What is the primary purpose of the Church?
The primary purpose of the Church is to feed its members so thoroughly that they can go out and become soul winners among the world in which they move. God gave evangelists, pastors, and teachers to mature the saints, do the work of ministry, and edify the Body of Christ.
Les explains that Ephesians presents three basic gifts the Church needs today: evangelists who can preach salvation, pastors, and teachers. God gave these not to edify the pastors, teachers, and evangelists themselves, but for the perfecting and maturing of the saints, bringing them from infancy and carnality, fed on the milk bottle, up to meat-eating believers. Their purpose is the work of the ministry and the edifying of the Body of Christ. Les maintains the primary purpose of the Church is to feed its members so they can go out and become soul winners in the world where they move, as the early church did.