--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mission of the church is missions." description: "\"The mission of the church is missions.\" — Oswald J. Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/oswald-j-smith-15899_church_the-mission-of-the-church-is-missions-71_717541.jpg" --- # The mission of the church is missions. ![“The mission of the church is missions.” quote by Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/oswald-j-smith-15899_church_the-mission-of-the-church-is-missions-71_717541.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/oswald-j-smith-15899_church_the-mission-of-the-church-is-missions-71_717541.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b35/oswald-j-smith-15899_church_the-mission-of-the-church-is-missions-71_717541.jpg) > “The mission of the church is missions.” [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The church exists primarily to spread its message through missions. **In simple terms:** Church's main purpose is mission work. Key Takeaway Prioritize outreach and service. Themes mission church purpose evangelism Mood reflective inspirational Type theological missionary When to use this quote - church planting - global evangelism - local outreach - faith education Key Concepts theology missiology Questions to Reflect On - How can churches balance mission and congregational care? - What defines effective mission work? A Different Perspective Mission focus can neglect internal spiritual health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Mission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mission/) [Missionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missionary/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Motto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motto/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [A church without a missions or a mission without the church are both contradictions. Such things do exist, but only as pseudostructures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-braaten/a-church-without-a-missions-or-a-mission-without-the-church-are-both/) Carl Braaten > [Proclaiming the gospel to all mankind is a fundamental part of the mission of the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-russell-ballard/proclaiming-the-gospel-to-all-mankind-is-a-fundamental-part-of-the/) [M. Russell Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-russell-ballard/) > [If missions languish, it is because the whole life of godliness is feeble. The command to go everywhere and preach to everybody is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-missions-languish-it-is-because-the-whole-life-of-godliness-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If God wills the evangelization of the world, and you refuse to support missions, then you are opposed to the will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/if-god-wills-the-evangelization-of-the-world-and-you-refuse-to/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [Untold millions are still untold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/untold-millions-are-still-untold/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice, before everyone has heard it once?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/why-should-anyone-hear-the-gospel-twice-before-everyone-has-heard-it/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [You're either a missionary or a mission field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-cunningham/you-re-either-a-missionary-or-a-mission-field/) [Loren Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-cunningham/) > [Redeeming culture is the never ending mission of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/redeeming-culture-is-the-never-ending-mission-of-the-church/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [I was called to start a mission, not a church. There is a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-was-called-to-start-a-mission-not-a-church-there-is-a-difference/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [“It’s not that the church has a mission. It’s that a mission has the church.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-wegner/it-s-not-that-the-church-has-a-mission-it-s-that-a-mission-has-the/) Rob Wegner > [It is not so much the case that God has a mission for his church in the world, as that God has a church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-j-h-wright/it-is-not-so-much-the-case-that-god-has-a-mission-for-his-church-in/) [Christopher J. H. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-j-h-wright/) > [We as a church don't have a mission. The mission has a Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-mcneal/we-as-a-church-don-t-have-a-mission-the-mission-has-a-church/) [Reggie McNeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-mcneal/) > [And this is the mission of the church--not civilization, but salvation--not better laws, purer legislation, social elevation, human equality and liberty, but first, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/and-this-is-the-mission-of-the-church-not-civilization-but-salvation/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [“the Spirit himself is sovereign over the mission, the church can only be the attentive servant. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesslie-newbigin/the-spirit-himself-is-sovereign-over-the-mission-the-church-can-only/) [Lesslie Newbigin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesslie-newbigin/) > [The church doesn’t have a mission; there is a mission, and it has the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-emery-white/the-church-doesn-t-have-a-mission-there-is-a-mission-and-it-has-the/) [James Emery White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-emery-white/) ## More by Oswald J. Smith > [He who would preach powerfully must pray effectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/he-who-would-preach-powerfully-must-pray-effectively/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [“And they continued steadfastly (Acts 2:42) - That is to say, they did not backslide. The real reason there are so many backsliders is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/and-they-continued-steadfastly-acts-2-42-that-is-to-say-they-did-not/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [The only generation that can reach this generation is our generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/the-only-generation-that-can-reach-this-generation-is-our-generation/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [In the Irish Revival of 1859, people became so weak that they could not get back to their homes. Men and women would fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/in-the-irish-revival-of-1859-people-became-so-weak-that-they-could/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [Oh my friends, we are loaded with countless church activities, while the real work of the church, that of evangelizing and winning the lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/oh-my-friends-we-are-loaded-with-countless-church-activities-while/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [If God wills the evangelization of the world, and you refuse to support missions, then you are opposed to the will of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/if-god-wills-the-evangelization-of-the-world-and-you-refuse-to/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [The world does not need sermons; it needs a message. You can go to seminary and learn how to preach sermons, but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/the-world-does-not-need-sermons-it-needs-a-message-you-can-go-to/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [“It is even possible to be a martyr for the Faith and yet not love Jesus Christ.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/it-is-even-possible-to-be-a-martyr-for-the-faith-and-yet-not-love/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [This last month I have felt the burden of a city. Its great sorrow has pressed in on my soul. Its vice and sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/this-last-month-i-have-felt-the-burden-of-a-city-its-great-sorrow-has/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [We talk of the second coming, half the world has never heard of the first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/we-talk-of-the-second-coming-half-the-world-has-never-heard-of-the/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [Oh, to realize that souls, precious, never dying souls, are perishing all around us, going out into the blackness of darkness and despair, eternally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/oh-to-realize-that-souls-precious-never-dying-souls-are-perishing-all/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [“The three representative men of the Bible, the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual - Which are you? Are you living in Egypt, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/the-three-representative-men-of-the-bible-the-natural-the-carnal-and/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [I am perfectly confident that the man who does not spend hours alone with God will never know the anointing of the Holy Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/i-am-perfectly-confident-that-the-man-who-does-not-spend-hours-alone/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [Why should anyone hear the Gospel twice, before everyone has heard it once?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/why-should-anyone-hear-the-gospel-twice-before-everyone-has-heard-it/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) > [Those who have been used of God had to pay a terrific price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-j-smith/those-who-have-been-used-of-god-had-to-pay-a-terrific-price/) [Oswald J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) [Explore all 41 Oswald J. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-j-smith/) ## More Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. Recognition of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/while-the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-is-the-most-historic-there/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Turn over the pages of history and read the damning record of the church's opposition to every advance in every field of science. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upton-sinclair/turn-over-the-pages-of-history-and-read-the-damning-record-of-the/) [Upton Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upton-sinclair/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/) [Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. Art inherited from the old religion the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/the-religion-of-art-like-the-religion-of-politics-was-born-from-the/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [The minute you walk outside of your church on Sunday you're in mission territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-minute-you-walk-outside-of-your-church-on-sunday-you-re-in/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) [Browse all 9,430 Church quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mission of the church is missions.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald J. 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