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"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV




The Church is a group of people who belong to the Lord and are called out of the world. Jesus Christ is the founder and Head of the Church. He bought and paid for it with His own blood. Acts 20:28)

Bible Doctrines: A Study

by Dr. Reve' M. Pete

Ecclesiology: The Doctrine of the Church

The Church is the Body of Christ. The word church comes from the Greek word, ekklesia. It means to call out from. Another Greek word associated with the Church is kuriakon. It means that which belongs to the Lord. The Church is a group of people who belong to the Lord, called out of the world.

Jesus founded the Church and He is the head of it. He promised the founding of the Church in Matthew 16:181. “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.” The following Scriptures show that Jesus is the head of the Church: “And He put all things under His feet and gave Him to be the head over all things to the Church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22,231 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ 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.” Ephesians 4:15,161 “And He is the head of the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:181

Jesus built the Church on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Himself as cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20) This means Jesus built the Church through the work of the apostles and prophets as the Holy Ghost operated through them. (Acts 1:8)

There are three applications of the word church in the New Testament. They are
  1. Persons everywhere, both in Heaven and on earth whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Hebrews 12:23)
  2. A local assembly of Christians who come together for the purpose of worship, teaching and sharing. (Acts 13:2)
  3. A group of local Christian assemblies (such as a district). (Acts 15:23)

Individuals become a part of the Church (application # 1) when they are born again (regeneration Titus 3:5; John 3:3,6). Jesus instructed born again believers to be baptized in water (Mark 15:16) and observe the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19). These are ordinances. An ordinance is something ordained or decreed by a deity.2 Therefore baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the Church. Some Christian denominations also consider foot washing to be an ordinance of the Church. (John 13:13-17)

  1. Worship God and show the praises of Him who called them out of darkness, into this marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
  2. Bring lost souls to Jesus. (Mark 16:15,16)
  3. Disciple those who have been won to Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19,20)
  4. Be a witness unto Jesus. (Acts 1:8)
  5. Manifest the wisdom of God to the world. (Be a light.) (Ephesians 3:10)
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Bible Doctrines
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