LESSON # 9: THE LOCAL CHURCH

“What is the Purpose of My Involvement

in a Local Church?”

God has established three major institutions on this earth; the family, the civil government, and the local church. It is the local church which has been commissioned by God to carry out His purpose in reaching the lost and perfecting the saved. Therefore, God’s plan for a Christian will always be fulfilled best when connected with the local church.

The purpose of this lesson is to impress upon you the central role which the church should play in your everyday life.

1. Understand the biblical definition of the local church.

1. It is NOT a building. Acts 14:27

1. We worship God in spirit and truth. John 4:24

2. Our bodies are the temple of God. I Corinthians 6:19

B. It is NOT a denominational group of congregations.

3. A local church is a body of men and women who have

       been saved and called by God to serve in a specific

area. The Church is the body of Christ - the saved

multitudes from every nation.

1. Writing to saved people, Paul states clearly in

I Corinthians 12:27, “…ye are the body of Christ.”

2. Paul compares the church body to the human body

in I Corinthians 12:14-27.

1. Each member has a different function - verses

14-20.

2. No one member can function alone - verse 21.

3. Each member’s contribution is important -

verses 22-24.

4. A properly functioning body operates in a single

unit - verses 25-27.

2. Understand the biblical function of the local church.

1. According to Acts 2:41-47, the first local church in the
   Bible was organized for the following purposes.

1. Teaching the Word of God - verse 42.

2. Fellowship with other believers - verse 42.

3. Prayer - verse 42.

4. Observance of the two ordinances of the church;

baptism - verse 41 and the Lord’s supper - verse 42.

5. Testifying to God’s grace and power - verse 43.

6. Mutual assistance and ministry - verses 44-45.

7. Reaching out into the community - verses 46-47.

8. Glorifying and praising God - verse 47.

2. The first priority of the local church is to edify (build up,

teach, and strengthen) the saints.

Ephesians 4:11-16

3. Understand your function within the local church.

During your Christian life you should grow through three

broad and general stages as outlined in Ephesians 4:12.

1. You are to be perfected as a saint. This is a time to

observe and learn.

Your first priority should be submission to the teaching

of the Word of God and learning to be the person God

wants you to be.

Matthew 11:28-30

2. You are to do the work of the ministry. This is a time to

participate.

In time, you will naturally grow to the point where you can

begin to serve and take on some basic function through

the already established ministries of your church.

Matthew 4:19; James 1:22-25

3. You are to edify the body of Christ. This is a time to

lead.

As your growth continues you should reach the point where

you can begin to minister to others in the same way others

have ministered to you.

II Timothy 2:2

These three stages can be roughly compared to the stages of

physical growth: childhood, youth, and adult. BE

PATIENT! This process takes time. Just be sure to remain

faithful to God’s established institution - the local church.

4. Basic questions:

If God moves me to another location, how do I find the

particular local church through which God will want me to

serve?

1. Pray about it! Ask God to lead you to the right church.

James 1:5

2. Observe the qualities of a particular church and compare

them with the biblical requirements of a church.

1. Is there evidence of soul winning?

Matthew 7:20; Acts 2:47

2. Does the church leadership believe and teach the Bible

as the Word of God and the infallible guide for life?

Titus 1:9

3. Is the membership encouraged to read and study the

Bible as much as the leadership?

Acts 17:10-12

4. Do the people minister to the needs of others?

Acts 6:1

5. Does the church send out and support missionaries?

Acts 13:1-3