The Church's Mission Statement

     Every successful business has a mission statement, something that defines who they are, what they do, and why they're doing what they're doing.  A mission statement is usually one of the first things a company comes up with, so that they have a direction to go, a course to take them where they want to go.  A company will only be successful if they keep to their mission statement.  If they stray too far from it, they risk going out of business or going in a direction they never planned on going.
     The church has a mission statement.  It's the same mission statement that its head, Jesus, had: to seek and to save the lost with the gospel (Luke 19:10).  It's that simple.  Sometimes the problems and worries of the world will confuse us or make us forget, and sometimes we get busy and lose sight of the goal, but the mission of the church is to get as many people as we can to heaven by the preaching of the gospel.  That's it.  It's not to make the church building the most comfortable place to be, the potluck meals the most appetizing in the world, or the activities the most fun and entertaining they can be.  It's to preach the gospel to all men everywhere (Mark 16:15-16).
     And the church's mission statement never changes.  From the very beginning, it's been to preach the gospel to save men.  And until Christ returns, it will always be to preach the gospel to save men.  Period.  Many today want to change the mission statement, but they do so at their own peril.  The gospel is "...the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth..." (Romans 1:16).  Hearing the gospel preached convicts the sinner to repent of his sins and be baptized for the remission of sins.  Without the gospel, no one could be saved.  But too many today want to change the mission statement to something that Jesus never intended.  They think that entertainment will save people or that people will be saved with activities and games and good food.  People may attend more services, but they're not saved.  But the only way to save is with the gospel.
     What are you doing to save the lost?  Are you preaching the gospel to them?  We may not be able to reach the entire world with the gospel like Paul did (Col. 1:5-6), but we can try to reach those around us.  If every Christian in the world reached out to those around them, we could teach the whole world.  So, let's not hesitate to do our part.  Let's strive to make 2012 the best year yet by preaching the gospel to the lost.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved

     We have started a new year, and if you're like most people, you've probably set some New Years Resolutions for yourself.  Most people strive to eat healthier, some to exercise more, and some to quit some nasty habit, like smoking or drinking.  One resolution that every Christian should make is the resolution to study the bible.  And by "study the bible", I'm talking about more than merely reading it every day.
     In 2 Timothy 2:15, we're told to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (KJV).  When some people study a subject, they do so to impress others and to make themselves appear greater in others' eyes.  But when we study the bible, we're not doing it to impress others or to impress God.  We do it for God's approval.  We strive to be pleasing to God, and one way to please Him is to study His Word and apply it to our lives.  A person can study a subject for his entire life and never do anything with the information.  We are not to be like that.  We are to use what we study to become the type of servants that God is proud of, as He was with Job (Job 1:8; 2:3).
     We are to be the type of servants that isn't ashamed.  Just imagine that you are a handy-man with a toolbelt filled with tools that you have no idea how to use.  Now imagine people asked you to fix something or to build something.  How ashamed would you feel?  Your job is a handy-man and yet you have no idea what to do or how to do it.  That's how some Christians are with the bible.  They can sometimes quote verses from the bible, but they have no idea what they mean or how to apply them.  And when people ask them why they believe this idea or that idea, they have no idea how to respond (compare with 1 Peter 3:15).  If we study, and study often, we will begin to understand the scriptures and know how to use them (or, "rightly dividing the word of truth").
     There are a lot of people reading through the bible in a year, and that is good.  Every Christian should be a daily bible reader.  But God wants us to spend time with the scriptures, not just read a few chapters then close it.  Remember Psalms 1:1-3 - "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."  The more time we spend reading and studying the bible, the more it strengthens us and the more good we can do for His cause.
     Make the effort to study the bible this year, and I promise you won't regret it.