by Henry Knapp
What is the purpose of the Church? What particular goal(s) should we be pursuing?
There are a lot of things that a church should be about—reaching out to the lost, care and comfort for those broken by sin, effective and meaningful worship, nurture and Christian education for each member—but, when viewed correctly, these are all means toward an ultimate end, a primary purpose that should dominate all that we do in life—seeking the praise of God’s glory, to magnify His majesty. That is why we are using one of Paul’s phrases from Ephesians to summarize our mission in life: “To be to the praise of His glory.”
We believe the best way to pursue this goal is for Hebron to be a place where disciples of Christ are formed. Deep discipleship creates a passion for the Glory of God. And, disciples are made when redeemed sinners are exposed to the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. So, if we are to praise His glory, we should pursue various opportunities for the Spirit to use the Scripture to shape our lives. This fall we will be doing this by stressing “Worship + 2.” Worship + 2 is simply a recognition that we encounter the transforming work of the Spirit and Scripture when we are faithfully engaged in biblical, God-centered worship—a worship which honors and pleases the Lord. Through our adoration of Him, our very lives are changed, and discipleship occurs. The “+ 2” capitalizes on the fact that discipleship involves: (1) growing and maturing in a biblical understanding of our salvation in Christ, and (2) dedicated service in His Kingdom.
Thus, first, we will stress the importance of maturing in our grasp of the biblical and theological truths which God has revealed. This growth happens so powerfully in relational, community-based settings; in other words, in small groups and studies. Our Grove model has consistently pursued this objective, and we will continue to emphasize involvement in some form of small group Bible study where the Spirit uses relationships to communicate Gospel truths.
In addition to our small group emphasis, we are encouraging everyone to take advantage of our new Sunday School program. On Sunday mornings, between our two worship services and while kidz and student groups are meeting, there will be a variety of Sunday school courses offered for adults. There will be a number of different options focusing on deepening our understanding of the Scriptures, biblical theology, Christian practice, and the application of God’s truth in the world. These classes will run for seven weeks, and then new options will be available. This will allow our congregation to interact with one another while being exposed to quality teaching on the Bible.
Finally, the second “+ 2” is our stress on ministering and serving in God’s Kingdom. Discipleship is something that leads to service, but it is also something that occurs through service. As we minister to others, the Spirit works in our lives to change us as He directs. It is tremendously fulfilling to realize that our efforts to care for others has the further benefit of drawing us closer to our Lord in love. At Hebron, opportunities to serve the ministry here will always be present—from nursery volunteers, through Kidz ministry, youth group helpers, Deacons, small group leaders, and the like. Ministry to those at Hebron, however, is only a portion of our calling—we are to share the love of Jesus to our neighbors, near and far. Opportunities exist, and will be stressed, to be engaged in our community, serving those in need, and, to be uplifting and supporting God’s movement of missions throughout the world. It will be our goal to see that everyone is involved in some form of ministry—both so others may benefit, and so that we all might become more faithful disciples. And, all so that we might be… “to the praise of His glory!”
