1. Matthew 16:18 18 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.

2. What is church?

3. Church IS… A Family of Believers A Fellowship of Workers A Congregation of the Called-Out

4. Colossians 1:15-18 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 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.

5. Church IS NOT… What does the idea of “church” mean?

6. An Activity of Passivity Why do you come to church? – Heb. 10:23-25 For many, church has come to represent an activity that happens to them as they passively participate Singing – Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19 Prayer – Acts 4:31 Preaching – Acts 17:10-11 Giving – 2 Cor. 9:6-8 Supper – 1 Cor. 11:27 Is church more about being served than being a servant? – Matt. 20:25-28 Are we doing our share? – Eph. 4:16 Does church mean service for me? – 1 Cor. 12:14-27

7. A Hodgepodge of Agreeable Error Various errors among the saints are an inevitability – Rev. 2:12-16 Many have come to believe that turning a blind eye to such error is not only necessary, it is good Such is contrary to the very idea of unity – cf. Eph. 4:1-3 Such is contrary to Paul’s repeated plea for singularity of doctrine – cf. 1 Cor. 1:10-11; Phil. 1:27 The reality that we can exist for a time with different understandings can be justified – 2 Tim. 4:1-4 Yet, the charge is not to embrace the diversity of doctrines as good – 1 Tim. 1:3; Tit. 2:1 We must strive to reach for unity as the Lord prayed – John 17:20-21

8. An End-All-Be-All of Christian Life Is “church” the means and ends of your Christianity? Too many fail to realize that the majority of Christianity is realized outside the parameters of our assemblies – cf. Gal. 6:10; Eph. 4:22-31; 6:1-4; Jas. 1:27; Acts 2:46, Matt. 6:6; et al. We must recognize that even to suffer as a Christian is often independent of the church – 1 Pet. 4:16 When we make “church” the end-all-be-all of Christian life, we fail to understand what it means to be a Christian!

9. 1 Timothy 3:14-15 14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.