ECCLESIOLOGY
The Church
- The Universal
Church – The Universal
Church is the whole company
of regenerate believers,
living or dead, during the
period between Pentecost
and the return of Christ
(Matthew 16:18; Ephesians
1:22; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Corinthians
15:52).
- The Local
Church – Members of
this one universal body
are directed to gather in
local assemblies under appointed
leadership (1 Corinthians
1:2; Matthew 18:15-18).
- The Mission
of the Church – The
church exists to bring God
glory (Ephesians 1:6,12).
We are called to fame His
name throughout the whole
earth planting churches
that reflect His glory (Matthew
28:19-20).
The Ordinances
The Scriptures
command two ordinances to
be observed in the local church:
Baptism and the Communion
Table. The believers observe
them as act of obedience,
and as a reminder of what
Christ did on the cross.
- Baptism
– Baptism is an outward
sign of an inward work.
It is conducted by immersion
of water (Matthew 3:16).
Baptism is commanded by
Christ (Matthew 28:19-20)
and was practiced by the
early church (Acts 2:41;
16:15,33; 1 Corinthians
1:13-14). It is always presented
as a public testimony of
identification of Christ.
Thus, baptism before rebirth
or for rebirth is unscriptural.
- The Communion
Table – The Communion
Table is a memorial meal
consisting of bread and
cup as symbolic images of
Christ’s body and
blood (Matthew 26:26-29).
The Communion Table was
commanded by the Lord and
practiced in the early church
(1 Corinthians 11:2; 23-26).
It is a sign of the new
covenant relationship in
which sins are fully forgiven
(Matthew 26:19,28). It remains
as a perpetual practice
of church until Christ returns
(1 Corinthians 1 1:26; Matthew
26:29).
Polity
Local assemblies
are given the authority for
administering the ordinances
and for conducting worship,
edification and evangelism.
This means the local church
have must leadership in place.
The Scripture designates that
in order for this to happen,
two things must be in place:
Elders (also called overseers
or pastors) and Deacons. These
should be selected by both
the Elders and congregation
according to the qualifications
of godly character and example
(1 Timothy 3:3-12; Titus 1:5-9).
The Elders maintain general
oversight, feed and lead the
flock (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy
1:11; 1 Peter 5:1-3), and
equip the saints for ministry
(Ephesians 4:12). The deacons
perform a ministry of service,
including physical ministering
and management (Acts 6:1-6;
Philippians 1:1).
The local
church is an autonomous, self-supporting
and self-propagating living
organism that handles it’s
own affairs. It is responsible
to teach sound doctrine, choose
it’s own officers, is
the highest court of appeal
in discipline and propagates
itself through missions at
home and abroad, under the
headship of Christ (Acts 6:1-6;
15:2; 1 Corinthians 6:1-5;
Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 3:15;
Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians
5:1-6; Acts 13:1-2; 14:26-27).
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