tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21117204.post-1142884205945565292006-03-20T11:13:00.000-08:002006-03-20T11:52:39.456-08:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4939/2133/1600/Country%20Church%20before%20moving.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4939/2133/320/Country%20Church%20before%20moving.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />What is the church? Is the church a building where people of like faith come to gather? No, but the church is made up of people of like faith who gather together in a building. However, today there are many who call themselves Christians, yet do not gather together with those who are of like faith at all. Lets discuss what the Church is according to scripture.<br /><br /><strong>Ephesians 1:22,23 NKJ</strong> “<em>And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.</em>” The second half of that scripture in the <strong>Message Bible</strong> says “<em>The church is Christ’s body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.</em>” Friends, the Church is made up of people that are diverse yet one in faith who gathers together on a regular basis that Jesus speaks through acts through, and is manifested through.<br /><br />In 1st Corinthians chapter 12 it reveals that the body of Christ is made up of many different parts with different gifts and functions yet still one body. And this body is whom our Lord is revealing Himself through. Today many whom are not actively involved in a local church may dispute my comments but you cannot dispute the Word of God. Lets look at <strong>Ephesians chapter 4:11-16</strong>, here the apostle Paul describes what we have come to know as the five-fold ministry and the purpose of the ministry is to “equip” the saints for the work of the ministry. He also encourages us to “unity of the faith” and to not be children any longer tossed about by every wind of doctrine. Let me comment on this point of “every wind of doctrine”; <em><strong>so many today are out of church because they have been deceived by “every wind of doctrine”.</strong></em> They haven’t studied the Word for themselves or are rebellious in nature and against God’s ordained government called the Church. Ok back to Ephesians, Paul also teaches us that this body of Christ is suppose to be “joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working be which every part does its share.” Friends you cannot be outside of the body and fulfill this verse of scripture. He concludes by saying that because of this unity it will cause growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. When we as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ become that “jointly fitted” body we can expect growth and edification for us all in love.<br /><br />Here lies the first point of what will be 6 points to this post concerning the topic, What Is The Church?<br /><strong>1) The Church is a body</strong><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/21117204-114288420594556529?l=passionandpursuit.blogspot.com'/></div>Pastor Leo A. Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09301210474935040708noreply@blogger.com2