In the New Testament, the word church refers to an assembly of believers. The assembly is made up of people who are followers of Christ, as defined by the Apostles. It is a body of believers that is called together to celebrate communion, to hear the Word of God, and to nurture the faith of each individual.
Church can be viewed as a local or a global community of Christians. It is an entity that is called by the Holy Spirit and established by the apostles. These groups are responsible for spreading the Gospel message in their areas. They are called to disciple the world in love and perseverance.
The early church consisted of followers of Jesus who met frequently for worship. This included giving testimonies, breaking bread, and prayer. Eventually, a system of government emerged, based on bishops. However, the early Christian church did not meet in large physical buildings. Instead, it met in homes of other believers. Members often dedicated themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship.
Church is defined in the Bible as a place where the Holy Spirit gathers people to share in the remembrance of Christ. Christians are commissioned to proclaim the good news of Christ to the entire world. Ultimately, the church exists to strengthen, encourage, and prepare members for a life of ministry.
Although the early church modeled themselves after the Jewish synagogue, it was not a physical building. Rather, it was an assembly of people, all of whom were following Christ. It was important to the early church to take care of the poor, and they also devoted themselves to prayer and fellowship.
Church is a body of Christ that is growing and changing. The Church Body of Christ is made up of imperfect people. While there is no one definition of the church, there are some general characteristics that are common to all churches. Those characteristics include love, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience, and a willingness to serve others.
Some people mistakenly think that the church is a physical building. They may attend services to receive spiritual nourishment, participate in a program, or have a worship leader. Many churches have a pastor or other leaders. Others, however, have lay-led services. Most churches use music as an expression of worship, and a choir or other instruments are often part of the service.
Many churches have a Sunday school class. Sometimes, the adult Sunday school will follow the main worship service, and other times the class will be held after the service. Other churches have Sunday school classes for children. Generally, the church has a small group of elders who plan the church service. Occasionally, a pastor will give a sermon. A sermon may cover a particular topic or book of the Bible. If the church is more liturgical, it may have a missalette or other specific prayers written.
One of the best ways to describe the church is as a “global community of Christians.” This church is called to the task of spiritual preservation of the world. By disciplining and freeing the oppressed from guilt and shame, the church helps to make the world a better place.