What is the Local Church?

Welcome to NHCC, please open your Bibles to Ephesians 4.

Thoughts on covenant membership at NHCC.

Last week- No biblical picture of a Christian who is detached from a local church body.

No one simply doing faith on their own.

No one coming in and out.

No one devoting themselves to multiple church bodies.

What is seemingly pretty normal practice today has no biblical example.

A commitment being made to a local church family.

This is why it is called covenant membership at NHCC. Asking people to enter into a covenant with others, to commit themselves not only to God, but to one another.

Consider marriage- We would and should argue that something special takes place when two people enter into a marital relationship.

Let’s begin this morning, just like last week, with a beautiful picture of what the local church is, presented by Paul in Ephesians.

Read Ephesians 4:11–16- “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Pray.

1. What is the local church?

We often think of the church as a building. This reality wasn’t really true for a couple of centuries after the early church we read about in Paul’s letters.

So how would Paul describe who the local church is and what the local church does?

Bricks that are built together to make up the whole.

This is the language of v. 11-12- Much like last week, God gives the gifts for the purpose of building up the body of Christ more and more into spiritual maturity, exemplified in the person and character of Jesus.

The character and ministry of Jesus being put together through imperfect yet redeemed sinners.

What does the church do?

V. 15-16- We speak the truth to one another in love and patience and gentleness, which causes the entire church family to grow into Christ.

We would call this the ministry of the Word, and it is more than merely sermons on Sunday morning.

Imagine a picture slowly coming into focus. The church, as we are built up into the person and character of Jesus, provides that image to a world that is desperately in need of it.

Why is this necessary?

V. 14- We are no longer children, but men and women of maturity, of depth, of anchoring.

There is a steadiness that comes with faith in Jesus. Far different from what we experience in the world today.

This is what we seek in the local church.

NHCC Vision Statement- “We exist to equip and build up the body of Christ, to serve others, and to spread the gospel for the glory and worship of God.”

How do we get there? Let’s begin with a question that I often hear.

2. Is local church membership biblical?

The church as a flock of sheep in need of a caring shepherd.

1 Peter 5:1–3- “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

A responsibility is given to the church leadership to shepherd. The question is, who exactly are the elders to shepherd?

Hebrews puts even a bit more edge on this concept.

Hebrews 13:17- “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

Church leaders will give an account for those who were entrusted to them.

The church as a family.

1 Timothy 3:14–15- “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”

Later, in chapter 5, the relationships within the church are spoken of in familial terms. Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers.

Again, we are to know who is a part of the church body, to whom are we to relate in this way?

Consider our own families.

The church as a body.

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

The church as a holy people.

Matthew 18:15–17- “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

Jesus cares that sin is dealt with, and that it happens within the context of the church body.

1 Corinthians 5:12–13- “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

3. What do members of the local church do?

Covenant members enjoy one another.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7- “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

The language given from Paul assumes presence.

None of what Paul describes happens from afar.

Our desire is that NHCC would be a church family that enjoys fellowship with one another.

Covenant members commit themselves.

Romans 12:9–18- “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

Language of Paul takes us through thick and thin.

Commit ourselves to the body, then we contribute to the needs of one another, we keep peace, we forgive, we rejoice and weep together.

Interesting to hear why people leave churches. Can and should it happen at times? Yes, absolutely. Are we also sometimes to thin skinned? Also, yes.

The biblical picture of the local church is one of people who are patient with one another, all committed to one another toward the same end- making Christ known.

Covenant members give of themselves.

Galatians 6:9–10- “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Time, talent, treasure.

We see the ministry of the church, we serve in ministry of the church, and we sustain the ministry of the church.

Prayers, Presence, Gifts, Service, Witness

Covenant members receive.

Colossians 1:28–29- “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”

Our desire as a church leadership is growth- Growth in faith, growth in holiness, growth in love, growth in Christ.

We pledge to do everything we can, within the context of God’s Word, to make that possible.

4. Where do we go from here?

Join the local church.

If not here, somewhere.

Starting new.

Not sure? Come and ask.

Plug yourself into the local church.

Begin looking for ways of serving.