Topic

Church

What the New Testament teaches about the church.

The church of Jesus Christ is where God dwells on earth (I Cor 3:16; Eph 2:22). It is not a building. It is a congregation, or formal group, of His baptized children who have united in mutual faith around His Son Jesus Christ to worship in spirit and in truth and to help one another live godly lives until He comes. It assembles to sing, pray, hear preaching, observe the Lord’s Supper, and have loving fellowship.

A local church is the body of Jesus Christ, for He died for it, and His Spirit directs its members (I Cor 12:12-27). It is an organism more than an organization (I Pet 2:5). It is stronger than the gates of hell, when it follows its Lord (Matt 16:18). But most churches have forsaken Him and His scriptures for fables and entertainment: He has justly removed their candlesticks and spewed them out (Rev 2:5; 3:14-19).

FAQs

FAQs

Sub-topics

Sub-topics

Studies

  • What is a Church?

    A church is much, much more than most people think. Since Christian churches exist because of the Bible, we should go to the Bible to find all it says about churches.

  • What Is a Great Church?

    All churches are not equal. They vary greatly, and the only measuring criteria that count are in the Bible. How great is your church? And what are you doing about it?

  • Organism or Organization?

    Is your church an organization or an organism? Does it have lots of parts, but they are not really connected in any meaningful, coordinated, affectionate way of unity and purpose? Do they gather together weekly and sit in pews like dominoes? Jesus said to look for churches and disciples that love each other (John 13:34-35).

  • Bethel = House of God

    It is easy to be excited by Jacob’s encounter with God at Bethel – the house of God. But you have a far greater house, with far more truth, and far better promises based on Jesus’ finished work and priesthood!

  • What a Church Is Not

    What is a church to you? Do you know what the Bible teaches? Do you know the real purpose and benefits of a church? The church of Jesus Christ is very important in the Bible, but many are confused about it, so they lose the great profit of a church.

  • Blood Is Thicker than Blood

    We love our earthly families, because there are strong natural impulses for it, and because the Bible commands it. But we also know about our blood bond in Christ and know it is more valuable, lasts much longer, and includes many more benefits.

  • One Another Body Building

    A church is not just a place to hear a man preach, or to hear a praise band worship, or to play ball with other Christians on Thursday nights. It is a tight group of disciples purposing to help each other achieve greatness in God’s sight. You need to help your church function like this or find a church that already does it.

  • One Another Duties

    You may not like math, but you should consider the statistical consequences of all the “one another” duties in the Bible. Even a small church has many relationships that should be nurtured to be all that Jesus Christ expects His churches to be. Learn some Bible math!

  • You Get What You Pay For

    God compares pastors to oxen (I Cor 9:9-10; I Tim 5:17-18). If a pastor must work a worldly job to support his family, he will not have the energy or time for ministerial work that makes churches prosper. You lose, because you get only minimum benefit.

  • Danger! Beware of Your Church!

    The grave danger for your soul and those of your family is the rise of a carnal, compromising, effeminate, and worldly brand of Christianity. Prosperity preachers like Joel Osteen are perfect illustrations of it. His religion is not Bible Christianity.

  • What If My Church Has Compromised?

    We live in perilous times when most churches have compromised, just as Paul wrote to Timothy (II Tim 3:1 – 4:4), in order to be popular and keep carnal members happy. What should you do if your church has compromised doctrine or practice? This is a very common question today, and the Bible provides you with inspired answers.

  • Closed Communion

    How big or small should communion be? Should all visitors be allowed to participate? If you include any, how can you exclude others? If you exclude any, how can you include others? There are Bible reasons to limit communion only to a local church’s membership.

  • See Also:

    The Lesson of the Locust

  • Should a Church Have a Piano?

    This question may bother or offend you, just as it did us when first confronted with the Bible about it. Here is an article for those who care what the God of the Bible says rather than what everyone is now doing. Will you consider it with us?

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The most important organization on earth is an organism. It is a body of saints joined together by their love of Jesus Christ, submitted to the rules of the New Testament, and committed to love and serve one another until He returns for them. The Spirit of the living God inhabits this organization and moves its individual members, thus it is an organism – a living thing with Jesus Christ its head, and the Holy Spirit its animating, convicting, teaching, and empowering Presence.

  • Sermon

    What Is a Church?

    December 21, 2011PM

    A local church is much more important than most Christians think, especially today. David loved the O.T. house of God, and you ought to love the house of God in a true local church. This study will surprise you by what the Bible teaches are the glorious roles and traits of each local church.

  • Sermon

    What Is a Great Church?

    October 1, 2014PM

    David wanted to build an exceeding magnifical temple for God. An ordinary building would not cut it. Paul outworked the other apostles to build churches. A local church is a great blessing – you should want to make it the best. Here are some of the scriptural traits that make a church great.

  • Sermon

    True WorshippersPart 1 of 4

    June 19, 2011AM

    Jesus told a woman of Samaria that her nation did not know what they worshipped, and He prophesied there would be no true worshippers in Jerusalem either. God wants a certain kind of worshipper. Do you know what kind? Are you one of them?

  • Series

    Higher Ground (2015)

    20 sermons

    David and Solomon built God a temple, and He honored it with His glorious presence. The N.T. church exceeds any O.T. temple. Zealous Christians will want to make their church the best possible by Bible standards. You must forget all past successes and press forward to win the race.

  • Series

    The Day of Pentecost (2017)

    8 sermons

    How did the first church get started? After Jesus ascended, God gave Him authority and gifts for His victory, and He gave them to the church. This event changed the course of the world, explains many things about the gospel, and describes the character and conduct of a Spirit-filled church.

  • Sermon

    Lesson of the Locust

    August 30, 2006PM

    Some people are loners. They dislike crowds and want to worship God in private. But God chose group worship, so they need to find a church and become an active part in it. God made a little creature that transforms itself from solitary to gregarious for the benefits and power of society.

  • Sermon

    Instrumental Music in the Church

    April 3, 2013PM

    Here is a great subject to test your submission to scripture. Loud music is one of the key features of mega churches today. What does the Bible say? Can you throw off your conditioning that thinks instruments have a role in church worship to follow scripture only. There is a much better way.

  • Sermon

    Why Wear Pretty Shoes?

    March 26, 2000PM

    Why is much money spent for a variety of attractive shoes? Because feet are ugly! God and Paul compared a church to a human body. It has beautiful parts that do not need to be covered. It has ugly parts like feet that we hide in beautiful shoes. Do you fulfill this covering role in your church?

  • Sermon

    Exceeding Magnifical

    January 13, 2008AM

    Does this strange combination of words catch your attention? This is how David described what kind of temple needed to be built for the worship of God. How much are you like David in making your church the very best possible?

  • Series

    Christian Liberty Expanded (2013)

    10 sermons

    What do drinking beer, birth control, bungee jumping, and tattoos have in common? They cause heartburn in the church! Why? Ignorance or unwillingness to allow freedom in things God ignores. The gospel promotes freedom, but it guides your liberty for the benefit of all. Enjoy this fascinating study for peace in your heart and church.

  • Series

    Church Discipline (2000)

    4 sermons

    Most churches do not discipline their members. One reason is the lack of a systematic process to do so that satisfies all references in the New Testament. But if a local church is the temple of God and body of Jesus Christ, it should be disciplined. Here is the systematic process taught in the N.T.

  • Series

    Ancient Landmarks (2006)

    15 sermons

    Churches today are changing rapidly in doctrine, practice, and worship from their fathers. Are the changes right? Should there be changes, since the Bible declared the truth once for all no matter the generation reading it?

  • Sermon

    Pillar and Ground of the Truth

    April 16, 2006AM

    God designed churches for many good purposes, but one of them is to support and defend the truth. As the world turns farther away from Bible Christianity, true churches must stand up and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.

  • Sermon

    A Preaching Service

    July 8, 2012PM

    What should a real preaching service be like? God recorded the details of one in the Bible in which the attitude and response of the hearers and the method of instruction by the teachers are full described. What a great day! Let’s celebrate!

Sermons, Commentary, Psalm Devotionals and Articles on Church

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