The Purpose of the Local Church
Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
God has established the theocratic pattern of government for His people. In every case where man allowed God to govern as He saw fit, there was peace, prosperity, and stability among the people of God.
In the Old Testament, God’s people were known by various names such as:
* the assembly
* chosen people
* a community
* a congregation
* the flock of God
* a holy nation
* the holy ones
* a holy people
* a kingdom of priests
* the ransomed of the Lord
* servants of the Lord
* sheep of God’s pasture
* His treasured possession
* the redeemed of the Lord
In the Old Testament, individuals and families came together in prayer and worshipped God.
On occasions, they would come to the temple in Jerusalem for the rituals of sacrifice, which were performed by the priests.
The temple was destroyed and the people taken captive to Babylon. It was while in captivity that they began to gather in groups to pray and study God’s Law, which saw the birth of the Jewish synagogue.
In the times of Jesus, the temple had been rebuilt by Herod, but synagogues were common and quite well established as places where the people gathered together on the Sabbath to pray and to study the Scriptures.
The synagogues helped the Jews to keep their faith wherever they went.
It was not until after Pentecost that the disciples and believers began to gather as a community group in homes that the church really began. When the believers gathered together at Antioch, they were the first ones to be called ‘Christians’.
From this, church leadership developed with some providing spiritual oversight and others providing practical administrative functions. Here was born the idea of elders and deacons.
Definition
In the New Testament, the word “church” comes from the Greek word “ecclesia”, which means “those called out.” It refers to a group of people who are brought together for some special reason. In the religious sense, the word refers to those people who have been brought together by God.
The local church is a group of believers in Christ that meets at a specific location under the ministry of the church leadership who provide spiritual guidance in the things of the Lord. The assembly is local, visible, organized, and constituted.
The foolish things of God
1 Corinthians 1:20-24;27 - Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.
The things of God’s Spirit cannot be processed by the human mind because it is beyond human understanding. Speaking in tongues may sound foolish but it invokes the power of God.
There are four foolish things of God which releases the supernatural power of God.
1. The gospel message
Paul tells us that preaching the message of Jesus Christ is a foolish gospel, but it is the power of God to save sinners from eternal death.
2. The tithe
It is sometimes difficult for Christians to understand that when it comes to tithing, 90 is greater than 100. When applied, it releases the power of God’s provision
3. The local church
Many Christians do not join a local church because they think the institution is foolish and unnecessary. However, nothing of spiritual value will be added to your life outside the local church. Submitting to the leadership of a church activates the power of God for our individual destinies and purposes.
4. Tongues
Speaking in tongues sounds so foolish and it is for that reason many Christians do not speak or pray in tongues. However, it activates a power that unfolds the secrets and mysteries that God has in His heart for each and every one of His children.
Characteristics of a local church
The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the importance of local assemblies. In fact, it was the pattern of Paul's ministry to establish local congregations in the cities where he preached the gospel Individual Christians were part of local churches. These churches were viewed as distinct from one another and each church acted independently from the others.
In the New Testament, the early believers:
* Submitted under the protection and nurture of the leadership of the local church
* Devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching
* Gave sacrificially to the work of the ministry
* Learned God's Word and the implications of it in their lives
* Carried out acts of love and service to one another
* Commemorated the Lord's death and resurrection through the breaking of bread
* Prayed
Local church have the following characteristics:
1. It functions in a local area
Many passages show that individual Christians were included in local churches. Some examples are as follows:
* The church in Jerusalem - Acts 8:1
* The church in Antioch - Acts 13:1
* The church in Corinth - 1 Corinthians 1:2
* The church in Philippi - Philippians 4:15
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus addressed the leaders of seven churches which were located in seven different regions.
2. It has rules
Jesus has given us rules to guide the local churches most of which were given to Paul by the Spirit. Some examples are:
* How to organize the local church
* How to convene the meetings
* How to give to the work of the ministry
* How to conduct ourselves when we come together
* How to perform the sacrament of communion
* How to function individually and corporately
* How to pray
* Etc.
In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus addressed all seven churches directly and described the works of each group, distinct from the works of the other churches.
When Christians commit themselves to be part of a local church, they understand and recognize that they follow the rules God has given for local churches and submit to the leadership and oversight of that local church.
3. It has an order
God is not the author of confusion, but of order. For men and women to work together in harmony, they must be organized. That means there must be a leader who has the first responsibility and then there are those with whom the leader works to carry out the task at hand.
A group of people without a clear leader and chain of command will never be effective in doing their appointed job and this also applies to the local church. God has given leaders who are required by Him to fulfil their responsibilities and tasks.
A group of Christians does not constitute a local church until it is arranged, patterned, or ordered so as to constitute a local church. The local church's mandate is to maintain an organizational structure for the purpose of meeting God's requirements for worship, evangelism, edification, and the development of skilled workers to carry out the work associated with its stated mission.
4. It provides an opportunity to exercise individual gifts
The local church provides the opportunity for every believer to discover and use their spiritual gift.
Being in regular contact with other Christians in a local church provides adequate opportunities to practice and grow in our individual anointing. The local church is a place where we can discover who we are so that we can be trained and equipped for supernatural service.
As you discover your spiritual gift you are going to discover who you are. You have to be active with your calling by exercising your spiritual gift.
5. It is a place of training
Just as individual Bible study and prayer are vital to a Christian’s spiritual growth, so is consistent contact with other Christians.
One of the purposes of the local church is to provide an atmosphere where the Word of God can be taught. In the early church, people eagerly devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles.
Acts 2:42 - And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Meeting regularly with other Christians is an opportunity to be encouraged in our daily walk with Christ, to receive godly advice in areas of difficulty in our life, and to be challenged by the example of more mature Christians.
Ephesians 4:11-16 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
God has provided five ministry gifts for the protection and care of the body of Christ. These ministries are given to the body of Christ as a gift. All five ministry gifts are needed in equipping the saints, for the perfecting of the saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ.
6. It is a place of accountability and submission
Hebrews 13:17 - Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Submitting to the leadership of a church activates the power of God for our individual destinies and purposes. God designed this system of accountability for the progress and protection of His flock. This cannot be possible unless God’s people are a part of an organized fellowship which has God-ordained leaders.
God places individuals in local churches so that they can submit to their leaders and learn from them. Spiritual development seldom takes place outside the institution of the church.
The Word also teaches Christians to be in submission to spiritual leaders.
God designed this system of accountability for the progress and protection of His flock. This cannot be possible unless God’s people are a part of an organized fellowship which has identified leaders.
For a growing Christian, there is no substitute for attending church. Besides it being something that pleases God, it is necessary for the spiritual wellbeing of God’s children. Doing so is a part of being in submission to God. People who cannot submit to earthly leaders may discover that they are unable to submit to God.
Believers should have an attitude of respect and be willing to follow their leaders. Following should be active and not passive. It is advisable to seek out leadership by submitting to them and being mentored by them.
7. It is a place of praise and worship
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 - And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:
