Read Raoul Dederen, “The Church,” pp. 538-581, in Raoul Dederen (ed.), Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology; Ellen G. White, “‘Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me,’” pp. 361-364, in Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers; “The Church the Light of the World,” pp. 455-467, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5. “If a man is sanguine of his … Continue reading –>
Governance means getting things done. This is true of general social life, and it is also true of church life. Governance also involves organization, which means the organizing of things into a functioning, coherent whole with rules, regulations, and structures designed to facilitate a task at hand. Authority is also critical to governance. At the … Continue reading –>
The church-depicted as the “called out” of God, the “people of God,” the “body of Christ” and the “temple of the Holy Spirit” – is fitted for service or mission. Unity is essential to the church because without it the church cannot successfully accomplish its mission. It is no wonder that the issue of unity … Continue reading –>
Key Thought : The church is not a human invention; it was created by God for the purpose of bringing sinners into a saving relationship with Him. [Teaching plan for The Church: In Service to Humanity November 26, 2012] 1. Have a volunteer read I Timothy 3:14,15. A. Ask class members to share a short thought … Continue reading –>
The church as ‘the body of Christ’ means that the church is to do what Christ would do if He were still on the earth ‘bodily’. It is for this reason that the church as an ‘assembly’ has been called out. The church does not simply have a mission; the church is mission. Read Matthew 28:19-20. How does … Continue reading –>
Besides the word ecclesia itself, the New Testament describes the church with several images that further explain its nature and function. Today we will look at just two crucial concepts regarding the church: the church as the people of God and the church as the body of Christ. 1. The “people of God” as a concept is applied … Continue reading –>
When we speak about the nature of something, we are usually interested in its origins, function, and purpose. Besides providing several images to depict the church, the Bible uses a particular word in reference to it, ecclesia, which means “called out” or “called forth.” In secular Greek life the word was used primarily to describe a group … Continue reading –>
