Study 9

Doctrine of the Church

I. Introduction

A. After securing salvation for mankind, Jesus ascended to heaven.

1. Before leaving Jesus promised that He would return for His

disciples.

2. It is during the time between Christ’s ascension and the rapture

of the Church that Jesus said he would establish His Church.

B. In order to gain a clear picture of the Church this study will focus on
the meaning of the Church, her distinctiveness, function and purpose.

C. In the last portion of our study will be given as to who her leaders are
and how they govern her activities.

II. The meaning of the Church

A. While very little dispute surrounds the idea that the Church exists
there is discussion over whom the Church is and what she is supposed to
do.

1. In this section on the doctrine of the Church time will be spent

defining the Church, considering when she was birthed, what forms
the Church takes, and the figures of speech used in the New
Testament to explain her relationship with Christ.

B. Definition of “Church”

1. The Church is comprised of those who put their faith in

Christ for salvation.
2. The Greek word for Church is ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) and BDAG
defines it as “the global community of Christians, (universal)
church.”1

1
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 304.

1
 3. The Greek- English Lexicon by Louw and Nida asserts that, “The
term ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) was in common usage for several
hundred years before the Christian era and was used to refer to an
assembly of persons constituted by well- defined membership.”2

4. A simple definition for the Church - ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia) refers

to people who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their savior and
who assembled to worship the Lord.

5. I agree with the above statement but also believe the Church is
a group of believers that began on Pentecost and will continue
through the rapture of the Church.

a) This above thought will be expanded later in our study.

C. Birth of the Church

1. An important feature in understanding who the Church is

requires an exploration into when the Church was born.

a) Those who do not see Israel and the Church as two

distinct groups define the Church differently than the
definition given in the above section.

b) Thus, believers have differing opinions when answering

the question of when the Church began.

2. Wayne Grudem understands the beginning of the Church to

have started before the era of the New Testament, suggesting, “it is
appropriate to think of the church as constituting all the people of
God for all time, both Old Testament believers and New Testament
believers.”3

a) This view stands in distinction to Paul Enns who believes

that, “an examination of the New Testament indicates the

2
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based
on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 125.
3
Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester,
England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House, 2004), 854.

2
 church is a peculiar New Testament entity that had not
previous existed.”4

b) I agree with Paul Enn’s.

3. Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my Church.”

a) The word “build” is the Greek word οἰκοδομέω and it is

a future, active, indicative verb.

b) Enns writes, “This point is important. It emphasizes that

the church was not yet in existence when Jesus spoke these
words. He was making a prediction concerning His future
building of the church.”5

4. Jesus did not declare that there would be a continuation of the

Church but that Church would have a beginning.

a) The Church began in Acts 2:1–4 with the outpouring of

the Holy Spirit in the upper room.
1
Acts 2:1–4 (NKJV) When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as
of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of
them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

b) This building of the Church continued with another

significant event recorded in Acts 11:15.
15
Acts 11:15 (NKJV) And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as
upon us at the beginning.

c) Here the Holy Spirit was again poured out but this time
upon a Gentile gathering.

d) The beginning to which Peter refers is the beginning of

the Church.

D. Forms of the Church

4
Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, 348.
5
ibid.

3
 1. The Church exists in two common forms.

2. The first form is referred to as the local Church.

a) The local Church refers to specific gatherings of

believers in specific geographical locations (Rom 16:1).
Romans 16:1 (NKJV) 1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of
the church in Cenchrea,

3. The second form of the Church is the Church universal (1 Cor

12:12–14).
1 Corinthians 12:12–14 (NKJV)12 For as the body is one and has many members,
but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks,
whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in
fact the body is not one member but many.

a) Thiessen understands this form as one which “consists

of all those who, in this age, have been born of the Spirit of
God and have by that same Spirit been baptized into the
body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Pet. 1:3, 22–25).”6

b) While local congregations are included in the universal

Church one should not conceive of the Lord as having many
Churches.

4. The Lord has only one Church spanning time, geography,

language and culture.

5. It is also important not to allow distinctive features of the local

gathering to needlessly fragment the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:25).
1 Corinthians 12:25 (ESV)25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the
members may have the same care for one another.

E. Metaphors used for the Church

1. The New Testament writers used some familiar metaphors

when referring to the Church.

6
Henry Clarence Thiessen and Vernon D. Doerksen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand
Rapids, MI; Cambridge: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1979), 311.

4
 a) These metaphors can be taken, based on context, to
refer to both the local and universal Church.

b) In each of these word pictures there is a beautiful aspect

of the Church’s relationship with Christ that comes into
view.

2. Paul, in, likens the Church to the body of Christ,

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

a) In this metaphor Jesus is the head of this spiritual body

(Col 1:18) and each believer is likened to a member of His
body.
Colossians 1:18 (NKJV)18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the
preeminence.

b) This picture communicates the unity that believers

share with one another.

c) There is a vital dependence that each follower of Christ

has upon another.

d) In addition, this word picture speaks of the intimate

connection the believer has with the Lord.

(1) When Saul was on his way to Damascus to

persecute the Church, Jesus confronted him and said,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me” (Acts 9:4b)?

(2) These words of the Lord, spoken from heaven,

reveal the intimate connection Jesus has with the
Church—the body of Christ.

(3) To touch the body of Christ is to touch the Lord.

3. A second metaphor that powerfully drives home the Lord’s love

for the Church is the analogy of a bride and her husband.

a) In Ephesians 5:2–25 Paul develops this metaphor

likening the Church as the bride of Christ, the husband.

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 b) Although this Ephesians passage gives commands to the
husband/wife relationship it also reveals how tender and
devoted the Lord is to His Church—the bride of Christ.

4. Three other metaphors worthy of further exploration are the

priesthood of believers (1 Peter 2:5, 9), the abiding relationship of
branches to the vine (John 15:1–5), and the Good Shepherd’s care
for the flock (John 10:16).

a) Each of these metaphors are intentional word pictures

the Holy Spirit inspired writers of the New Testament to
use.

b) The priesthood of believers reveals the service we offer

to the Lord.

c) The vineyard highlights the dependence we are to have

on Jesus.

d) The flock metaphor reminds us of the attentive care

Jesus has for His people.

III. Distinctiveness of the Church

A. The focus of this section will consider the Church’s relationships.

1. First the distinctive nature that exists between Israel and the
Church will be examined.

2. A further look at how the Church is distinct to Kingdoms

mentioned in the Bible.

3. Finally, the relationship the Church has with Jesus Christ and the
Holy Spirit.

B. In Relation to Israel

1. Covenantalists do not see a distinction between the Church and

Israel.

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 a) Consider Wayne Grudem as he expresses this view
stating, “The church is the community of all true believers
for all time. This definition understands the church to be
made of all those who are truly saved… But that must
include all true believers for all time, both believers in the
New Testament age and believers in the Old Testament age
as well.”7

b) In contrast Charles Ryrie believes, “The church stands

distinct from Israel and did not begin until the Day of
Pentecost, and thus did not exist in the Old Testament
period.”8

2. Henry Thiessen provides a succinct summary explaining that the

Church is not new wine poured into the old wineskins (Matt 9:17).

a) His three reasons for this distinction are as follows:

“First, Israel and the Church are not synonymous terms.
Paul distinguished between Jews, Gentiles, and the Church
(1 Cor. 10:32). Further, Paul speaks of the Church as one
new man (Eph. 2:15; cf. Col. 3:11), composed of believing
Jews and believing Gentiles. And finally, God has yet a
future for Israel.”9
Ephesians 2:15 (NKJV)15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law
of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new
man from the two, thus making peace,

b) I hold the position that Ryrie and Thiessen have taken.

c) The Church is a distinct entity from Israel and that God

has revealed different plans for Israel and the Church.

d) This view is inescapable if one takes a consistent,

grammatical-historical, literal approach to interpreting
Scripture in the both the Old and New Testament.

C. In Relation to the Kingdom

7
Grudem, Systematic Theology, 853.
8
Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical
Truth (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1999), 462.
9
Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 309.

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 1. The Church’s relationship to the Kingdom is one that according
to Ryrie “Much confusion exists because of the failure to carefully
define.”10

2. In seeking to clear up this confusion it will be helpful to

understand unique concepts of the Kingdom.

3. There is the Universal Kingdom where God rules over all

creation during all time (Psa 103:19).
Psalm 103:19 (NKJV)19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His
kingdom rules over all.

4. The Davidic or Messianic Kingdom refers to the one thousand-

year reign of Christ over the earth (Rev 20:1–3) as a physical
descendant of David (2 Sam 7:12–16).
Revelation 20:1–3 (NKJV)1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven,
having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of
the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a
thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set
a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years
were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
2 Samuel 7:12–16 (NKJV)12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your
fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will
establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish
the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.
If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows
of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from
Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom
shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established
forever.” ’ ”

5. Third - the Mystery Kingdom it spans the time between the first
and second coming of Christ (Matt 13:11, 39–40) with God as ruler.
Matthew 13:11 (NKJV)11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been
given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has
not been given.
Matthew 13:39–40 (NKJV)39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest
is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are
gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

10
Ryrie, Basic Theology, 460.

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 a) The subjects of this Kingdom according to Ryrie are,
“people on the earth who have related themselves in a
positive, neutral, or negative way to “Christendom”
(including true believers, professing people, rejecters, and
even opponents).”11

6. The Spiritual Kingdom is the fourth and the one to which

believers are associated (Col 1:13).
Colossians 1:13 (NKJV)13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and
conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

a) This Kingdom exists presently in the Church and with

Christ as the ruler and the subjects being all who have put
their faith in Him, whether Jew or Gentile.

D. In Relation to Christ and the Holy Spirit

1. The Church is the result of the Lord’s plan to build the Church
(Matt 16:18).

2. Jesus gave birth to the Church on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

3. Today the Lord is still building His Church and equipping her for
the work of the ministry (Eph 4:1–16).

E. Understanding the Church’s relationship with Israel, the Kingdoms,

Jesus and Holy Spirit helps to prevent confusion.

1. Knowing that Israel is distinct from the Church helps the reader
interpret prophecy.

2. Being aware that the Church is a spiritual Kingdom guides the

reader to understand the Church is not commissioned to govern
this world.

3. Being aware that Jesus is the head of the Church and

empowered by the Holy Spirit to evangelize the world helps the
Church keep her priorities in line with God’s plan.

IV. Functions and Purpose of the Local Church

11
Ryrie, Basic Theology, 461.

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 A. The function and purpose of the Church has been variously
understood and carried out since Pentecost.

1. Fortunately, the Bible is very clear as to what the priorities of

the Church should be.

2. While it is easy to establish what the Bible declares the Church

should be doing, traditions and preconceived ideas have made this
task more difficult than necessary.

3. The goal of this section is to take a fresh look at biblical text and
hear directly from the Lord as to what the Church should be doing.

4. Acts 2:42–47 provides a model for how the Church should

conduct herself as she gathered.
Acts 2:42–47 (NKJV)42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon
every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now
all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their
possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God
and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those
who were being saved.

5. From this and other New Testament passages we learn that

worship, prayer, teaching, fellowship, evangelizing, Baptism and
participation in the Lord’s communion are the foundation for how
the local Church should function today.

B. Worship

1. It is true that every aspect of the believer and the Church should
be worship to the Lord.

2. The idea of compartmentalizing life in such a way that there can

be a division of spiritual and non-spiritual is a dangerous practice.

3. That being said this section will focus specifically upon the
activity of the corporate worship service.

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 a) Grudem defines worship as the “activity of glorifying
God in his presence with our voices and hearts.”12

b) Jesus declared to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23

God is looking for those who would worship Him “in spirit
and truth.”

c) That this is the desire of the Lord within the Church is

inescapable. Consider the exhortation to:
Heb 13:15 continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our
lips, giving thanks to His name.

d) Again, Paul instructed believers in that they should be:

Ephesians 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

e) Peter gives a similar exhortation in 1 Peter 2:9.

f) It is this author’s belief that when the Church engages

in sincere corporate worship certain spiritual works are
accomplished.

g) These include God being glorified, the believer fulfilling

their purpose as worshippers, and the hearts and minds of
God’s people being prepared to receive teaching from the
Word of God.

C. Prayer

1. Closely related to the activity of worship is that of offering

prayers to the Lord.

2. Paul instructed Timothy to make certain that prayer was a vital

part of the Church (1 Tim 2:8).
1 Timothy 2:8 (NKJV)8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

3. Jesus declared that God wanted the Temple gathering “to be a

house of prayer” (Matt 21:13).

12
Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1003.

11
 4. Prayer is that means by which the believer can worship God and
petition God for those things we need.

5. Pastor Chuck Smith exhorted us pastors to “get your people

praying and keep them praying.”

6. This exhortation will only be fulfilled through much diligence

and effort.

7. Though it is recognized that this task of getting holy hands lifted

in prayer will be challenged, the command stands that the Church
of Jesus Christ is to be a praying Church.

D. Teaching

1. When Jesus was recommissioning Peter into ministry Jesus

exhorted Him to “feed My lambs” (John 21:15).

2. The teaching and instruction from the Word of God that Jesus
desires for His flock is an irreplaceable function of the Church.

3. Paul instructed Timothy, “Preach the word! Be ready in season

and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering
and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2).

4. Paul even warned that a time would come when people would
no longer “endure sound doctrine” (2 Tim 4:3).

5. The New Testament not only provides clear instruction to teach

the people of God the Word of God it also presents this example: In
Acts 2:42 we read that the early Church gathered diligently to be
taught by the Apostles.

6. Again, in Acts 20:27 Paul said to the Ephesian elders “For I have
not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”

7. It is therefore both commanded and modeled in the New

Testament that the Church should be a place to be taught and
discipled in the Word of God.

E. Fellowship

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 1. One of the wonderful blessings the Church provides for
believers is fellowship (Acts 2:42).

2. The word fellowship is from the Greek word κοινωνία.

3. BDAG offers this definition for κοινωνία “close association

involving mutual interests and sharing, association, communion,
fellowship, close relationship.”13

4. The sharing that these believers experienced was their like faith
and mission in Jesus Christ.

5. As they associated around these foundational elements they

also engaged in sharing the burdens of one another as they
followed Christ (Acts 4:32).
Acts 4:32 (NKJV)32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart
and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his
own, but they had all things in common.

6. Although nearly 2,000 years have passed since the first Church
gathered, the purpose remains unchanged.

7. Believers come together with a like faith to encourage one

another sharing the joys and burdens of life and ministry.

F. Evangelizing

1. In Acts 2:47 we read that people were daily coming to faith in

Jesus Christ.

2. Their care for lost souls was in obedience to the command from
the Lord (Matt 28:20) to be His witnesses in all the earth.

3. Paul accurately expresses the attitude every Church in every

generation should have towards this mission stating, “to the weak I
became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all
things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:22).

13
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 552.

13
 4. Additionally, in Romans 1:14 Paul declares that he was a “debtor
to both Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.”

5. The proclamation of the gospel should continue to occupy the

Church’s energies, resources and focus.

6. The Church today should feel this same indebtedness that

preoccupied the Apostle Paul and should not be viewed as an
optional activity.

G. Ordinances

1. That the Church has been given practices to participate in is

agreed by both Protestants and Roman Catholics alike.

a) As to what these ordinances are and the significance of

participating in them, there is a divergence of opinion.

b) Some refer to these rites as sacraments and believe

these activities convey a spiritual grace when one engages
in them.

c) Enns clarifies this difference noting “many Protestants

have preferred the term ordinance, which does not have
the connotation of conveying grace.”14

d) Ryrie defines ordinance as “A God-ordained rite or

symbol administered in the church.”15

e) Beyond having a different understanding of the function

of these rites believers differ on the number of rites the
Church should be participating in.

f) Roman Catholics believe there are seven while many

evangelicals would hold that Baptism and Communion are
the only two ordinances.

2. Communion

14
Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, 359.
15
Ryrie, Basic Theology, 629.

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 a) On the night Jesus ate the Passover meal with His
disciples before being crucified, Jesus instituted what is
commonly referred to as the Lord’s Supper.

b) Jesus took this very well-known Jewish feast and

infused this meal with a fuller meaning than had ever been
realized before (Luke 22:14–23).

c) In this meal He declared that the bread they were

eating was His body that was to be broken and that the cup
of wine they drank was His blood that would be shed for
the cleansing of sin—the cup of the new covenant (Luke
22:19–20).

d) Furthermore, Jesus instructed them that every time

they ate and drank in this manner they would be declaring
His death until He returns (1 Cor 11:26).

e) Believers are divided as to what significance this meal

holds for the believer.

f) Here at CCL we hold to the memorial view.

g) Enns summarizes this position writing “the memorial

view is the notion that the bread and cup are figurative
only; they are a memorial to the death of Christ.”16

h) What a joy that the Lord has left behind an activity that
touches our hearts, minds and senses in such a powerful
way.

3. Baptism

a) The second ordinance that believers are instructed to

participate in is baptism (Matt 28:19).

b) The meaning of Baptism is defined by Ryrie as “an act of

association or identification with someone, some group,
some message, or some event.”17

16
Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, 361.

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 c) For the believer Baptism is an association with the
teaching of the gospel and an identification with Jesus
Christ.

d) It is the position of this author that Baptism is not the

means by which a person experiences salvation but rather a
symbolic act that identifies with the death and resurrection
of Jesus (Rom 6:3–4).

e) Furthermore, it is the practice of the author to baptize

believers who are able to express their faith in Christ with a
full immersion of water.

H. This section of the doctrinal summary has focused on the importance

of worship, prayer, teaching, fellowship, evangelizing, Baptism and
participation in the Lord’s Supper.

1. The Church is the Lord’s and it is His work.

2. While opinions abound as to who the Church is and what she

should teach and do the final arbitrator is the Word of God.

V. Leadership and Government of the Local Church

A. Having defined the Church, explored her function and considered her
ordinances it is now time to explore the Church’s key leaders and the
governance by which she conducts herself.

1. The leaders that will be considered are elders, deacons and

pastors.

2. With regard to governance we will explore the Episcopal,

Presbyterian, Congregational and independent model of Church
government.

B. Elders

17
Ryrie, Basic Theology, 488.

16
 1. Elder is the Greek word πρεσβύτερος and is defined by William
Mounce as, “a title of leadership in the church (Acts 11:30; 15:2, 4,
6, 22, 23; 16:4; 1 Pet. 5:1).”18

2. Paul wrote to Timothy about appointing elders and states that

men who would fill such a role must be able to care for the Church
(1 Tim 3:5).
1 Timothy 3:5 (NKJV)5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house,
how will he take care of the church of God?);

3. To Titus he wrote that one of the main functions of an elder is to

protect the flock of God from those who would bring in false
teaching to the Church (Titus 1:9).
Titus 1:9 (NKJV)9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he
may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

4. Men who are appointed to this position must meet the

qualifications listed in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1–7.

5. In summary, an elder should be a man whose spiritual life is in

order and is capable for caring for the spiritual needs of the body of
Christ.

C. Deacons

1. Deacons (διάκονος) are another specifically mentioned leader in

the Church of Jesus Christ.

2. These men, like elders, must meet certain spiritual qualifications

to carry out their ministry to the Church (1 Tim 3:9–13).

3. The primary purpose of these men is to provide practical service

to the body of Christ.

4. This role appears to be indicated first in the very meaning of

διάκονος which is servant.

5. In addition, Paul notes that men who are qualified for this
ministry position are “those who have served well” (Titus 1:13).

18
William D. Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words
(Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2006), 208.

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 6. A Church that has men who are spiritually mature and desire to
serve their brothers and sisters is a blessed Church indeed.

D. Pastor

1. In Ephesians 4:11 Paul gives a list of four gifted leaders that are
to help equip the Church for the work of the ministry.

2. Of particular interest in this paper are “pastors and teachers”.

Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders who rule well be
counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the
word and doctrine.”

3. While not conclusive, it seems that there were particular elders

who ministered specifically in the word.

4. These men are both gifted for the shepherding of the flock and
the instruction of the flock.

5. It is acknowledged that different local bodies may organize their

leadership team differently and employ different titles.

6. What is important is that the flock of God is cared for and taught
by men who are spiritually gifted by Jesus Christ to teach and to
tend.

E. Governance Model

1. The means by which the governance structure is established

within the local Church varies significantly.

a) The emphasis a person places on the limited New

Testament passages that address this issue effects one’s
view.

b) Outside of Scripture matters such as culture, one’s

national government style and other factors play a
significant role on what conclusions are drawn for the
governance of the Church.

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 2. The most common forms of Church government are Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Congregational and Pastor-led.

a) It is worth noting that the New Testament is not explicit

in its description of how the Church is to be governed.

b) What is emphasized is the character of the men who

lead.

c) CC Lynchburg is a Pastor-led, elder-supported

governance model.

d) In this model the Pastor is free to lead the body of

Christ spiritually but is accountable to a group of elders in
matters of doctrine, character and financial matters.

3. The leaders of the Church are men who are gifted by the Lord
and of high moral character.

a) These men are to model the servant-style leadership of

Jesus.

b) As these men lead the Church a form of Church

government must be adopted to most effectively lead the
Church in her mission to encounter God, equip the flock
and evangelize the world.

VI. Conclusion

A. In this chapter attention has been given to define the Church and
note her beginnings.

B. In addition, time was spent on the form of the Church, the figures of
speech used to describe her relationship with Christ, explore her purpose
and the leaders given to govern her affairs.

C. While not all matters are easily agreed upon by all believers the New
Testament gives a sufficient understanding of the Church and what she
should look like in the world today.

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D. All must be careful to not be persuaded by tradition or current trends
but allow the Word of God to be the final authority for how the Church
functions today.

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