The Function of the Church

The Structure of the Church We all make every effort to come to church regularly each Sunday, but what is the purpose of the Church?

We may all have different ideas and thoughts, but how does the Word of God instruct us? According to Jesus Christ, the Church is not merely a building or a weekly gathering, but His body on the earth built by Him, led by the Holy Spirit, and established to teach, equip, strengthen, and mature believers. The Commandment Matthew 28.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

19 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, 20 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.

Amen.] So we have this direction from the Lord given to the disciples for those who would believe and follow Him.

How Christ Starts to Unravel This. Ephesians 4.7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men .”

9 Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) We can understand this verse “He led captivity captive” Christ triumphing over death and Satan freeing those held captive Christ leading a victory procession after conquering.

He now has the KEYS to give to His Church on Earth He Provided Gifts To Men or Mankind In This Way. 11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists , and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine , by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Equipping the Saints for work of Ministry This means: Leaders equip believers, believers do the work of ministry and the whole body is strengthened and built up. Equipping ” means: Teaching, training, correcting, encouraging, helping believers mature spiritually. “Work of ministry” includes things like: Preaching the gospel, serving others, praying, encouraging, helping the weak in Spirit, teaching truth, caring for people, using spiritual gifts properly, and living as witnesses of Christ. Edifying t he body of Christ” means building up the church spiritually so believers grow: in love, truth, unity, maturity, Holiness and in the likeness to Christ. The Main Teaching for the Saints Today The New Creation — The New Identity; Through Jesus Christ, the believer becomes a new creation.

The old life has passed away, and a new identity is found in Him. The New Mind — The Mind of Christ As believers renew their minds through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, they begin to think according to the mind of Christ.

Once you know who you are in Christ, you can begin to walk out that new identity. The picture is not of one man, or a few people in a church, doing everything while others simply watch.

The picture is the whole body functioning together under Christ the Head. “According to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” — Epistle to the Ephesians 4:16 The Church is meant to be a place of spiritual growth, transformation, discipleship, and maturity —

teaching people how to live according to the life of Christ.

In this sense, it becomes a school of life, where believers are equipped and developed by the Creator Himself through His Word and Spirit. The Church’s Responsibility Teach the Saints – The Way Before believers were commonly called “Christians,” they were often referred to as followers of “the Way.”

In Acts we see phrases like:

“the Way”

“this Way”

“those of the Way” Examples given in : Acts 9:2, Acts 19:9 Acts 19:23, Acts 24:1 The name connects to the words of Jesus Christ:

John 14:6]

The term “Christian”

first appears in Acts 11:26:

“And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

So early believers were known first as disciples, brethren, saints, believers, and people of “the Way,”

before “Christian”

became the more recognised name.] Boot Camp or Holiday – Share Rain or Shine. Church is a boot camp not holiday Who Empowers The Church Not Humans Acts 20.17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. 25“And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.

26Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent[e]

of the blood of all men.

27For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

28Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers , to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.] The Spirit Talks To the Churches This continues all the way to the book of Revelations when we are told about 7 types of Churches on the earth who the Spirit of God talks to.

1. The Loveless Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches says to the churches.” ’ 2. The Persecuted Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” says to the churches.” ’ ’ 3. The Compromising Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”says to the churches.” ’ ’ 4. The Corrupt Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”says to the churches.” ’ ’ 5. The Dead Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” says to the churches.” ’ ’ 6. The Faithful Church He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”says to the churches.” ’ ’ 7. The Lukewarm Church – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”says to the churches.” ’ ’ The Structure of the Church So now we get a fuller picture of the Church Jesus Christ himself has formed on the earth and the function 1 The command to – Teach them all things 2 The Structure through the 5 Fold Ministry – to equine the saints for ministry with His Authority 3 Empowered By the Holy Spirit – No human power or philosophy but those empowered, anointed by the Holy Spirit 4, Those 7 types of Churhces that continue to listen to the Holy Spirit from revelation 5 So Chirst Himself through the Holy Spirit can build His Holy Church on the Earth Who Build the Church And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” — Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) Jesus Christ is declaring that He Himself is the builder of His Church. He appoints people, and the Holy Spirit empowers, oversees, and leads them.

The powers of death and hell will not overcome His Church.

So the Word and the Spirit together build the Church on the earth. So when we are getting ready to come to church each Sunday, this is what we are entering into:

God’s teaching and equipping centre throughout the ages, established by God Himself for His people.

We should take every opportunity to enter into what the Lord has prepared for us through His Church in these last days —

to be taught, equipped, strengthened, corrected, encouraged, and built up together as the body of Christ.