God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)
A church that is busy ministering to itself, building itself up, edifying itself, and reaches no farther than its own four walls is self-centered. Training, edification and equipping of the saints is not an end itself, but is a means to an end. God's goal is that the church be built up SO THAT it can effectively function in the world and carry out Christ's will on earth.