THE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH | REV DR KWASI FOSU
Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Hamburg Bible Study Material on the Local Church
Main Biblical Text: Acts 2:42–47
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers… And the Lord added to their number day day those who were being saved.
Introduction
The local church is central to God’s plan for His people on earth. From an Evangelical, Baptist perspective, the church is a local, visible body of baptised believers, voluntarily covenanted together under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, committed to the authority of Scripture, and gathered for worship, discipleship, fellowship, and mission. Understanding the purpose and objectives of the local church helps every believer see their place and responsibility within it.
Contextual Background
Acts 2:42–47 describes the very first local church in Jerusalem, born out of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). This young congregation modelled what a Spirit-filled, gospel-centered community looks like in practice. Baptists and other Evangelical Churches have historically pointed back to this passage as a pattern for the church. In this light, a believers’ church is characterised the following:
- Regenerate church membership (only those who have professed faith in Christ)
- Believer’s baptism immersion as a public testimony of faith
- The autonomy of the local church under Christ, without external hierarchical control
- The priesthood of all believers, with every member responsible to know and live out Scripture
- The authority of Scripture as the final rule for faith, doctrine, and practice
Acts 2:42-47 therefore sets the stage for understanding not just what the early church did, but why it existed. This serves as an important example for the church today.
The Purpose and Objectives of the Local Church
- The Purpose — Why the Church Exists
Most importantly, the local church exists to glorify God making disciples of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18–20) and living out the gospel together in visible community (Ephesians 3:10–11). This purpose flows from the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37–39) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).
2. The Objectives — How the Church Fulfils Its Purpose
Drawing from Acts 2:42–47, the local church pursues four key objectives:
3. Sound Biblical Teaching (v. 42a)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” The church is built on the authoritative Word of God, not tradition or personal opinion. Baptist churches especially emphasise expository preaching and rigorous study of Scripture.
3. Genuine Fellowship (v. 42b, 44–46)
To the fellowship… and had all things in common. The church is a covenant community — believers bound together in love, mutual accountability, and practical care for one another.
4. Worship and Ordinances (v. 42c, 46)
To the breaking of bread and the prayers. Corporate worship, prayer, and the two ordinances recognised in Baptist distinctives, believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are all central, symbolic acts of obedience and remembrance, not means of salvation.
5. Evangelism and Mission (v. 47)
“The Lord added to their number day day those who were being saved.” The church from this perspective, is not meant to turn inward. Its objectives include proclaiming the gospel locally and globally so that others come to saving faith in Christ.
Application
Understanding the purpose and objectives of the local church has far-reaching implications for individual Christians, church leaders, congregations and missions.
- For the individual believer: Are you committed to a local church body, or merely attending? True church membership involves covenant commitment, not passive spectating.
- For church leaders: Faithful preaching and shepherding must remain central, resisting the pull toward entertainment-driven models.
- For the congregation: Fellowship should move beyond Sunday mornings into real relationships marked generosity and accountability (v. 44–45).
- For mission: Every member shares responsibility for evangelism — the church grows as God adds to it through the faithful witness of His people.
Conclusion
The local church, as modelled in Acts 2:42–47, exists to glorify God through faithful teaching, genuine fellowship, biblical worship, and gospel witness. For Evangelicals and Baptists, this is grounded not in institutional structure but in a regenerate, Spirit-filled community submitted to the Lordship of Christ and the authority of His Word. When a church holds fast to these purposes and objectives, it becomes — as the early church was — a living testimony that draws others to Christ.
