Core Foundations - Lesson 7

W7 Core


What is the Church?

  1. GREEK WORD FOR CHURCH “ECCLESIA” MEANS “AN ASSEMBLY OF CALLED OUT ONES”.

    1. Used to refer to the whole body of Christians in one city. Acts 11:22, 13:1

    2. Used to refer to a local congregation. Acts 2:40-47

    3. Used for the universal church comprised of all believers on

      earth, also referred to as the “body of Christ.” Ephesians 5:32


  2. THE CHURCH, THEN, “IS A COMPANY OF PEOPLE CALLED OUT FROM THE WORLD, WHO PROFESS AND TENDER ALLEGIANCE TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” Pearlman, Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible, 1937


  3. A SIMPLIFIED DEFINITION OF A CHURCH IS, “A GROUP OF BELIEVERS THAT GATHER TOGETHER FOR WORSHIP, PRAYER, STUDY OF SCRIPTURE, AND MISSION.”

    1. A church is not limited in size, large or small.

    2. A church does not require a building or property.

    3. A church is dynamic, organic, and life-giving.


  4. The church is referred to as the following:

    NOT an organization, it is a living thing!

    1. The body of Christ 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Ephesians 4:4

      • Is energized by the life of Christ.

      • Has many members, each with his function.

    2. The temple of God Ephesians 2:20-22, 1 Peter 2:5-6

      • God dwells in the church by His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

      • Christians, as priests in the temple of God, are to offer up spiritual sacrifices of prayers, praise, and good works.

    3. The bride of Christ 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:25-27

      • Jesus loves, cares for, and protects the church jealously.


      • The church submits to Christ as a wife does to her husband.


  5. THE ROLE OR FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

    1. Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for salvation. Matthew 28:19- 20, 1 Timothy 2:4

    2. Offer prayer and praise to God. Colossians 1:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Peter 2:9

    3. Disciple and develop believers to maturity through the Word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Peter 2:2

    4. Provide fellowship with the Holy Trinity and one another.

      Philippians 2:1, 1 John 1:3, 1 John 1:7, Acts 2:42

    5. Preserve society from moral decay and corruption. Matthew 5:13-16

    6. Exercise authority and dominion over the kingdom of darkness.

      Luke 10:18-20, Ephesians 1:15-23


  6. SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

    1. Agreement Amos 3:3

    2. Source of strength Luke 22:32

    3. Means of comfort Romans 1:12

    4. Others can share your burdens Galatians 6:2

    5. Spiritual nourishment Colossians 3:16

    6. Helps the believer overcome sin’s deceitfulness Hebrews 3:13


  7. THE RESPONSE OF THE BELIEVER TO THE CHURCH

    1. Do not forsake corporate worship and assembly Hebrews 10:24-25

    2. Love and care for one another Hebrews 13:1

    3. Be united in spirit with fellow believers for the faith of the Gospel. Philippians 1:27


  8. MISSIONS


    1. What is missions?

      • Definition of the term in Scripture: Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 9:1-6, 24:46-49, John 1:29, Acts 1:8, Romans 1:16-17

      • Definition of the term in common language: Being under a command to complete a task. A combat operation or task. A group of persons sent to a foreign country to conduct negotiations, perform a special task or service, and establish relations.

    2. Kinds of missions

      • Cross-cultural, or foreign missions. Work that is carried out or done outside of one’s national boundaries. Mark 5:19- 20, Luke 8:38-39, John 1:36-50, 4:28-30

      • Home missions. Work that is carried out or done inside one’s national boundaries. Home missions is another term that can be used for the activities of community outreach or local evangelism. Some major home missions’ methods such as “Servolution” have been effective and successful in reaching people for Christ. Mark 1:35-39, Acts 1:8, 8:5-8, 16:1

        Most oftenin someone's local city or region.

      • Short-term missions. Work that is often very targeted and intentional for a short period of time. This work can be for several days, weeks, or months – but has specific goals to

        be accomplished before the missionary leaves.

        An example, Paul only spent a short time in Thessalonica, somewhere between 3 weeks and 6 months.

    3. The Great Commission

      • “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy

        Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

      • The Great Commission is also stated in several more times.

        Mark 16:20, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21, Acts 1:8

      • The word “nation” comes from the Greek word “ethnos” which

        literally means a tribe, nation, or people group. It specifically means a non-Jewish tribe.

        The Biblical implication is a pagan or heathen people.

      • The Great Commission makes it clear that the Gospel of Jesus is for all; for every tribe, tongue, nation, people, and race. Revelation 7:9

    4. The importance of missions

      • Biblical importance of missions:

        1. Jesus will not return until all ethne (people groups, languages, tribes) have heard the Gospel. Revelation 7:9

        2. Jesus will deliver His Kingdom to the Father and put all enemies under His feet. This necessitates the Gospel to be presented to all people and nations.

          1 Corinthians 15:24

        3. God desires to reconcile mankind through the sacrifice of Jesus. Colossians 1:21-22

        4. The Great Commission is the final directive by Jesus to His followers. Matthew 28:18-20

        5. God’s kingdom to be established on earth and in all nations. Matthew 6:10, Habakkuk 2:14

        6. We are commanded and tasked with preaching the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:16-18

      • Practical importance of missions:

        1. The population of the world is reported to be more than 7.75 billion in the year 2020, and over 3.2 billion people are considered unreached, which comprises 42% of the global population.

        2. Over 7,400 people groups are still considered unreached (less than 2% Christian).

        3. Over 156,000 people die each day, or approximately 6,500 per hour.

    5. Additional stats and hypothetical observations

      • In 2001 only 1% of giving to missions went to target unreached people groups. If that trend holds true today it would be $450 million. The estimated $450 million going toward unreached people groups is only .001% of the $42 trillion income of Christians.

        For every $100,000 Christians make they only give $1 to the unreached.

        • Evangelical Christians could provide all of the funds needed to plant a church in each of the 7,000+ unreached people groups with only 0.03% of their income.

          • The global church has roughly 3,000 times the financial

            resources and 9,000 times the manpower needed to finish the Great Commission.

          • If every evangelical church gave 10% of their income to mission(s) work, we could easily support 2 million new missionaries.

    6. The role of the local church in missions

      • According to the Great Commission, the supreme task of the church is the evangelization of the world.

        • Have a vision of the harvest field. John 4:35

        • Pray and request more laborers for the harvest field.

        Matthew 9:37-38

        • Go and share the good news. Mark 5:19-20 Send someone in your place and support them financially.

      • Send finances to sustain a missionary that is already on the field. Luke 8:3, Philippians 4:15-19

      • Mobilize people, resources, and finances to be sent to the mission field.

    7. Who is a missionary

      • Unbiblical belief and assumptions.

        1. Someone who comes from a rich country, advanced in education, and equipped with technology.

        2. Someone who comes to help those less fortunate by starting schools, hospitals, agricultural projects, and also by preaching the Gospel simply because of his background.


        3. The Great Commission and missions work are only for a special group of Christians called to cross-cultural ministry.

        4. “If in the sight of God you cannot say you have a special call to stay at home, why are you disobeying the Saviour’s plain command to go?” Hudson Taylor, missionary to China

        5. Missionaries can only be men, as women are not physically or spiritually capable.

      • Biblical definition and meaning.

        1. Missionary comes from the Latin Word “mitto” which means “to send.” The Greek word is “apostello.” Missionary (noun) is not found in the Bible. Ephesians 4:11 uses the word apostle (Greek, “sent one”.)

        2. A missionary is someone sent with a commission from a higher authority. Look again to the Great Commission.

          John 20:21

        3. According to Scripture, every Christian has a part in missions. Every Christian is to either go or send. There are no preclusions. Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, John 15:16, 20:21, Romans 10:14-17

        4. Missionaries are people sent by God to bring His Word and power of salvation into the world. Sending implies going and going implies that one is sent.

          Romans 10:15

        5. The sender who remains behind and the one who is actually sent out are accomplishing the work together, and their reward is the same. However, this principle does not permit for people to disobey God’s call to go. 1 Samuel 30:24

    8. Characteristics of a missionary

      • Someone who duplicates Jesus, not himself.

      • Someone who brings spiritual life to another.


      • Someone who is wholeheartedly devoted to Christ and His Gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:12

        You must live a life of faith!

      • Someone who understands that the eternal value of souls and things of the Spirit must occupy first place in the mind. Romans 8:5-14

      • Someone who is reliant upon God for all his needs, both material and spiritual. Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 11:1-2

      • Someone who is willing to love the unlovable. Matthew 9:36, 1 Corinthians 13

      • Someone with the courage to make his beliefs known.

        Galatians 2:11-17

      • Someone who deals with problems both spiritually and practically. Acts 5:1-11, 6:1-7

      • Someone with unquenchable zeal and enthusiasm even in the midst of intense opposition. Jeremiah 20:7-10

      • Someone who calls forth gifts in believers, disciples new believers, and raises up new leaders for multiplication. Romans 15:20

      • Someone who will pay the price for a spiritual breakthrough by prayer and fasting. 2 Timothy 1:6-7

    9. Goals of missionaries

      • Reach the people of a particular nation or people group and then establish them in the Word of God for maturity and multiplication. Ephesians 4:12-16

      They pretty much have the same goal as the local church.

      • Establish a work which will ultimately be run by nationals. Teach the believers within the target nation or people group to take ownership of the Great Commission for their people.

      • Establish indigenous works that become; self-supporting, self-propagating, and self-governing.

    10. Hindrances to missions

      A hindrance is an obstacle or obstruction.

      • Hindrances before going to the field may include: financial debt, lack of financial provision, inadequate preparation, spiritual weakness, fear, lack of vision, and ignorance.


      • Hindrances on the field may include: color or race barrier, language barrier, the difference in culture, lack of compassion and love, laziness, lack of training, lack of personal discipline, and wrong attitudes. Any of these could make a missionary ineffective or even cause them to fail.

    11. Concluding response to evangelism and missions

      • All believers are to engage in the Great Commission in their own Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

      • Jesus empowers believers to win the lost, disciple new believers, transform nations, and operate in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit.

      • Every tribe, race, tongue, and people group will be represented around the throne in Heaven. Therefore, our goal should be to take the Gospel to every ethnos! Revelation 7:9


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