What is a Church?

1. The word “church” means “a gathering of people”.

Acts 19:32–41

Matthew 16:18

2. What we consider “church” is a gathering of saved people.

Ephesians 1:22–23

Ephesians 5:25

Acts 18:22

Matthew 18:17

3. These saved people intentionally join with a local physical gathering of other saved people.

     1 Corinthians 1:2

     a. The universal church is made up of all the people on earth who have been saved by God.

     b. The local church is made up of all the people in a certain geographical location who have been saved and then joined themselves together.

     Acts 14:27

     1 Corinthians 11:18

     1 Corinthians 14:23

4. The local church meets together to do certain things.

     a. To worship God and proclaim His word.

     Acts 13:2

     1 Corinthians 14:19

     Acts 6:4

     1 Timothy 2:8; 3:2; 4:13; 5:17

     2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1–2; 2:8

     Galatians 1:8–9