What does the bible say about church?
There are a lot of different churches in the world; so many that the word "church" can mean just about anything in our language. But when Jesus said He was going to build His church (Matthew 16:18-20), He did not mean the confusion of so many kinds of churches and so many different beliefs of today.
Instead, Jesus sought to establish a church that would be His own people, called to be Saints (Romans 1:7), and would be the Kingdom of God (I Timothy 6:13-16). Jesus told Pilate that he was here to "bear witness" (die) to establish His Kingdom (John 18:37). The Kingdom Jesus built when He arose from the grave (Matthew 28:18) and when His apostles opened the doors of it (Acts 2) is here on earth today in the form of His church (Colossians 1:12-13).
In the Bible, the church is also, more figuratively, called Mount Zion, the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22-23) and the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:31, Revelation 21:9-10).
The word Church means "a called out body" in Greek, the language in which the New Testament was written. The church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 5:30-32), so we who are In Christ (Galatians 3:27) are now the Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:27), hence this is why we are called the Church of Christ (Romans 16:16).
Jesus prayed for unity. All people, throughout the world, can be Christians just as described in the New Testament. God provided all instuctions on how to worship him and be his people in the Bible. Being one faith, one people, and one church in Christ Jesus is acheivable. But, it is only acheivable if we come together in the absolute truth of God's Word.
Purpose of the church
The Church was not designed as entertainment or a social club, but, meant to serve God. It is purchased with Christ's own blood. When David ordered his son Solomon to build God's Temple in the Old Testament, he reminded him that the Temple is for God, not for man (I Chronicles 29:1). Too often today churches pattern themselves around pleasing men, not God.
The Church has four duties to perform: Worship of God, edification of the Saints, benevolence of the Saints, and Evangelism of the lost. (Ephesians 4:12). These last three are typically described as the work of the Church.
Organization of the church
The Church Jesus built 2000 years ago (Matthew 16:16) is still capable of doing everything God intended to accomplish. It is only man's misguided vision of its organization, that has allowed all the division in the religious world.
The only source of authority for the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is in the Bible that God himself gave us. II Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that the Bible contains everything we need to be right with God. Revelation 22:18-19 tells us that adding to or taking away from God's Word is error. God's revelation was finished with the Bible (Jude 1:3), and nothing new is from God. It is the New Testament that has the authority for today; the Old Testament was "nailed to the cross" (Colossians 2:14).
• The Head of the Church is Christ Himself. No other leader is needed.
Matthew 28:18 "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
Colossians 1:18 "And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."
• Elders
Each congregation is watched over by Elders, also called Pastors, Shepherd's, Overseers, or Bishops.
I Peter 5:1-5 "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
Instructions for choosing Pastors are also given in God's word.
I Timothy 3:1-7 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Titus 1:5-9 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.
• Deacons
Each congregation can also appoint deacons. These are servant helpers that can help with the missions of the church.
I Timothy 3:8-13 " Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Acts 6:3-6" Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them."
• Evangelists (Preachers and Teachers)
Evangelists who preach the gospel to the lost and teachers who prepare and educate the members (saints) for our ministry to others.
Ephesians 4:11-13 "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;"
• Saints
And then, the rest of us, the Saints, who are Christians set apart from the world by God.
Philippians 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons"
Some may ask, what of the Apostles and Prophets? Do we still have them today?
• Prophets - These men, chosen by God, proclaimed God's message until the inspired will of Jesus Christ, the New Testament, was completed in writing.
Hebrews 1:1-2 "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds..."
Some also had the gift of prophesy in the infancy of the church to prove that Christ and his followers were of God and spoke the truth. This was also a fulfillment of prophesy about the coming of the Messiah.
Acts 2:16-21 "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 'AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY. I WILL SHOW WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND SIGNS IN THE EARTH BENEATH: BLOOD AND FIRE AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.' "
• Apostles - During His ministry, Christ chose 12 Apostles who were eye witnesses of His actions and teachings. These men were commissioned to spread the good news of Christ to the whole world. And then, Christ appeared to Paul, and appointed him to be the special Apostle to the Gentiles. So one of the requirements of being an Apostle was seeing Christ with their own eyes. Needless to say, none can fulfill that requirement today. But we have their accounts written for us in the Testament of Christ. (The New Testament)
Acts 1:1-3 "...I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
