CountryPreacher.com
Title
countrypreacher.com
Description
Our congregation is a local congregation of the churches of Christ, a worldwide fellowship of congregations which maintain unity of organization, doctrine and purpose based solely upon the New Testament authority of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Colossians 3:17). Churches of Christ recognize no central human authority, such as a "mother church," an earthly headquarters, a president of a denominational body, a conference, or a head of the church other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, churches of Christ function locally and autonomously under the leadership of a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4. A study of these passages also reveals that the terms elder, bishop, pastor or shepherd, and overseer are used interchangeably). Churches of Christ endeavor to function doctrinally in compliance with the Holy Spirit inspired instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles (Colossians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 4:6), seeking to duplicate as much as possible the church that is revealed in and approved by the New Testament. Consequently, the Lord Jesus Christ is recognized as the sole head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:13-18), and the New Testament as the code by which He governs His church (Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 8:4-13; 9:15-18) and to which His church must be in submission (John 14:15).
It is a church that is revealed in the New Testament. The word "church" is translated from the Greek word ekklesia, which is a compound of two other Greek words: ek, which means "out of" and kaleo, which means "to call". Thus, the church is the "out called" ones. In the New Testament the word "church" first occurs in Mathew 16:18 where it is used in a general sense to refer to all who belong to it (Matthew 16:18; also Ephesians 5:23-25). The word trenaslated as "church" is used in a local sense, referring to the Lord's people in one congregation or particular geographical area (1 Corinthians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1). The church is not given a proper name by inspiration, but it is designated by the following terms: The "body of Christ," (Eph. 1:22-23); the "bride of Christ" (Rev. 21:9); "church of God" (Acts 20:28); "church of the living God" (1 Tim. 3:15); "church of the first-born" (Heb.12:23); the "family" of God (Eph. 3:15); the flock" of God (1 Pet. 5:2); the "fold" of Christ (Jn.10:16); the "general assembly" (Heb. 12:23); "God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9); "God's husbandry" (1 Cor. 3:9);"God's heritage" (1 Pet. 5:2); the "habitation of God" (Eph. 2:22); the "heavenly Jerusalem" (Gal.4:26); the "house of God" (1 Tim. 3:15); the "house" of Christ (Heb. 3:6); the "house hold of God" (Eph. 2:19); "the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2); the "pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15); a "spiritual house" (1 Pet.2:5); the temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:16); and "churches of Christ" (Rom. 16:16).
The beginning of the church is discussed in Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 2:2-3 and Micah 4:1-2. It is here seen that the house of God, the church (1 Timothy 3:15) would be established in the "last days", which is the New Testament age (Hebrews 1:1-2; Acts 2:16-17). The church would be "established in the top of the mountains," for example, in the midst of other governments (the Roman Empire and her vassal states), and "exalted above the hills," surpassing all civil governments. It would be established when the "word of the Lord' went forth from Jerusalem (Acts 10:34-35), and "All nations shall flow unto it," that is, people of all nations would enter it (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 10:34-35).
Contact
- Matheny, Randall
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- Warren PA
- US 16365
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