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Xenos Christian Fellowship

Christian Leadership 1

Ecclesiology 1

Week 1 - What is the Church?

Introduction

Goal of Christian Leadership Classes

Why study theology of the church (ecclesiology)?

Traditional FrameworkRead and critique: Ryrie,A Survey of Bible Doctrine, chapter called What Is the Church?,

pp!"#ff$

What is a local Church?

There is a good deal of discussion today about what is necessary to constitute a local church. Isa church simply a gathering of two or three believers in the name of Christ? How much orhow little organization is required? Is baptism necessary for church membership?nfortunately the !ew Testament does not provide a definition of a local church" but it doesdescribe the normal features of a functioning local assembly. #nd it is from these regularcharacteristics of local churches that we can formulate at least a descriptive definition.Ta$ing together the features of local churches we see in the !ew Testament" we might

propose the following definition% # local church is an assembly of professing believers inChrist who have been baptized and who are organized to do &od's will. !otice% ()* Theremust be a profession of faith + not ,ust anyone can belong to a church. (-* The !ewTestament $nows nothing of unbaptized church members. (* Churches were alwaysorganized as soon as possible (#cts )/%-* + an informal" unorganized fellowship ofbelievers does not constitute a church. (/* There is purpose + doing &od's will which ise0pressed in many ways (li$e observing the ordinances" being open and available forministry to all age groups in all parts of the world" etc.*1

If this be a reasonably good wor$ing definition of the local church" then two or three gathered forfellowship is not a local church since such assemblies are generally not organized noran0ious to minister to all age groups even in their own neighborhoods. 2urthermore" aChristian school or e0tra+church Christian organization does not qualify because of itsselective ministry3 that is" all professing believers would not be permitted to associate with

the institution or organization. Can you imagine a Christian school throwing open its doorsto all without any admission requirements? 4r can you imagine the problems a youth wor$would have if retirees could freely enter into its activities? Have you noticed that often todaythe criticism of the church is coming from those who are associated with organizationswhose wor$ would be seriously affected if they had to open their doors to everybody?!aturally" you can be more effective and successful1 if you can be selective" but if you haveto try to help people without restrictions" then" li$e some local churches" you won't always besuccessful.1

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4f course" this definition does allow for some fle0ibility. It does not require that a local churchmeet in a building specially set aside for such a purpose. It does not indicate what $ind of orhow many meetings are required to constitute a church. #ctually it does not specify themode of baptism or the particular $ind of officers (though perhaps it could and should + moreof that later*. 5rincipally it tries to differentiate the local church from other groups" evenchurch+related ones.1

Critique of Ryrie

$

The New Testament Definition of the Church

%o& do &e go a'out defining the church?

We loo at t&o things:

What Is the ni*ersal Church?

Col$ !:!+! Cor$ !:!-

.ph$ !:!-

/%.R.01R., the ni*ersal Church is

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Col$ !:!+

! Cor$ !:!-

.ph$ !:!-

(&hat)


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Words and 2etaphors used for the church in the 3e& /esta2ent

!"Church#

e$$lesia( $aleo % to call& e$ %out'

$uria$on, &hich 2eans 4dedicated to the Lord$4

2! (Bo)y of Christ((Ro2ans l:"567 ! Corinthians$ l:!!5l+,87 Colossians l:l+7

.phesians 6:-#)

-$ 1ther 9etaphors and allusions that descri'e the church$

*he *e+ple of o)5 ! Corinthians -:l7 .phesians :l,7 ! ;eter :6

*he -erusale+ Fro+ Above or *he .eavenly -erusale+5 Galatians ":7 %e're&s

l:$

Bri)e of Christ or Christ/s Betrothe)5 (.phesians 6:65-7 Corinthians !!:)$

What is the 4Local Church?4

0or each of the follo&ing *erses, ans&er the question: 4What geographical area is 'eing

descri'ed?4

Colossians !:!+ %e is also head of the 'ody, the church7 and %e is the 'eginning, the first5'orn fro2

the dead7 so that %e %i2self 2ight co2e to ha*e first place in e*erything$

o the church throughout all -u)ea an) alilee an) Sa+aria enoyed peace, 'eing 'uilt

up7 and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the co2fort of the %oly >pirit, it continued to

increase$

! Corinthians !: to the church of o) which is at Corinth, to those &ho ha*e 'een sanctified inChrist @esus, saints 'y calling, &ith all &ho in e*ery place call upon the na2e of our Lord @esus

Christ, their Lord and oursA

Ro2ans !:6 also greet the church that is in their house$ Greet .paenetus, 2y 'elo*ed, &ho is thefirst con*ert to Christ fro2


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What are so2e i2plications &e can dra& fro2 these passages concerning &hat siDe or structure a group

2ust ha*e to 'e considered a church?

4What constitutes a local church?4

The Origin of the Church

What parts of the Ei'le are &e allo&ed to use to 'uild the church?

;rotestants ha*e tended to ans&er this question in t&o 'asic &ays:

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1ld Co*enant 5 Israel 3e& Co*enant 5 Church

;ro2ise F shado& 0ulfill2ent F su'stance


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Colossians !:!+

! Corinthians !:!-

tatus: 3o& this prophetic picture has 'een fulfilled$ God d&ells in e*eryChristian and in the church corporately7 the church is the te2ple of God$ (! Corinthians

-:!7 .phesians :#57 ! ;eter :",6) /hus, it is no longer proper to regard any 'uilding

as the place &here God d&ells in a special &ay$ >ee also .odus =:"-5"7 Genesis:-7 -!:-$

Jiscussion: What negati*e effects can result fro2 ignoring this change?

% &riesthood

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1ld Co*enant ;urpose: %e're&s -:!7 ":!" 5 /he high priest &as a type of Christ$ (%e're&s-:!7 ":!") 0or this reason, he alone &as per2itted to enter GodNs presence &ith a sacrifice

for the peopleNs sins$ /he other priests &ere a type of Christians in that they could dra&

near to God and co22unicate the no&ledge of God to the people$ /he rest of the people&ere essentially passi*e participants in the ser*ice of God$

3e& Co*enant >tatus: %e're&s :!87 %e're&s ":!6,!7 %e're&s !#:!=57 ! ;eter :=


3% 'a""ath and Festi(al Calendar

1ld Co*enant ;urpose: God ga*e the Israelites a full calendar of 4holy4 days$ /he >a''ath

and the prescri'ed festi*als &ere largely prophetic pictures of the sal*ation &hich @esus

&ould acco2plish$ (Colossians :!,!8)

3e& Co*enant >tatus: Ro2ans !":!567 Galatians ":!5!!


"$ Liturgical Worship 'er(ice )week three*

1ld Co*enant ;urpose: %e're&s +:6

3e& Co*enant >tatus: %e're&s +:!-7 Ro2$ !:!


+% nant Circu$cision

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1ld Co*enant ;urpose: Infant circu2cision &as a ritual gi*en 'y God to tatus: Colossians :!!


31/.: 1ld Co*enant ritualis2 *s$ for2alis2 F Is$ =:!-,!", Is$ !:!!5!87


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Conclusion

Memory Verses

nderstand the interrelationship of these 2e2ory *erses to one another in the contet of thedefinition of, and origin of the church$

Col$ !:!+O

! Cor$ !:!-O

.ph$ !:!-O

trange /hings a'out Penos and tae 2argin notes in preparation for a class discussion

!am "eview #oints

Wee 1ne

!$ Kno& the definition of 'oth the uni*ersal and local church$$ Kno& the -5step proof that de2onstrates &hat the church is$

-$ Kno& the -5step proof that de2onstrates the church 'egan at ;entecost$

"$ Co*enantal churches tend to 'ring 1ld /esta2ent structures into the church$ Ee a'le to

eplain one of the eight areas discussed in class: What &as the 1ld /esta2ent purpose of

the area? %o& has this area changed in the 3e& /esta2ent? What is a negati*e effect onthe Christian life andMor the church of retaining this 1ld /esta2ent practice?

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