You are most likely familiar with the children’s hand motion and rhyme to learn about church. Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the door and see all the people. Well, when we really understand church we say, here is the building and here is the steeple, open the door and see the church.
When you read the word church in your English Bible it is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia. The literal meaning is those who are called out. The general use in Greek was to express the idea of an assembly.
An example of a secular use of ekklesia would be a gathering of citizens in a self-governing city. This is the use of the word as it happened in Ephesus. If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. (Acts 19:39)
Jesus put a new meaning to the word ekklesia. Jesus said, And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18) He was saying that the Hebrews have their assembly, the Greeks have theirs and now I will build my called-out people. I will build my church.
The word ekklesia is used 115 times in the New Testament. There are 92 uses that are the local church and 23 times the word is used for the universal church.
The church universal means all true believers in Christ. Another name for the universal church is the body of Christ. It refers in general to all redeemed in Christ. We can use the word church in the general sense as a reference to all who are in Christ.
The term body of Christ is found in Ephesians 1:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 12.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12: 12-14)
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:9)
Church members are interrelated. We need each other in the body of Christ. We also need to look to the head of the body, that is Jesus Christ to carry out the desires of Christ.
Another metaphor for the church universal is God’s building. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:9) It suggests God’s indwelling of the church.
The cornerstone of the building is Jesus Christ. The foundation is the apostles, and all believers are the stones joined by the Holy Spirit to form God’s building.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Another metaphor for the church is the bride of Christ. This picture symbolizes the love and fruit bearing aspect of the church.
This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:22-33)
When we look at the meaning of church, with its emphasis on the assembled group, the universal church will be the sole operation of church after the Lord’s return. But until that time the local church is central. That is why we should not be surprised that the New Testament places more emphasis on the idea of the local church.
We are born again into the universal church, but simply being born again does not make us a member of the local church. We join the local church and normally we are baptized into membership of the local church.
In the New Testament the local church acted under the Lordship of Christ. He is the lead of the universal church and of the local church. The local church directed its own affairs. You did not find a supervisory board, or a bishop who dictated the affairs of the local church to it. The churches were independent.
While the local church was independent, it was at the same time interdependent. We see in Acts 15 and Galatians 2 the church deciding matters of doctrine. The Antioch churches and Jerusalem churches conferred together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When the Jerusalem churches needed help Paul challenged the churches of Greece and the churches of Galatia to take an offering.
Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4)
In the Southern Baptist denomination all the churches are independent. These independent churches are interdependent belonging to a local association, a state convention and the Southern Baptist convention. It is the local churches that govern the denominational agencies.
The Southern Baptist convention does not have authority over the local church. The State convention does not have authority over the local association. The conventions and associations have the right to exclude them but cannot dictate practice or theology to them.
When a young man wants to go to seminary to study theology for a ministry a small local church could not support them. They are interdependent and through their corporate giving support together a seminary. That is what the cooperative program is for these Southern Baptist churches working together.
The Bible says in giving each church must decide for themselves. Look again at the 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 passage above and then look at 2 Corinthians 8:7-8.
But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)
The local church has the authority to exclude people from membership and practice church discipline. The right to exclude members implies the right to receive members.
If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)
The New Testament portrays each believer as a priest before God. They have no authoritative position above the local church. Individuals and the church are to make decisions under the Lordship of Christ and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are free, but we operate under the rule of Christ and in the will of God. The Lord’s will is made known through the churches.
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:1-2)
At times in the New Testament there were committees that functioned in the church, but the final authority rested in the congregation.
The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” 12 The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up. “Brothers,” he said, “listen to me. 14 Simon has described to us how God first intervened to choose a people for his name from the Gentiles. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’]— 18 things known from long ago.19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” The Council’s Letter to Gentile Believers 22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. (Acts 15:6-22)
When we consider the operations of a local church, we observe that pastor, bishop and elder are interchangeable terms referring to a single office in its different aspects. The pastor or shepherd is the one who feeds the flock. The qualifications are found in 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 and Titus 1:1-6.
The bishop or overseer is one who oversees a local church. Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) The term bishop here is not used as someone who has a number of churches and pastors who report to him. It refers to a leader of a local church.
Elders are those who preside over a local church. There is no use of elder in the New Testament apart from one shepherding a local church. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. (Titus 1:6) Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. (1 Timothy 3:7)
The meaning of deacon is servant. It was used for someone who waits on tables. Even Jesus said he came as one who came to serve. In Acts 6 deacons are mentioned, but not as an office of the church. This is considered a forerunner to the office of deacon.
The role of deacon included service to Christ through the church pertaining to the material as well as the spiritual welfare of the church. The qualifications are very similar to the qualifications for pastor.
In the same way, deacons are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8-13)
The mission of the church is to spread the good news of the gospel locally and to the ends of the earth. We have that mission stated in the great commission.
Rick Warren has succinctly stated the purposes of the church in his book Purpose Driven Church. Warren suggests that these purposes are worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission, and that they are derived from the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37–40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).
There is much emphasis in the New Testament for a church to build fellowship among believers and for the stronger to help the weaker.
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. (Romans 15:1-3)
Mutual love should be promoted in the church. Love for God and love for others. This is the great commandment.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37–40)
Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ when you become part of the universal church. But you should belong to a local church. Salvation does not come through local church membership. There is one body, and you join through faith in Christ.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Below is the statement and verses on the church from the Baptist Faith and Message 2000
https://bfm.sbc.net/bfm2000/#vi
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The Church
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christ which includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20;
Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28;
Romans 1:7;
1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12;
Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32;
Philippians 1:1;
Colossians 1:18;
1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14;
Hebrews 11:39-40;
1 Peter 5:1-4;
Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
