Encouragement Evangelizes 

Today, we investigate how the church should provide ministry opportunities for the saints. The goal for the church is not only a clear mission, but a common mission. God wants His people unified with a single purpose intent on encouraging others. In this common purpose, the church enlists the different spiritual gifts of every individual to achieve God's plan. We see this unity described in Philippians 2:2. Paul writes,

"Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."

The call is clear. Every member should not only understand the purpose of the church, but embrace the purpose of the church. This as a total commitment to God's direction for a local body of believers. We see this in each believer sharing the same mind, love, spirit, and purpose.

Same Mind

The word for "being of the same mind" is actually a verb. So, this is an activity and cannot happen by accident. Instead, one must intentionally focus his mind. The members of a church are of the "same mind," when they avoid thinking on earthly things (Phil 3:19; Rom 8:5; Col 3:2) and instead think on the things of God (2 Cor 13:11; Phil 2:2, 4:2, 8). Opinions and preferences will cause divisions, but a mindful focus on God's word helps united even the most unlikely of believers in a common fellowship and purpose.

Same Love

This love is other-focused. In fact, the word refers to a self-sacrificial care. The "same love" means each believer will put aside their desires, so another member can benefit—often at their own personal expense. Jesus spoke about this sacrificial love, saying,

This is My commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one that this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.

Christian love demands sacrifice—that's clear. But, it demands one sacrifices for the right things. This is not sacrifice for sacrifice sake. Instead, Christian love is sacrificing oneself to promote God's will and word for the benefit of another person at the cost of yourself. Love cannot be achieved without payment. God demonstrates this through Jesus, and call us to follow His example (Rom 5:6–7). This love has an incredible power to unite a church.

United in Spirit

This word literally means "together in soul." Here believers are united in a common zeal and effort to achieve God's purpose. When the church suffers a setback, they feel the pain. When the church experiences a success, they rejoice. A common mission allows each member to share the joys and burdens of ministry as they together look to Christ for ultimate victory.

A church "united in spirit" possesses an empathy that goes behind the normal Bible studies or fellowship of the church. Instead, each member is committed to giving their very best to the church and one another. They will hold nothing back. In 1 Thessalonians 2:8, Paul describes this effort writing,

"Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us."

This unity cannot be fabricated or faked, but forms the heart of a vibrant church. We serve each other as we would want others to serve us. We love as we would want others to love us.

Conclusion: Intent on One Purpose 

A church with the same mind, same love, and united in soul will naturally be focused on the same mission. The originally text literally reads: "thinking one." The church's mind, love, and soul are so united that the church has a single understanding in terms of God's truth—what God says. But, that's just the beginning. They also agree on why and how God's truth should be applied in and outside the church. This single purpose is really the goal of the church. Now, each individual member can be mobilized as a team to bring the Gospel to the world. This is the ultimate mission of the church to raise up the saints to present the Gospel to the lost—evangelism (Matt [28:18]–20).