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Let’s begin with an illustration.  If I ask you to tell me the primary purpose of your car, what would you say?

We can probably agree that the primary purpose of a car is transportation.  We can also probably agree that the primary purpose of a car is not to keep gas in the tank.  Sure, gas in the tank is vital to the fulfillment of the primary purpose (transportation), but it is not the primary purpose of your car.

This primary purpose is a worldview.  Worldviews are subconscious.  We don’t realize they are there, yet everyone has them and we filter every decision we make through them.  In the above illustration the worldview of the primary purpose of the car is transportation.

Now, let’s put “car operations” under the responsibility of a committee. Let’s also split the worldview of the committee members.  Let’s have some say the primary purpose of the car is transportation, and have others say the primary purpose is gas in the tank. We now have a tension point resulting in arguments over the “proper use” of the vehicle.

Here’s the thing: What the committee is arguing over is not the real issue.  They are merely debating the symptoms of their underlying and conflicting worldviews.

So what does this all have to do with the church?  Let me put it this way.  If I were to ask you to tell me the primary purpose of the church, what would you say?  Is it to make Disciples? Is it fellowship with ONE ANOTHER?

According to Matthew 28: 19-20 (The Great Commission) the primary purpose of the church is to make disciples.  Yet in my work with churches, about 60% of members say the primary purpose of the church is fellowship with ONE ANOTHER.

Don’t get me wrong, fellowship is important.  It is vital to the fulfillment of the primary purpose of the church (to make disciples), but it is not the Biblical primary purpose of the church.

This is a tension point in churches all across America.  It results in arguing over the symptoms created by their underlying and conflicting worldviews.  What are the recognizable symptoms?

The make disciples worldview person will say, “If we are going to invite guests to church shouldn’t we clean up the place, perhaps some fresh paint on the walls?  The “fellowship with one another” worldview person will say, “I think the paint we have is fine and my friends think the paint is fine - we don’t need to waste money on new paint?”

The make disciples person will think of the ramifications of church growth - multiple services, relocation, plant new churches, etc. The “fellowship with one another” person will also think about the ramifications of church growth - only they will do so through the vastly different lens of their differing worldview.  “If we grow to a certain point I won’t know everyone.”  “If we go to two services then I won’t be able to see everybody at church.”

The primary purpose of the church worldview is huge!  Understanding the presence of underlying and conflicting worldviews is vital to the spiritual health and wellness of every congregation.

So, what is your church arguing about?  Are you debating the symptoms or the underlying cause?



Alan Chandler is a Consultant Partner with Church Doctor Ministries, a full-service church consultation ministry dedicated to helping Christians and churches become more effective for the Great Commission, to make disciples of all people.  Alan can be reached at alanchandler@churchdoctor.org