Church Defined

Defining the Church

This week’s blog will start a three week series on the nature and function of the local church, considering some of the things in last week’s anniversary post more deeply. Please read and consider these posts and your relationship with your local church!

When you think about the church what comes to mind? Do you think about the building? Maybe the image of the church you or some family members attended as a child comes into your mind. But this really isn’t what the Bible means by church. Church is not a place or a building. The church is literally the gathering of Christ’s people. A local church is the gathered body of Christ people in a local area. The Bible defines certain things that are necessary for a gathering of people, even Christian people, to be a genuine expression of the church. I would add that if a gathering of Christians is not an expression of the local church then it isn’t an expression of the greater universal church either. 

To be one of these churches means being in a covenant relationship with other Christians. This covenant relationship cannot be simply understood or unspoken, because it comes with both responsibility and accountability that requires commitment and communication (1 Corinthians 12). These kinds of parameters are important because we most need one another in the moments when the subjective aspects of our relationship are strained. It is in these moments that the objective covenant commitments bind us together in the love of Christ.

The Church also must have Elders (Pastors). Jesus did not leave His sheep abandoned to the elements and wolves. He calls undershepherds who are to provide for the well being of His flock through teaching and instruction in the sound (healthy) doctrine of the Bible. It is wonderful and appropriate for us to study together the word of God. But in the regular gathering of the local church the Pastors must teach not just facilitate a discussion. This teaching finds it’s authority in its fidelity to the Scriptures. Pastors also have a responsibility to defend sound doctrine and rebuke those who would contradict God’s word (Titus 1:9). The sheep must be protected from false teaching and false teachers and this is the undershepherd’s job. If the sheep are simply left to shepherd one another they will be eventually scattered and devoured!

If the Church is the gathering of Christian covenanted together with Elders (pastors) then the church must also have connection. You do not go to church rather you must gather with the church. This means knowing each other and caring for each other. This means that we have to do the hard work of getting into real conversations and forming genuine relationships. This starts with showing up and staying. I don’t just mean to the “service” either. I mean to be a part of the church you need to be meeting in smaller groups (Sunday School, Prayer meeting, home Bible study). I believe every believer needs the main gathering and the more intimate fellowship. To miss out on either one robs both the individual believer and the church body as a whole.

Christians need the local Church! It seems like a simple statement but in a world where so many people have been convinced that they can love Jesus without loving the church this is a point we must make! Do you have a local Bible teaching church? Praise the Lord! Get committed and connected! If you don’t have one, find one! This is priority one for following Christ well.

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