What is the Church?

What is the church?

In Sunday's class Zac gave this definition of the church

The church is the assembly of believers who regularly meet together across the whole world, glorifying God by obeying His Word and discipling one another in the unity that comes through Christ Jesus.

Pastor Brett's Sermons on the Church:

• The Study of the Church - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/08-16-15PT46.mp3
• Membership and Purpose - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/08-30-15PT47.mp3
• The following will be covered in the Fall's What is the Church? study
• Why Baptism by Immersion - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/09-13-15PT48.mp3
• The Lord's Supper - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/09-20-15PT49.mp3
• Why Church Discipline - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/09-27-15PT50.mp3
• How to Grow Spiritually - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/10-25-15PT51.mp3
• Discipleship 101 - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/01-10-16PT54.mp3
• Prayer - The Most Important and Least Prioritized - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/01-31-16PT55.mp3
• The Vine, the Branches, and the Vine Dresser - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/02-28-16PT56.mp3
• True or False - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/03-06-16PT57.mp3
• American Christian - https://tbcgr.org/sermons/mp3/foundational-teachings/03-13-16PT58.mp3

Short Statement  (TBC doctrinal statement):   

We believe that the two ordinances of the local church are Baptism (the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) and the Lord’s Supper (partaking of the bread and the cup to memorialize Christ’s death and anticipate his second coming); that the local church is an independent and self-governing body responsible alone to Christ who is its Savior and Lord.

The church is made up of disciple who 
GLORIFY God
GROW into the image of Christ
SHARE THE GOSPEL with others

An important part of church life at Trinity is meaningful membership.

Why is it Vital to our Daily Lives:

• Hebrews exhorts us to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.”
• The purposes of the church are best accomplished with “one another”
• The example of the early church was that they were DAILY together.
• The early church constantly (Daily) devoted themselves to THE apostles’ teaching, THE fellowship, THE breaking of bread, and THE prayers.
• Consider – terms we use for connection to the church – “joining” a church as if it’s a club – “driving down to the church” as if it’s a building – “enjoying church” as if it’s a show – what do these terms say about our assumptions about church and how do they impact our participation?

Bible Verses

Matthew 28:19-20

Acts 1:8; 2:1-3, 38-39; 10:44-45

Galatians 1:3-5

“What is the Church?”  Fall Series Information beginning September 10, 2023.

The overall goal is to help Trinity glorify God even more and help our church family encourage one another and love one another.

There will be four classes based on the Deacon Care Groups.

The class times are designed with two purposes in mind: 
-  grow in an understanding of what the church is (universal and local)
-  grow in our love for and knowledge of people in our deacon care group

2.  Each week's class time will have the following elements built into them:|
-  at least 10 minutes of prayer built in to pray for your Care Group and the church.
-  two individuals sharing a testimony time for additional thoughts and discussion built into each lesson

     Chapters of Urban Legends of Theology by Michael Wittmer connected to this doctrine:

    I Don't Need Church to Have a Relationship with God (Ch. 36)