The Church Doesn’t Exist to Make You Comfortable

We all have ideas about why the church exists. To teach. To gather. To grow in faith. And all of those are true. But if we’re honest, many people also carry this unspoken expectation: the church should make me feel comfortable. But that’s not why Jesus established the church. In fact, one of the clearest outward purposes of the church has nothing to do with our comfort. It’s this: to proclaim the gospel and to serve those in need. Let’s take a closer look at both.

1. The Church Exists to Proclaim the Gospel

Jesus couldn’t have been clearer about this. In Matthew 28:18-20, He said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” And in Mark 16:15, He gets even more specific: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” This is not a suggestion. It’s a commission. So what does that mean for us today? Yes, the church can and should host gospel-centered events, such as Easter or Christmas Eve, where the message of salvation is clearly shared. And yes, pastors should preach the gospel. But Jesus didn’t just tell pastors to share the good news. He told disciples. That includes all of us.

Equipping You to Share the Gospel

That’s why we created a simple tool called “How to Know God Personally.” It’s a brochure with two practical resources:

1. The Gospel Acronym – a six-letter breakdown that clearly communicates what the gospel is.
2. A concise, clear summary of salvation – Jesus lived the perfect life, died for our sins, rose again, and now offers eternal life to all who believe.

Our goal isn’t just to give you something nice to read. We want to equip you. We believe every believer should be able to answer the question, “What is the gospel?” clearly and confidently.

That’s why we’ve placed one of these brochures in the seatback of every chair. We want you to:

• Take one home and learn it.
• Be reminded that there are people in your life who need the gospel.
• Hand it to someone when the opportunity arises.

Some conversations may start by simply saying, “Can I talk to you about what’s in this?”

It’s Not Just the Pastor’s Job

Here’s where I’m going to step on some toes. In many churches, the expectation is that the pastor will share the gospel every Sunday. And often, he does. But if no one else in the church is sharing the gospel outside those four walls, the results are usually minimal. A few decisions. Mostly kids raised in the church. But not the life transformation that spreads through a city. Why?

Because evangelism isn’t meant to be a one-man show. It’s a group effort. We are all called to be bearers of the good news. That’s why I pray this prayer almost every day: “Lord, give me an opportunity today. Bring someone across my path. Open the door for a divine encounter where I can share the gospel.” When a church begins to pray that way, together, you better believe God will start answering. And when He does, we need to be ready to speak.

The Church Also Exists to Serve Those in Need

There’s one more purpose we can’t ignore. The church is called to minister to the poor, the broken, the distressed. It’s one thing to proclaim the gospel with our words. But we also show it with our hands.

This includes:

• Serving the homeless
• Meeting practical needs in the community
• Caring for the lonely, the grieving, the overlooked

Jesus didn’t just speak good news. He was good news. And He calls His people to live that out.

We’re Not Here to Be Comfortable

Let me be direct. The church does not exist to make you comfortable. Jesus never promised comfort. He promised presence. He promised power. He promised purpose. And He said, “Follow me.” That call doesn’t come with cushions. It comes with cross-bearing. So as we step into this next season, let’s stop asking what the church can do to make us feel better. Let’s ask how we can become a church that’s bold enough to share the gospel and compassionate enough to serve the broken.

Because that’s what Jesus called us to do.