One day as Jesus was teaching at the temple in Jerusalem, he was asked what the greatest commandment was.  His answer combined two existing commandments into what we know as The Great Commandment. He said,

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the greatest and first commandment.  And a second is like it:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets"

(Matthew 22:37-40)

After his resurrection from the dead and before he ascended into heaven, Jesus appeared to his disciples - and others - on many occasions.  On one occasion Jesus gave his disciples some instruction regarding their future activitiy.  This is known as The Great Commission.  He said,

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."

(Matthew 28:19-20)

Like many other churches we think these two passages are critical to understanding the mission of the church.  In these two passages we discern 5 purposes that form the substance of our mission statement: 

Worship-           "Love the Lord with all your heart"

Ministry-            "Love your neighbor as yourself"

Evangelism-     "Go and make disciples"

Fellowship-      "Baptizing them"

Discipleship-   "Teaching them to obey"