What is "The Church" ?

How would you define or describe the local church? Is it:
a)     The People of God
b)     A Building
c)     The Body of Christ
d)     The Temple of the Holy Spirit
e)      All of the Above
f)       None of the Above
g)     Some of the Above

Milliard Erickson defines the church this way, “The church is the chosen people of God; they belong to Him and He belongs to them.”

This is a very good description for the universal and local church. The correct answer to the question is g) Some of the Above. The church is the people of God. Often we identify it as a building or place, such as, "Let’s go to church!” But the church is made up of people.

The church is the body of Christ. Christ is the head of this body. The body is an image of interconnectedness between persons who make up the church. It is a unified body characterized by genuine fellowship. It is universal and the church is an extension of Christ’s ministry.

The Holy Spirit brought the church into being in Acts 2. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit with individuals and the collective group indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

The church is an easy target of criticism and some of it is deserved. However, Jesus is more confident in the success of the local church than anyone.

Matthew 16:18-19
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Find your place and fill your role in a local church this week.

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