The Mission of the Church // Ekklesia

In this sermon, we explore the mission of the church as outlined in the Gospel of Matthew, focusing on Bethel Church's core mission: to love God, love people, and make disciples of Jesus Christ. By examining Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:19-20, we uncover the biblical foundation for these commands and how they shape our lives and community.Loving God: We delve into what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. This love is not merely emotional or verbal but is evidenced through obedience and a life surrendered to God. We discuss how knowing God through gospel-centered discipleship, worship, and teaching is crucial to cultivating this love.Loving People: The sermon highlights how our love for God naturally leads to loving others. We explore the dual aspect of this love: internally within the church community and externally towards the world, including our neighbors and even our enemies. Loving people involves being present, engaging in discipleship, and extending gospel-centered love beyond the church walls.Making Disciples: We examine the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, emphasizing that making disciples is not optional but the defining call of the Christian life. This involves not just gaining converts but forming followers of Christ who obey His teachings. We discuss practical ways Bethel Church is committed to this mission through community groups, equipping, and intentional discipleship pathways.Join us as we commit to living out this mission with intentionality and passion, ensuring that our actions reflect the love and purpose God has given us. Thanks for listening to this sermon from Bethel Baptist Church. If the message encouraged you, we would love to meet you in person this Sunday. You can find service times, directions, and more information at www.betheltopeka.org. And if you would like to support the ministry of Bethel, you can give securely online at www.betheltopeka.org/give. God bless, and we hope to see you soon.