Understanding that the church is not a building, but a people is essential to understanding the aim (or goal) of the church.
If we think the church is a building that we go to rather than a people who we are, it is very easy to begin to see the aim of the church as simply to get more people to go to church. The problem is that if that works, all we've done is get a bunch of people into a building. While that is not bad, it's certainly not complete.
On the other hand, when we begin to see that the church is a people who we are rather than a building that we go to, then we can begin to see that the aim of the church is to get the church to be the church so that those who are not the church can become the church and then go and do likewise.
The Church is the redeemed people of God. The aim of the Church (in dependance and reliance upon the Holy Spirit) is to see more people become the redeemed people of God so that God receives more and more glory, honor, and worship.
For more on this idea, check out this resource.
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