The Church
Feb.
10, 2009
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 19–20
The Church is the people of God and the embodiment of Christ’s continued presence on earth. While made up of imperfect people questing for greater holiness, the Church offers us the means to know, love and serve God. The Church provides authentic teaching, welcomes us to worship, and guides us in ways of living under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
The mission of the Church is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and reveal how much God loves us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Our mission was given to us by Christ Himself. After His Resurrection, Christ met with His disciples on the mountain at Galilee. He told them to go forth and make disciples of all, teaching them to observe what He had commanded. Salvation, then, is not a self-centered pursuit. We share the good news so that others, and not just ourselves, may hear it and come to know and love God.
The Church is God’s family on earth. Like a family, we care for one another, reaching out to those in need both within the family and in the world. In imitation of Christ, and out of love for Him, we live our call to be His disciples and to build a civilization of love.