Liba Hopeson

The Church was established by Christ. It belongs to Him. He is the head of the Church. The purposes of the Church include:

• Worship – to glorify God and honor Him through praise, sacraments, and obedience;
• Fellowship – to build a loving community of believers who support, encourage, and grow with one another;
• Discipleship – to teach and nurture believers toward spiritual maturity and Christlikeness;
• Mission/Evangelism – to proclaim the Gospel and serve the world through word and deed, fulfilling the Great Commission.

It is often said that mission is the primary purpose of the Church. Many argue that the Church exists for mission. This idea has been strongly promoted by missionaries in the past, and is still emphasized by many today. John Wesley once said, “You have one business on earth – to save souls.”

The work of mission is indeed very important. However, it is incorrect to say that mission is the Church’s primary purpose. So what is the Church’s primary purpose? It is worship. If you are someone who is passionate about mission, you may initially disagree. But allow me to explain why worship must be understood as the primary purpose of the Church.

From the beginning, we were not created for ourselves—we were made for God, to adore Him and glorify Him (Isaiah 43:7, 21). All things were created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, the ultimate purpose of our lives is to know God, love Him, walk in relationship with Him, and glorify Him. We are commanded: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

God created His people for His glory and praise. The Church, as God’s redeemed community, exists primarily to glorify Him—that is the essence of worship.

Some draw the idea that mission is the Church’s main purpose from the Great Commission. But, as John Stott aptly noted, the imperative to carry out mission work is rooted in the second greatest commandment: to love our neighbor as ourselves. The greatest commandment, however, is this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Mark 12:30).

This shows that love for God—worship—is primary. Preparing for heaven is not the main goal of life, nor is saving souls the Church’s primary purpose. Love is the greatest, and the object of that love is God Himself. We do not love God merely to receive something from Him—true love is not a means to an end; it is an end in itself. God is the source of all love, and all blessings flow from Him. God is not a means to an end, but the end Himself — the supreme object of our worship and the ultimate aim of our devotion. Our mistake often lies in loving the gifts more than the Giver.

So, why do we come to God? Why do we follow Christ? If our primary reason is to gain peace, blessings, success, happiness, or even heaven, then our focus is misplaced. These things are not unimportant, but if they are the main reasons we follow Christ, we are ultimately focusing on ourselves — our own well-being and security. Remember, we were not made for ourselves—we were made for Him.

We must follow Christ for Christ’s sake. We follow Him because we were created to follow Him, to love and glorify Him. As Scripture says, “He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). This aligns with the teaching that we are created for God’s glory.

We worship God by glorifying Him in every part of our lives. But true worship is only possible through redemption in Christ. While unbelievers should never be turned away from attending church, acceptable worship—worship that pleases God—can only come from those who have been born again. This is why mission is so vital: people must be redeemed to truly worship God as He desires.

However, as many theologians have observed, the Church does not have a mission of its own—God has a Church for His mission. The mission belongs to God. We are simply continuing the mission He began. God desires to save us because He is love, but He does not save us merely for our own sake. He saves us so we might live for Him and glorify Him.

Paul reminds the Corinthian believers to glorify God in everything—even in eating and drinking (1 Cor. 10:31).Worship doesn’t happen only within the four walls of the church or during revival meetings. Worship is a way of life. We worship God in everything we do. This is why we must not divide life into “sacred” and “secular.” Everything we do is holistic and spiritual when done according to His will and purpose. As believers, we recognize that our whole being exists, acts, and lives for God’s glory.

Understanding this truth is vital. If we fail to recognize it, we miss the very purpose for which we were created: to live for God and His glory. Sadly, many churches today overemphasize mission and neglect the central role of worship. I’m not saying we should stop doing mission work. Nor am I suggesting that we must be perfect before doing mission—perfection is impossible in this life.

However, when we misunderstand the primary purpose of the Church, it affects every area of life. Some focus so much on heaven and the future that they forget to live out their faith in everyday actions and relationships. Others become caught up in doing good works and church activities but neglect the deep, personal devotion that fuels true worship. They stay busy but feel far from God’s presence.

We are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The primary purpose of the Church is worship. Worship is not confined to a place or a program—it is a life lived for God’s glory. When we, as the Church, live this way, we live a meaningful life—the life God created us to live. As His people, we must live for the very purpose for which we were created.