The word church is from the Greek two
words ‘ek’ meaning ‘out of‘ “klesis’’ meaning
‘a calling’, a called-out ones. It is not a place where people meet, but
a people who have been called out of the world through salvation by the blood
of Jesus, a people who are separated to live for and serve the Lord.
The church eventually represents
the universal body of all the believers and the local sense of those who are in
a community.
it is a living organism: Christians
are members of a living body, not an inanimate institution (Eph. 4:12-16). The
source of the church’s life is Christ himself.
The church was announced by the
Lord Jesus Christ in Matt 16:18-19.It was officially launched at Pentecost.
Acts 2:14.
A.
FUNCTIONS OF THE CHURCH
The New Testament reveals some
separate functions of the church;
They had a definite doctrinal standard,
Acts 2:42, Eph 2:20
Meet for spiritual fellowship and
Public Worship Acts 2:46
United in Prayer. Acts 12:12
Practice Baptism. Acts 2:41
Observed the Lord’s Supper.
Acts2:46
They kept the account of their
membership. Acts 2:14, 41, 4:4
They have officers and time for
their meetings. Acts 14:23,20:17,13:1,John 20:19,20
Raise money for the work of God.
1Cor 16:1-2
Provision for their needy. Acts
6:1-6
Regulated church decorum and
discipline,1 Cor 14:34.
