The Church - Ecclesiology

Nature
The church is the community of all true believers for all time. Reaches back into the earliest eras of the Old Testament and includes Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel, and the prophets Heb. 11:4-32.

Reject that only one denomination or religion is the true church.

Mission
Matt. 28:18-20 to be and make disciples. Equipping the Saints: 2 Tim. 3:16 The Word ; Jn 16:24 Prayer; Heb. 10:24-25 Fellowship; Matt 4:19 Witnessing; Kept in balance by commitment to Christ 1 ^st by maturity Col. 1:28-29.

Reject belief we have no responsibility or mission except wait for God to grow me up - I can not be effective.

Local/Universal
A group of God's people considered at any level from local to universal may rightly be called a church.

Local 'the church' as a community of believers: 1 Cor. 11:25i na house; 1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; and 1 Thes. 1:1 a whole city; and Acts 9:31 a whole region

Universal 'the church' as the whole worlds collection Eph 5:25; 1 Cor. 12:28; the church
Relation to Israel
Rom. 4:11-12; Rom. 9:6-8; As children we are not based as the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants.

Reject all believes that Gentiles can not be descendants of Abraham

Grace within the Church
Grace in the church is: Teaching of the Word, Baptism, The Lord's Supper, Prayer for one another, Worship, Church discipline, Giving, Spiritual gifts, Fellowship, Evangelism, and Personal ministry to individuals.

Unacceptable to reject a believer or not love one another.