What is the purpose of our congregation? We can find the answer to that question in several ways. First of all, we can observe the actions of our members.

For some Salem Lutheran church exists to serve them in a limited capacity.. They belong to church so that their children will be baptized, taught in Sunday school, given a bag of peanuts and candy at Christmas Eve, confirmed. They will contact the pastor if they want to get married or during the crisis of a death. They may (but not necessarily) contact the pastor if they are hospitalized.

For others Salem Lutheran Church exists to serve them beyond this limited scope. In addition to using the church to be baptized, married, and buried, they make use of the opportunities to be served with the Means of Grace by making using of some or all of the following: worshiping regularly, receiving religious publications, being involved in Bible classes, receiving the Lord’s Supper, visits from the pastor when sick, requesting prayers, seeking Christian counseling, enjoying fellowship, etc.

Is Salem Lutheran Church here to serve its members? Absolutely. We gather together around the Word of God and sacraments so that we can be disciplined according to God’s Law and to be encouraged by the Gospel. We need a safe haven to be assured of God’s love and forgiveness. We need a caring community that is here to support in us in our trials and to give us strength from God’s Word to face the crises in our lives. If our congregation is not making an impact on our lives through the Word of God, then we are missing out of something very important that God had intended for his church. This purpose of having the congregation serve us is expressed in a brief description of the early church in Acts 2.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

But is that the sole purpose of our congregation-to serve its members? Has this become a private club where membership has its rewards and to which we are reluctantly to invite others to join us and to receive the same benefits that we do? Is our only approach toward Salem one of “What will the church do for me?” And if Salem won’t do it for me, then I’m going to go somewhere else where they will.

A recent article in the Forward in Christ-Northwestern Lutheran reveals that many Christians of the attitude that the main purpose of church is to be served and to be served so that they may be comfortable. The concept of serving and of sacrificing and of being discomforted has lost its meaning.

We have a tendency to seek our own comfort. I’d rather lie on the couch and watch the Bucks play than to exercise the 30 minutes a day necessary to maintain good health. As a result I’m more of a man than I was three years ago (20 pounds more) but less of a man because I’ve only sought my own comfort. I have become out of shape and have a lack of stamina.

That is not good for my health. This attitude of being served and not serving is not good for the health of an organization either. Perhaps JFK said it best when he challenged our nation in the early 1960's. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

We need that same attitude in our congregation. “Ask not what Salem can do for you, but what you can do for Salem.”

What is it that we are to do for our congregation and therefore for God? Is it not the same thing that the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles to do for God on Pentecost?

Context: Jesus had ascended into heaven. He had told his apostles to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit who would come to motivate them to witness.

26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning."

Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit came accompanied by the sound of a mighty rushing wind and tongues of fire. What did the apostle do? Did they say to each other? Hey, let’s look for a church who will baptize, marry, and bury us? No! They declared the wonders of God in other languages which they had not learned.

This caused quite a stir. The crowds wondered what was going on. The enemies of Jesus mocked them and accused them of public drunkenness. But Peter stood up (filled with the Holy Spirit) and told them that this was in keeping with the prophecy of Joel. He then continued by preaching a powerful sermon on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus in which he accused them of murdering the Christ. Cut to the heart, they wanted to know, what should we do? Peter urged them to repent and be baptized and to receive the Holy Spirit which 3000 of them did that day.

Here we see the two fold purpose of the church. God does serve us. He gives the Holy Spirit to his people. Now through the Gospel. He washes away our sins. He restores us into his fellowship. He gives us a place to worship, learn God’s word, pray, and receive the Lord’s Supper. In part, the church is here to serve you.

But that is not the entire purpose of a congregation. It also exists so that its members may serve God. We serve God by preaching and teaching God’s word so that our faith may be strengthened and so that others may hear about Jesus and be saved.

One of the strengths of Salem is that the church does go to great lengths to serve its members.

Two opportunities for worship each week throughout the year which most churches our size does not offer.

Two opportunities for Bible class in the school year and now also one through the summer.

Lord’s Supper offered with both common cup and individual cups.

Tuition free St. John’s Lutheran School.

Religion class. Two VBS sessions. Resident pastor on call day or night, Minister of Education, comfortable worship facility, excellent music and instruments, wonderful meals, etc. Those who become familiar with our congregation are amazed with all the programs, classes, and services that we do have for such a relatively small congregation as we seek to serve our members and to adapt to their needs.

Another strength of our congregation is that we do have a variety of members who serve the Lord through our congregation. Church musicians, teachers and helpers for Sunday school, VBS, Bible classes, Pioneers. Active Ladies Aid. Altar Guild. Those who usher, serve on the Church Council and various committees associated with that, janitors. Even those who do not hold a position within the church serve faithfully by praying for each other, encouraging each others, supporting the work financially, offering advice, etc. This is because God has also poured out his Holy Spirit on us through the Word of God and through that Holy Spirit we do serve the Lord.

Final Thought. As we do serve the Lord in gladness, let us remember from the events on Pentecost the primary or number one area in which we are to combine our talents to serve the Lord. Together we too can declare the wonders of God even in other languages. Talk about Jesus with those you know as you would talk about your best friend, because that is who he is. Support with your prayers and the resources God has lent to you those who do this overseas or in cross cultural missions.

God purpose for the church remains. It is not that we would have the most comfortable, beautiful, noticeable, active congregation where all of our needs are met but that through our congregation and Christian congregations throughout the world, the Holy Spirit would inspire Christians to share the wonders of God so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.