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Oct 22, 2016 · “Paul knew that the churches there were how the gospel would spread into all of the individual neighborhoods. Local churches do local evangelism.” The church is God’s plan, it is God’s mission. The local church should matter to us because it matters to God. The church is Jesus’ body on earth (see Ephesians 1:22-23) and it is made up ...
Sep 10, 2020 · And so, in the New Testament, you'll have the church in Thessalonica, the church in Ephesus, the church in Rome. Christ calls His disciples to gather in local congregations to do His work. And so, we have an explicit command to gather together. But we also understand that Jesus gives gifts to His people for the building up of the body of Christ.
- Experiencing The Special Presence of Jesus
- To Make Disciples by Teaching God’s Word
- United Worship
- United Prayer
- Fellowship
- Sacred Unions and Passings
- Exercise of Spiritual Gifts
- Evangelism: A Visible Witness of The Kingdom of God
- Spiritual Covering and Accountability
- Participation in Sacred Events
When Jesus began teaching about the purpose of His church, He made this statement: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Throughout the Scripture, whenever God’s people would gather to worship, God promised a special manifestation of His presence. This is known as the corporate p...
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42 NLT). “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’Amen” (Matthe...
A powerful celebration takes place when believers gather and begin to worship and praise God together. United worship has a transforming effect on those who experience it. Throughout Scripture, we are told to praise and worship God together in His assembly. “I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people” (Psalm 3...
There is something powerful that occurs when believers gather to pray. Each of us needs prayer. It is our living source of communication with our Father. The Bible teaches that we should pray both privately and with others. When the church prays together, there is a multiplication of our power in prayer. The Scriptures teach this principle in the O...
“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer…And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had…They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great ...
The local church is the place where believers enter into the sacred covenant of marriage. Today marriage is thought of more as a legal contract issued by secular government. But human governments did not invent marriage. Neither can they change its definition. Christian marriage is a union of one man and one woman through vows of love and commitmen...
“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT). When you were born again, you received at least one spiritual gift from the Lord. That gift was designed to be used in the local church. Some people imagine that their spiritual gifts are the same as their natural tal...
When Jesus introduced the church, He said, “I will build my church…And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18-19). He was indicating that the church would have authority on earth to manifest God’s kingdom to t...
We all need a roof over our heads. That is true physically and spiritually. The local church provides spiritual covering for people of God. A covering is not for the purpose of controlling or caging the people in its care. It is designed for protection, safety, and securing an environment for healthy personal growth. The local church is a community...
Last, but certainly not least, of the ten purposes for the local church is so that believers can participate in sacraments and ordinances. The word sacrament comes from a Latin word that means a “sacred or holy practice.” The word ordinance means a “commandment or sacred ritual.” Church groups sometimes use these words differently to describe vario...
Feb 12, 2024 · In fact, over 30 specific local churches are mentioned in the Bible and six regions of churches are also listed . 3. The church is where God’s people are taught God’s Word so they can grow spiritually. The focal point of local church ministry is to clearly teach and preach the Word of God.
- Mel Walker
Oct 30, 2019 · As a matter of fact, almost every New Testament letter that we read was a letter written to a local church, or to groups of churches. And in letter after letter, we find Paul and the apostles writing instructions to the churches on how to conduct themselves and to live rightly, even instructing them not to forsake gathering together.
Jul 1, 2022 · # 4 The local church is the place from which discipline is biblically administered. The task of disciplining disobedient or unruly Christians belongs to the local church. This is a difficult task but one given specifically to the church as a means to show the deepest love and concern for the spiritual care of believers (Matthew 18:15-17).
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In Your Local Church and Why It Matters, John MacArthur shows you why active involvement in your church is crucial to your life as a follower of Christ. This detailed study will invigorate your love for your local congregation and answer important questions about what a church is—and what it is not.
