We believe that the Church is the living Body of Christ on earth. As members of His Body we exist to celebrate the living God, cultivate personal growth in Christ, and communicate Christ's love to the world.
The church is the community of all true believers for all time.
- Eph 1:22-23; Eph 5:25
- In the New Testament, the word church may be applied to a group of believers at any level, ranging from a very small group meeting in a private home to the universal church. (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:19; 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1; 1 Thes 1:1; Acts 9:31; Eph 5:25)
Jesus Christ himself builds the church by calling his people to himself, he is the one responsible for building his church. (Mt 16:18)
To help us understand the nature of the church, Scripture uses a wide range of metaphors and images to describe what the church is like.
- Family (1 Tim 5:1-2; Mt 12:49-50; 1 Jn 3:14-18)
- Bride of Christ (Eph 5:32; 2 Cor 11:2)
- Body (1 Cor 12:12-27; Eph 1:22-23; 4:15-16)
- God’s House (Heb 3:3-6)
- Agricultural metaphors
- Branches on a vine (John 15:5)
- Olive tree (Ro 11:17-24)
- A field of crops (1 Cor 3:6-9)
- A harvest (Mt 13:1-30; Jn 4:35)
Reasons for existence:
- Celebrating the living God: In relationship to God, the church’s purpose is to worship him. (Col 3:16; Eph 1:12; 5:16-19)
- Cultivate personal growth in Christ: (Col 1:28; Eph 4:12-13)
- Communicate Christ’s love to the world: (Matt 28:19; Acts 11:29; 2 Cor 8:4; 1 Jn 3:17)