ECCLESIOLOGY NOTES

1. THE CHURCH
• The church is the new covenant people of God, rooted in the
promises to Israel and inaugurated by the Holy Spirit, which refers
both to all believers in Jesus Christ, both living and dead, and to
local gatherings of believers.
• The church has its roots in the promises made to God’s people in the
Old Testament, particularly that God would bless the world through
Abraham’s offspring. While there is continuity between the Old
Testament people of God and the church, the church is the
community of Jesus, new at Pentecost

2. THE CHURCH
• The church has its origin in the eternal purposes of God. It is the
new covenant community of Jesus, rooted in Israel, constructed
by Jesus, and inaugurated by the Holy Spirit.
• The church is the people of God, chosen by the Father, and
graciously brought into a relationship with the triune God and
one another.
• The church is the redeemed communion of saints, bought by
the blood of Christ, universal and invisible, incorporating all
believers throughout all ages—those on earth and those in
heaven.

3. FOUR MARKS OF THE CHURCH
1. ONE - source of this mystery is the unity, in the Trinity of
Persons, of one God, the Father and the Son in the Holy
Spirit.
2. HOLY- The founder is holy
3. CATHOLIC- Universal
4. APOSTOLIC- founded on the apostles

4. THE NATURE OF THE CHURCH
The Universal and the Local Church
The word “church” (ekklesia) in the New Testament refers to
the church in its many manifestations. The term can refer to churches
meeting in homes (1 Cor. 16:19; Phlm. 1–2), to city-wide or
metropolitan churches (Acts 8:1; 20:17), corporately with the churches
in a specific Roman province (Acts 9:31; 1 Cor. 16:19), and on a few
occasions to the whole ecumenical church (Acts 15:22). But the most
common uses of the term can mean either the universal or local
church.

5. The Universal Church
• Sometimes “church” is used to depict what some may call the universal church,
which speaks of the unity of all believers everywhere, both living and dead (Eph.
1:22; 3:20–22; 5:27). The church in this sense is not identical with any one local
church, denomination, or association. It is not entirely visible to human beings and
refers to the total of all believers from all places and all times.
The Local Church
• Most of the time in the NT the “church” refers to the local church, the gathered
community of God’s people who are covenanted together to worship the triune
God, love one another, and witness to the world (Acts 14:23; 16:5). This
designation is the main usage of the term “church”; the Bible emphasizes the
church as a local group of identifiable believers committed to Christ and each
other, working together to glorify God and to serve his mission. The local church is
the primary center of fellowship and worship, and the chief means God uses for
evangelism, disciple-making, and ministry.

8. THE CHURCH AS MYSTICAL
COMMUNION
a) This model emphasizes community – but it is deeper than that –
like a family that is related by DNA, the church is a community that
is related by Spirit – we areconnected to each other not just by
what we say and do but by GOD! We are united to God and to one
another. We read in Acts about the followers of Jesus being one in
mind and heart.
b) Strengths – warm and welcoming - but we must remember it is more
than that – it is MYSTICAL COMMUNION, not just friendly fellowship

11. THE CHURCH AS SERVANT
a) This model emphasizes the Church’s commitment to social justice – to
doingwhat Jesus did in caring for the ‘least.’ This model includes the
action whichgoes along with the words of the Herald.
b) Strengths – doing what Jesus did – we are living our faith! But – we
must remember that it is our FAITH that we are living – to balance action
and faith.