The Church
The word, church, has many different meanings in today’s culture. Many people view church negatively. They regard going to church as boring, exclusive, homophobic, and generally don't trust organized religion (Davis). By contrast, Christians cherish the church because they understand that the church is more than a building or a group of religious people. To Christians, the church is the Bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7b says, “For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” (NIV). This scripture refers to the second coming of Christ who will return for His people. Christians understand that Christ is the head of the church and that the union between Christ and its followers is a spiritual mystery (Ephesians …show more content…
The Christian Church is a place for followers of Christ to gather and hear the good news. It is a place where believers worship God and encourage each other. It is a place where God is glorified when Christians pray, sing, and fellowship with the Lord and other Christians. The church is here to help believers grow in the gospel and to make Christians more Christ like. Christians also have the responsibility to evangelize. Jesus says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (NIV). The leaders of the church teach Christians how to evangelize. Lots of special occasions happen to Christians in the church like communion, baptism, marriages, and sending off missionaries. The church is an organism, a communion of believers who are in joint opposition to the world (Berkhof 114). So, even without a physical building, Christians are the “church” because they are united in their salvation and …show more content…
Each denomination operates in a certain way. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people” (NIV). So, scripture states that churches should act orderly. For example, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (a.k.a. ARP) has a book of order called The Standards that directs the running of the church in thirty-five different areas including how to give the sacraments. It also has a form of government that has sixteen areas of concern like how to conduct ordination and matters concerning the session (The Standards). The ARP Form of Government states, “While the Scriptures do not teach a detailed form of church government, the Presbyterian form-that which governs the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church-is agreeable to and founded upon Old and New Testament principles…The Presbyterian form of church government was given its first modern form by John Calvin in Geneva in 1542” (The Standards). Government in a church keeps order for its members and leadership
The word, church, has many different meanings in today’s culture. Many people view church negatively. They regard going to church as boring, exclusive, homophobic, and generally don't trust organized religion (Davis). By contrast, Christians cherish the church because they understand that the church is more than a building or a group of religious people. To Christians, the church is the Bride of Christ. Revelation 19:7b says, “For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” (NIV). This scripture refers to the second coming of Christ who will return for His people. Christians understand that Christ is the head of the church and that the union between Christ and its followers is a spiritual mystery (Ephesians …show more content…
The Christian Church is a place for followers of Christ to gather and hear the good news. It is a place where believers worship God and encourage each other. It is a place where God is glorified when Christians pray, sing, and fellowship with the Lord and other Christians. The church is here to help believers grow in the gospel and to make Christians more Christ like. Christians also have the responsibility to evangelize. Jesus says in Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (NIV). The leaders of the church teach Christians how to evangelize. Lots of special occasions happen to Christians in the church like communion, baptism, marriages, and sending off missionaries. The church is an organism, a communion of believers who are in joint opposition to the world (Berkhof 114). So, even without a physical building, Christians are the “church” because they are united in their salvation and …show more content…
Each denomination operates in a certain way. 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people” (NIV). So, scripture states that churches should act orderly. For example, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (a.k.a. ARP) has a book of order called The Standards that directs the running of the church in thirty-five different areas including how to give the sacraments. It also has a form of government that has sixteen areas of concern like how to conduct ordination and matters concerning the session (The Standards). The ARP Form of Government states, “While the Scriptures do not teach a detailed form of church government, the Presbyterian form-that which governs the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church-is agreeable to and founded upon Old and New Testament principles…The Presbyterian form of church government was given its first modern form by John Calvin in Geneva in 1542” (The Standards). Government in a church keeps order for its members and leadership