What Is the Church?
Most people think of the church as a building, but that’s not the biblical definition.
Colossians 1:15-20
It isn’t merely a meeting place for social interaction, scriptural instruction, and service projects. Rather, the church is a Body composed of those who have been redeemed by Christ and join together to meet, worship, and serve. Christ is the head of church, and believers are called His body.
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In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. ” In this case He was referring to the entire body of Christ, which is composed of all believers worldwide from every generation. The church began with Christ’s disciples and was empowered to serve on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and filled Jesus’ followers, and it will continue until the rapture of the church, when believers in Christ (both the dead in Christ and those alive) will be caught up to meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
==> Until then, our job as Christ’s body is to follow our Head. * We’re not the ones in charge; He is.
The Lord builds His church, but He uses us to win others to Him, then baptizing and teaching them to obey all His commands (Matt. 28:19-20) in a local assembly.
We don’t come up with our own plans; we simply follow His.