What is the Church?

Teacher Resources for 8/6/2023

Ecclesiology - What is the church?

Resources:

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.

 

Key Thoughts

  • Beginning of the church – Acts 2ff
  • The church universal and local – all believers everywhere since Pentecost and local bodies of believers
  • God’s design for the church
    • To glorify God
    • To edify believers
    • To purify its membership
    • To evangelize the world
    • To retard corruption in the world

Church described.

  • Doxological – intended to glorify God.
  • Word Centric – Incarnate and Written
  • Spirit Empowered – created, gathered and gifted.
  • Covenantal – with God and each other
  • Confessional – personal confession of faith in Christ and common confession as a congregation
  • Missional – spread the Gospel locally, Regionally, and worldwide (Acts 1:8)
  • Already but not yet – already assembled in space and time but not yet what it will be when Christ returns.
  • Church in history – how is sees itself.
  • The church is ONE – body of Christ/Bride of Christ – speaks to the unity of the church.
  • The church is HOLY – set apart though still sinful.
  • The church is CATHOLIC (not RCC) – universal – committed to the Great Commission thus advancing into the entire world.
  • The church is APOSTOLIC – founded on the apostles with reference to the apostolic writings – Scripture.

Officers of the church (broad view)

  • Apostolic – original 12 and those immediately after them at the founding of the church – especially those who authored (by the Holy Spirit) part of Scripture – (after the church was founded and this generation of leaders passed from the scene, this type of leadership ceased to exist)
  • Bishopric – having and using oversight authority to authorize local bishops to administer the rites of the church – (not a Baptist view supported by TBC)
  • Eldership – pastorate, presbyterate, elders – intended tasks include teaching, leading, praying and shepherding – I Timothy 3 and 5
  • Diaconate – serving partners to assist the Eldership with ministry in and through the local body of Christ – I Timothy 3:8-13

Ordinances of the church

  • Baptism – only believers/disciples – Matthew 28:19-20
  • Lord’s Table – meant as a unifying celebration and remembrance – I Corinthians 11:23-29

Key References

  • Philippians 1:1; I Timothy 3:1-13; I Corinthians 11:23-32; Acts 18:8; Acts 8:35-39

Why is it Vital to our Daily Lives:

  • Hebrews exhorts us to “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.”
  • The purposes of 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 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?

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