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What Kind of Church is This?
Bryan McAlister

We often hear, "It's time to go to church" or "How was church today?" in some way indicating church was an activity in which we participated. Literally the word "church" comes from the word, "ekklesia." In a general sense, this word means "an assembly" and is used to indicate such in Acts 19:32 and 39. In a specific sense, the word means "called out." There is no doubt, those who called themselves Christians in the 1st century, knew they were members of the church, the assembly of God's people, and that they had been called out from their sins, into the sanctity of their Savior Jesus Christ. As to how it is used in the Bible, there are over one hundred descriptive passages where the church is addressed.

First of all, Jesus Christ is the builder of the church (Matthew 16:18), based upon the fact He is the Son of God. Incidentally, the term church and kingdom are used by Jesus Christ in Matthew 16:18-19 interchangeably, indicating they are one in the same. His church, His kingdom is now established, and we need not wait for it any longer. He is the purchaser of the church, paid for by the price of His shed blood (Acts 20:28). The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). The church being the body of Christ, it is important to note there is but one body of the Lord Jesus, and thus one church, and one identity comprising the one body of our Lord Jesus (Ephesians 4:4).

The Bible speaks of "churches" in the plural (Acts 9:31; Romans 16:16), but only in a geographic sense, not in the sense that would imply or suggest God approves of multiple systems of belief toward His revealed Word. Those who were saved were added to the church, the body of obedient believers (Acts 2:47). Therefore the church is the body of the saved, and one cannot be saved and yet not be a member of the church of our Lord. The church refers to men and women (Acts 8:3).
The church can have an emotional response to disturbing news, as was the case in Acts 5:11, when word of Ananias and Sapphira's death spread, "great fear came upon the church." The church is the house of God (I Timothy 3:15). The church was established to declare "the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph 3:10).

The church has a responsibility to assemble (Hebrews 10:25), observe the Lord?s Supper on the first day of the week (I Corinthians 11:18; 23), pray (Acts 4:24), sing (Ephesians 5:19), give of their means (I Corinthians 16:1-2), and teach so others may understand (I Corinthians 14:5). The church is autonomous, or governed locally, independent from any national or world headquarters, for Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:23). The church has a responsibility to remain distinct and not blend or bend the teachings of Jesus with any doctrine or creed of man (Acts 15:1-21). The church should be united under the teachings and standards of Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 1:10); be kind to one another showing forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32); extend help to those in need, especially those of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). The church is not a sect (Acts 24:5) or a denomination or dividing of Jesus and His teachings (I Corinthians 1:13). The church is the precious gift and creation of our Lord, and has always been His plan by which His truth would be made known, His gospel revealed, and His creation saved through Him. This church desires to serve the Lord and serve you. Our prayer is for the opportunity to do both in love.

A Place for Boys

A place for the boys, dear mother, I pray,
As cares settle down round our short earthly way;
Don't let us forget, by our kind, loving deeds,
To show we remember their pleasures and needs,
Though our souls may be vexed with problems of life,
And worn with besetments and toilings and strife,
Our hearts will keep younger, --your tired heart and mine--
If we give them a place in their innermost shrine;
And to our life's latest hour 'twill be one of our joys
That we kept a small corner, -- a place for the boys.