“The church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought.” -John Stott
“The church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought.” -John Stott
“The church is not an association which believers voluntarily join, but a divine institution, founded and maintained by God Himself.” -Herman Bavinck
“The church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought.” -John Stott
“The church is not an association which believers voluntarily join, but a divine institution, founded and maintained by God Himself.” -Herman Bavinck
“The church is not a vendor of religious goods and services, but the embassy of Christ’s kingdom.” -Michael Horton
Plan:
1) Who is the Church?
2) What is the Church?
3) How does this impact us?
Ecclesiology – the Doctrine of the Church
1) Who is the Church?
“9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ” ~1 Peter 2:9-11
1) Who is the Church?
“18…having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might … 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body…” ~Ephesians 1:18-23
1) Who is the Church?
Church: Global, historic Church
church: A local body of believers
2) What is the Church?
2) What is the Church?
A (local) church is a gathered people,
under the Lordship of Christ
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3. Spirit-empowered (pneuma-dynamic)
4.
5.
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3. Spirit-empowered (pneuma-dynamic)
4. Covenantal (with God and each other)
5.
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3. Spirit-empowered (pneuma-dynamic)
4. Covenantal (with God and each other)
5. Confessional (personal and shared faith)
6.
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3. Spirit-empowered (pneuma-dynamic)
4. Covenantal (with God and each other)
5. Confessional (personal and shared faith)
6. Missional (we gather and we go)
7.
2) What is the Church?
The Church is…
1. Doxological (focused on God’s glory)
2. Word-centered (Jesus and Scripture)
3. Spirit-empowered (pneuma-dynamic)
4. Covenantal (with God and each other)
5. Confessional (personal and shared faith)
6. Missional (we gather and we go)
7. Here, but not here
3) How does this impact us?
As a local church:
a. Committed to the gospel
b. Striving to keep in step with those who
have gone before us
As individual Christians:
a. Commit to a local church
b. Read your Bible