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Acts 2:42–47 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

What is the Church

In Simple terms the church is a collection of believers.

however there are two aspects of the church.

Local Church:

The local churches are churches in a specific place. We are in the local church currently we are part of it. We participate in community and

Global Church

The Universal church is referring to all believers meaning every single christian who is alive, everyone who has gone before and all that will come.

The fundamental purpose of the church is to bring Glory to God this applies to both the universal and the local.

Collection of Believers

so the church is a group of people who are called by God to serve in his mission of bringing him glory. this is done at all levels of the church. We exist to point people to Jesus. that is the mission of this church and really every church.

The church is a community of christians that stand in contrast to the world. the church shouldn't look live every other group. because we are not every other group we have a relationship with God that changes

Life in the church

One of the most important factors in not our relation to the building but rather the relation to the Body

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Apostles teaching

The church is devoted to the teaching of scripture.

as christians our whole lives are based on the Words of God.

personally as the church we are committed to reading

as the body of christ we are committed to sitting under the authority of the text

Fellowship

This means spending time together! There is a command in scripture to love brothers and sister in christ.

1 Peter 2:17 ESV

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

We are called to love one another and be committed to the group

Breaking of bread

Christians who are baptized and are professing faith gather around regularly to take communion

This mysteriously joins us in the fellowship of all believers past and present

Prayer

The church is committed to praying with and for each other.

Prayer iniative

Isaiah 61:1 ESV

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;