Biblical Basis
The New Testament teaches that the Church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God (Ephesians 1:22). The Church is God’s new community, His household (Ephesians 2:19-22). Christ died “to purify for Himself a people that are his very own” (Titus 2:14). So the Church (ekklesia = called out assembly) is called out of the world to belong to God, but it is also sent back into the world to witness and to serve (I Peter 2:9). Our mission is modeled on the mission of Jesus (John 20:21). It is an incarnational mission of going into the world to make disciples who will love God and love others and multiply (Matthew 28:18-20; 22:37-40). The picture of “healthy” church life as described in Acts (2:42-47, 11:19-30, and 13:1-3), was a body of believers devoted to apostolic teaching, koinonia (sharing life and mission together), breaking of bread (worship and Eucharist), and prayer. This way of life together was inherently missional and “the Lord added daily to their number those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) Multiplying disciples was normative, and multiplying communities of disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth was what the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to empower the Church to do (Acts 1:8).