Many people today see the church as a building. But this is not what is written in the Bible. The word “church” comes from the Greek “ekklesia”, which means “gathering” or “convened”. The main meaning of the church is not the building, but the people. Unfortunately, when you ask people what church they attend, they usually say Baptist, Methodist, or whatever, meaning they’re talking about denominations or buildings. Romans 16:3-4 Paul refers to the church in their house – not a church building, but a community of believers.
The Church is the Body of Christ. From the time of Pentecost until the miraculous rapture at the end of time, the Body of Christ will consist of believers.
Types of church
Christianity considers three denominations:
- Catholicism
- Protestantism
- Orthodoxy.
Catholicism
Catholicism is the traditions and beliefs of Catholic churches. This term usually refers to churches, both Western and Eastern, that are in full communion with the Holy See. The creed and creed of the Christian church are headed by the Pope.
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the most widespread trends in Christianity, which separated from Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16th century and, as a result of the subsequent internal division, formed such currents as Adventism, Baptism, Methodism, Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, the charismatic movement, etc. They saw their goal as a return to the ideals of early Christianity. Protestant churches and communities of a national or local character exist throughout the world and continue to spread.
Orthodoxy
The Orthodox Church is the third largest religious community in the world and the second largest internally united Christian community with approximately 220 million baptized members. The church consists of a number of theologically unified local autocephalous churches that are in Eucharistic communion with each other. Worship and creed are Christocentric. The Church has no central doctrinal authority.
What does church mean in the Bible?
- What is called the Church in the New Testament?
- Believers gathered together in one place (1 Corinthians 14:23).
- Believers who live in an appointed place (Galatians 1:2).
- A group of believers in someone’s home (Colossians 4:15).
- The whole brotherhood of believers throughout the world (Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 12:28).
- What is the Church compared to?
- A single organism. The Church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:23), believers are members of His body (Ephesians 5:30), and Christ is the “head of the body” (Colossians 1:18) and the “head of the Church” (Ephesians 5:23).
- Temple. The church is “God’s building”, “God’s temple” in which the Holy Spirit resides. Christ is the “cornerstone” of this building (1 Corinthians 3:9-16; Ephesians 2:20). According to Peter, believers are “living stones” that are being built into a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).
- Bride. In the Bible, the Church is presented as the bride of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). Christ loved the Church so much that he “gave Himself for her to sanctify her… to make her a glorious Church for Himself, without spot or blemish… so that she would be holy and blameless!” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
- Family. Through faith in Jesus, the saved become children of the Heavenly Father (Galatians 3:26). Now they are “household unto God” and are marked with one another as brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 16:20, James 2:15).
- The pillar and ground of truth (1 Timothy 3:15). The Church protects the truth, protects it from attacks. Every doctrine is tested by the Word of God (Isaiah 8:20).
- Troops. The church is compared to a formidable army with banners (Song of Songs 6:10). This is not an army that sheds blood. This army carries the Gospel, and wins new souls for Christ (Acts 16:5). She has “the armor of God” to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).
What is the purpose of the church?
The church must teach biblical teaching so that believers can strengthen their faith. The church should become a place of close relations, where Christians can devote themselves to each other, respect each other, teach, sympathize, encourage, and, most importantly, love each other.
Serving the Lord should be at the center of the programming and functions of every local church. It is clear that God wants every believer to actively serve Him by serving others in and through their local church. It is obvious that salvation, when a person places his faith and hope in Christ, is when the process of service begins
The church should be a place where believers can participate in the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ and His holy blood shed for us. In addition, “breaking bread” carries the idea of shared meals. This is another example of maintaining close relationships in the church. The last purpose of the church, according to the above text, is prayer. The church should be a place that encourages prayer, accustoms to it, and uses it.
The end result of a local church functioning as intended by Christ is that the church will grow both spiritually and numerically. The development of churches does not depend on some man-made plan or program. The Bible makes it clear that God wants each of His people to consciously, actively, and faithfully share their faith with others. However, evangelism must be done through the church, where those who come to Christ can grow in Him and participate in the church’s mission.
Why is this church so important?
Attending church is a blessing for everyone. It is a place of thoughtful challenge, healing, and creativity. and a battleground of intimidation, pressure, and mistrust. It is cool to participate in church services. You can also observe the healing of people from diseases and the healing of their hearts from the pain they had, groups of people in the church who love God surround and helps people return love to life. you can observe that after visiting the church, people had the main desire to live together, to be real and authentic, within the walls of the church. The Church can and should provide Church members with revelations, norms, and guidelines that help them live the way Christ would have us live.
- How can you become a part of the church?
One of the things I learn about God every step of the way is that He is constantly inviting you to be a part of the story He is the Author of. And He always has a place for you so that you can do your part by trusting Him and see what He will do when you just trust Him with your life. You can become a part of the church by accepting God into your heart and accepting water baptism
- Why should we become part of the church?
- This is necessary in order to be in the teaching of the Word of God. That is why the preaching of the Word is a priority in the church. After all, Jesus commanded us. “And Jesus came and said: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Teaching them to keep all that I commanded you And behold, I will be with you daily until the end of the age. Amen “(Matthew 28: 18,20). He did not tell us to teach people to go to church but to teach people to obey His Word. For this reason, the pastor preaches and teaches the entire church the Word of God every Sunday. Without the Word, we will be spiritually weak and will not be able to fulfill the will of our Father.
- In order to participate in the communication. Communication is second only to teaching the Word of God. Why? Because communication with other believers is an important part of your spiritual growth. We are not just talking about communication, but about such communication where there is commitment and accountability to each other. It is a communication in which we can open up, pray sincerely, and serve one another.
What is in the middle of the temple?
In the middle of the church of the faithful stands a tetrapod – a four-cornered table on which there is a cross, an icon of the church or a holiday, and on the sides – candles. With it, the Holy Mysteries of Baptism and Wedding, parastases, memorial services, akathists, and various acts of consecration and blessing are sent.
Why the church is important for Christianity?
The Christian Church unites Christians in a holy community, which is also called the Body of Christ or the Bride of Christ, and is considered a kind of Noah’s Ark, without which salvation is impossible.
What is the nature of the church?
The mystery of Christ is the nature of the church. When we talk about a secret, it always hides someone’s will. There is a will of God that was not revealed until a certain moment for the reason that it could not be revealed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqnkztmINE4
Two meanings of the word church
- Religious organization of clergy and believers, united by a community of beliefs and rituals
- A building in which Christian worship takes place.
Why is it important to attend church?
If a Christian is not a member of any local church, rarely attends it, and does not communicate with other believers, then sooner or later his faith will weaken, and he will return to his former sinful lifestyle, risking losing his salvation.