What is the Church?
Matthew 16: 13-18 NIV
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my CHURCH, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
5 Truths of the Establishment of the Church
1. Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my CHURCH.”
EKKLESIA = from KALEŌ meaning “Called Out,” an assembly, a gathering of people called out by God
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
5 Truths of the Establishment of the Church
1. Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my CHURCH.”
2. Jesus says, “ON THIS ROCK I will build my church.”
1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
5 Truths of the Establishment of the Church
1. Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my CHURCH.”
2. Jesus says, “ON THIS ROCK I will build my church.”
3. Jesus says, “On this rock I WILL BUILD my church.”
4. Jesus says, “On this rock I will build MY church.”
5. Jesus says, “The Gates of Hades will not overcome it!”
Top 10 Events That Have Shaped the Church
1. Pentecost
2.Gentile Inclusion
3. Paul’s Missionary Journeys
4. Early Persecution
“But if you are near Italy, you have Rome, where authority is at hand for us too. What a happy church that is, on which the apostles poured out their whole doctrine with their blood; where Peter had a passion like that of the Lord, where Paul was crowned with the death of John the Baptist, by being beheaded... The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church"
* Tertullian
1. Constantine’s Legalization
2. The Council of Nicaea
3. The Great Schism
4. Protestant Reformation
5. Colonization
6. Great Awakenings
What is The Church?
The gathering of the people called out by God.
What is The Church?
* We are Gathered & Scattered
* We are Attractional & Missional
* We are Local & Global
* We are Temporal & Universal
Apostles Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
the third day He rose from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
Maybe you made a decision to follow Jesus today, or maybe you’re curious what life with Him is all about. Wherever you are on your journey, we invite you to share with us so we can help you discover your next step.