The church is the gathering of believers into one body under the headship of Christ. The church did not exist until after the resurrection of Christ. Believers from every race and country are united in Christ through the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:12-20). This “body” of believers originated at Pentecost and is under the headship of Christ (Acts 2:1-4; Eph. 1:22).
The church universal is the unified sum of every believer throughout time, distance, and knowledge. This group of people are described as the bride of Christ and are anxiously awaiting the return of their bridegroom, Christ (Eph. 5, 1 Thess 4:13-18).
The local church is the visible manifestation of the church universal. Local churches have been recorded since the New Testament and have gathered in various buildings for the purpose worshipping God, studying His word, and encouraging each other (Rom 16:5, Gal 1:2, 2 Cor 2:1). Local churches are part of the church universal and carry out the mission of the universal church (Acts 20: 28).
One of the most important works of the Holy Spirit is the dispensing of spiritual gifts. Every true believer in Christ is given spiritual gifts in order to help “prepare the people for works of service, so that the body of Christ will be built up” (Eph. 4:12). The spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit and cannot be earned or developed by man alone. Each believer has an important role in the body of Christ and is given a gift or gifts accordingly (Rom 12:3-26). The purpose of spiritual gifts are to glorify Christ and to promote growth in the body of Christ (Eph. 4:8; 4:12).
The topic of the miraculous sign gifts is very controversial and greatly debated among theological circles today. Some support the present use of the miraculous gifts while others hold that such gifts ceased with the end of the early church period. Personally, I feel that there is not enough evidence to support the claim that the gifts ceased during the early church period. I feel that the evidence some use to support this view is not fully conclusive (2 Cor. 2:20, 1 Cor. 12-14, 2 Cor. 12:12, Eph. 2:20).
Even though I am not convinced that the miraculous gifts ceased, I do not believe that every such experience is valid. I have observed many so called “miraculous experiences” which cause confusion, disorder, and fear. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul gives instruction for orderly worship. I believe that if the gifts are used publicly, they should be presented in the orderly way described by Paul. If the gifts are still available today, it is clear that they are not something to be achieved or earned. Instead, they must be presented in an orderly fashion, and they must bring glory to our Savior Christ.
The ordinances of the Church are outward rituals which symbolize inward changes in the believer’s life. The two ordinances of the church are baptism and communion. Baptism is a believer’s symbolic witness of his acceptance of Christ as his personal Savior. Baptism was commanded by Christ but is not a requirement for salvation (Mt 28:19-20, Acts 3:17-26). The method of baptism recorded in the New Testament Scriptures was immersion, which signifies the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom 6:3-4, Acts 18:8).
Communion is the celebration of Christ’s redemptive work. The bread and wine are symbols of Christ’s body and blood; the sacrifice for man’s sin. The practice of communion gives the church time to remember the work of Christ, provides unity in the body, and provides hope as we wait to have supper once again with our Lord Jesus Christ (Mt 26:26-30, 1 Cor. 11:23-30).
The mission of the church is two-fold. The first purpose of the church is to bring glory to God (Eph. 1:5-14). This is done through worship, prayer, and study of the Scriptures. The church is called to worship the Creator boldly, honestly, and with pure hearts.
The second purpose of the church is to love people. We are called to love both those far from God and our fellow believers. Evangelism, or love for those far from God, must be present in the modern church. The Church is called to be the salt and light of the earth and we are commanded to go and make disciples of every nation (Mt 28:19-20, 5:13-16, 28:19). Discipleship must also be present in a healthy church. As a result, the church must create a biblical community of faith which helps nurture pure and mature followers of Jesus Christ (Jude 20, Eph 4:2-24).