The purposes of the church is to teach biblical doctrine, provide a place of fellowship for believers, provide a place for praise, worship and acknowledgment of the Lord, provide a place of united prayer and for observance of the Lord’s Supper. (Read Acts 2:42)

The purpose of teaching biblical doctrine is to promote the birth and growth of our faith. (Read Ephesians 4:14)

The church is a place of fellowship.

Fellowship is defined as 1: companionship, company; 2 a: community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience b: state of being a fellow or associate 3: a company of equals or friends; association 4: the quality or state of being comradely 5: membership; partnership.

In this fellowship, Christians are to be devoted and kind to each other; share instructions to each other; demonstrate kindness, love, compassion and encouragement. (Read Romans 12 and 15) (Read 1 John 3 and 1 Thessalonians 5)

The church is also to be a place where believers share the remembrance of the Lord’s Supper and the sacrifice of his shedded blood for the free pardon of our sins. (Read 1 Corinthians 11)

The church is to be a place where believers can observe the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ’s death and shed blood on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The concept of “breaking bread” (Acts 2:42) also carries the idea of having meals together. This is another example of the church promoting fellowship. The final purpose of the church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer. The church is to be a place that promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Another commission given to the church is proclaiming the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). The church is called to be faithful in sharing the gospel through word and deed. The church is to be a “lighthouse” in the community, pointing people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church is to both promote the gospel and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).

Some final purposes of the church are given in James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” The church is to be about the business of ministering to those in need. This includes not only sharing the gospel, but also providing for physical needs (food, clothing, shelter) as necessary and appropriate. The church is also to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sin and remain free from the pollution of the world. This is done by biblical teaching and Christian fellowship.

So, what is the purpose of the church? Paul gave an excellent illustration to the believers in Corinth. The church is God’s hands, mouth, and feet in this world—the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are to be doing the things that Jesus Christ would do if He were here physically on the earth. The church is to be “Christian,” “Christ-like,” and Christ-following.