Episode 8: Church: Some Assembly Required Pt.1
Join Matt, Neal, and Robert this week as they begin a new series on the church, what it is and why you need to be apart of it!
Show Notes:
Recommended Resources:
~Books~
- Church Membership by Jonathan Leeman
- 31 Ways to Be a "One Another" Christian by Dr. Stuart Scott
- The Character of the Church by Joe Thorn
~Websites~
- IX-9Marks Website
Church Defined:
- The Church at large: is the assembly of everyone who is a believer of Jesus Christ throughout history and in the future, who belongs to Christ’s New Covenant and Kingdom.
- The Local Church: is a mutually affirming group of new covenant members and kingdom citizens, identified by regularly gathering together in Jesus’ name through preaching the gospel and celebrating the ordinances (Baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper).
Important to the Christian Life/Walk:
- Ephesians 4:11-16: The growth of a Christian in a church comes through (1) Spiritually gifted leadership11 that is dependent only on Scripture and the Holy Spirit to teach and live faithfully according to Scripture; (2) through discipleshipv.12a which teaches each member of the church to use their gifts in the church; (3) through a progressive corporate maturity of God’s people v. 12b-14 so all are high on the tide of one another’s lives; and (4) through speaking the truth in love to one another v.15-16. This is how the Christian grows.
- True and Healthy Church Essentials: (1) the right preaching of Scripture; (2) the proper administration of the ordinances; (3) development of Biblical leadership; (4) gracious implementation of church discipline; and (5) a clear focus on the mission that Jesus Christ gave the church.
The Benefits of the Local Church for Believers:
