February 2025

Dear brothers and sisters,
If you do an online search about the purpose of the church the most frequent answer is to gather in for worship, experience community and engage in service. These are essential parts of the believer’s experience and the result of deep theological thinking throughout the generations. It often determines how we do church week by week and day by day.
All these elements of spirituality can be found in the gospels although I often get the impression that community and service form the space where worship happens as part of ordinary life. Jesus, however, often is much more practical than we are when it comes to integrating our spirituality with ordinary life.
Jesus called his disciples with the words: “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. And just before He ascended to heaven gave his disciples their primary task to fulfil: “Go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” He then added the promise: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”So, this is the purpose of the church – to come and go, to be with Him and experience His presence while making disciples.
This is how we honour and glorify the Father in heaven
This is what we experience when the risen lord is in our midst when we gather as disciples.
This is what we do as His ministry towards the world flows through us, His body.
Against this standard we measure our time in worship with Him.
Against this standard we measure the purpose and outcome of our gatherings, discipling the body towards the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Against this standard we measure the service we do in this world just as He did it in setting us an example when walking the streets of Galilee.
We have been called to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, making disciples like Him, ministering like Him, glorifying the Father like Him.
We are disciples following Jesus!
With much love,
Your brother
Piet