From lesson one, we see church is not a place you attend for spiritual input two or three times a month if you don’t have anything better to do.Church is a gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who are committed to meet regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer, and who help make disciples of all people.If you’ve trusted in Christ, you’re organically joined to other members, so that you’re one body with them under the Head. You’re a member of the family of God, related to other family members, with a God-given ministry to fulfill. Scriptures summarise many biblical metaphors below that help us understand what the church is.
- The church is the body of Christ, the head.1 Corinthians 12
- The church is the bride of Christ.(Eph. 5:22-33)
- The church is the family (or household) of God.Ephesians 2:19
- The church is the temple of God.(Eph. 2:21-22)
- The church is the flock of God. (Acts 20:28)
- The church is the pillar and support of the truth.1 Tim. 3:15:
- The church is the kingdom of God.Colossians 1:13-14
LESSON 2: Who needs the church??
Join Steven J. Cole as he shares with us to help answer these questions. Here
- Have you ever been tempted to drop out of the church (or actually dropped out)? Why? How did you work through it?
- What should a Christian do when another believer in the church causes offense or hurt? Is it ever right to just go to another church? Why/why not?
- Is there a difference between loving another Christian and liking him (or her)? If so, what is the difference?
- Practically, what does it mean to put Christ and His church in the center of your life? What would you need to change to do this?
