I believe we're soldiers. We are called as Christians to combat the enemy. When we don't, we often end up fighting each other. In its simplest terms, the biblical mission of every church should be to win people, to disciple them, and to transform the world in which they live. Win, disciple, and change.
Discipleship entails more than weekly Bible studies and small-group meetings.
These inward activities need to be combined with practical, outward demonstrations of faith that move us from individualized spirituality to one that has an impact upon the world around us. I believe my task as pastor is to give people something to do with their faith. I take them out on the street to evangelize the lost, take them to the soup kitchen to feed the hungry, take them to the jail to encourage the prisoner, take them to the many places in our society that so desperately need to hear and experience God's Good News. James T. Meeks is pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. Click here for reprint information on Leadership Journal.