churches. Missionaries must make the establishing of local churches their goal and we who send missionaries should insist that whatever else our missionaries do, they will help build Christ’s church. This is, after all, his dream and his quest, and it also must be ours.
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