Christianity 101 - What Is a Church?

But welcome to church. My name is.

Thomas, I'm the pastor here at Portland Gospel.

And it's my privilege. To be able to.

Teach God's. Word to you today.

Here at Portland Gospel, there's a couple.

Things we say regularly. We help.

We exist to help. You believe, live and share the

good news. So everything we do as a church

kind of functions around those three things.

To believe is to understand the gospel that Christ died for you

and to be saved by. Accepting that for yourself.

To live that by. Choosing.

To follow him after salvation and applying the Word.

Of God to your life. And then learning how to share.

That good news? With other people, that's the.

Duty of every Christian. We've been in a series in our

church. Called Christianity.

One O 1 and this has been both a challenge and a blessing.

For me to take the. Simple truths.

Of the Bible. And the things that we believe.

And condense them into. 1. Small time where?

We get to talk about it, but I think it's been excellent for us

to to really consider. What is a church?

What is a? Christian, what do these?

Things mean. And if you weren't?

Here last week. Last week was.

Perhaps the most important thing that I would ever.

Say last week was what dealt with our.

Eternal destiny and what we call salvation or being saved.

And so I want to encourage you to.

Go back and listen. To that you can find it, there's

links to stuff on our website and then the handouts that you

have. There but.

As you can see from your handouts today.

Our subject is going to be the church.

What is a church? This is a great question.

And if you just think about that, what is a church?

Maybe. Something comes to mind.

For you, maybe you have like. A particular place.

That comes to mind. That has to be this.

Traditional style building. Maybe it has to have pews on the

inside. Maybe there's got to be.

A cross. Somewhere, maybe you've been to.

Other churches and their. Music is a whole.

Lot better. You know, they have a whole

thing going on. Maybe it's a rock show, maybe

the pastor looks really cool and he's all tatted up and stuff.

We all have different perspectives of what a church

could be today. We're going to see.

From the scriptures that a church.

Has a particular meaning. And a thing that we can't make

it whatever we want it to be, it can look different.

Perhaps like this in Africa. This is my friend Justin

Bedwell, who's a missionary. In Africa and and people don't

always get the wonderful blessings that we have and they

still get together and call. It Church.

So today if you're taking notes, point number.

One is first that we'll see that a church.

Is a gathering. A church is a gathering.

So congratulations, you made it. You're in the room.

We are officially gathered. Together, but let's.

Look at. This word.

So turn your Bible to Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18.

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18. There's a word that's used here,

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

and. We're going to break this word

down to get a little better understanding of what it.

Is. In Matthew chapter 16 and verse

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

18. The Bible.

Says Jesus is. Speaking, he says, I say unto.

Thee that thou art Peter. And upon this rock.

I will build my church. And the gates of hell should not

prevail. Against it.

So this word church is. From the Greek word.

Ecclesia. And I don't speak Greek.

We don't use it. Regularly, but the Bible was

originally in three different. Languages.

And now it's in English and we can learn a little bit.

More about these words. Based on the.

The words they were translated from.

And the King James. Bible has the perfect.

Honesty of letting you know every word behind the English.

Word through what's? Called the.

Strong's Concordance. So there was a really smart guy

who indexed all of those words. So this is.

G1577. Ecclesia, the word that we get

Church. From.

It's from a compound. Use of 2 words.

That mean to be. Called out from SO.

You're not in your homes. You're not.

Out. Chilling somewhere else, you are

called out. From those.

Places to gather together here and we see that same.

Word. Sometimes a Greek word is

translated a little bit different in English in Acts

Acts 19 · chapter mention

chapter 19 and verse 41. He uses this word to describe

an. Assembly it says he dismissed

the assembly likewise also. In the book of.

Hebrews in chapter. 12 and verse 23 the church is.

Called the General Assembly and Church of the First Born.

So today we see the. Church is an assembly, and since

it is a gathering, you cannot. Do church alone.

You can worship God alone. You can read the Bible.

Alone, you can go for a hike and pray.

But you can't do church by yourself.

Just. By the nature of the word.

It is an assembly. We have to come together.

That's what the word. Means.

Maybe you've heard people. Say man, I go.

I go to the. Woods and I go hunting and

that's my. Church or man?

When I'm in the car listening to music and I'm singing to Jesus.

That's my church. And I don't mean that those

aren't fine things to do. They're just not.

The use. Of the word they're not.

What the Bible calls a church, but a church is.

Also not a building. We often times.

Associate the facility with what we do at the facility.

And we do this on accident. I will do this on accident.

I'll say hey, I'll meet you at the.

Church and. What I mean?

Is I'll meet you at the building that we gather in.

And that's not actually. A fair use of the word either.

Because the Bible. Shows us for.

Example and. There's many other places, but

first. Corinthians 16.

The church. That was in their.

House, Aquila and Priscilla were some faithful.

Laborers in the Lord and Paul. Commended them and recognized

that they had a church. Meeting in their home.

So that takes away. The need for some kind of ornate

structure and that might start to already mess with our

traditions. Depending on how we were raised

or what we thought of when we. Asked that question.

What is a church? It might challenge us.

I think this is good. But for us, our church actually

started. In a home.

As well we started. In my home and we lived in

Hillsboro. Off of 185th and this was Vinny

Nigro he's a missionary to Kosovo now praise the Lord maybe

we got to hang out with Vinny that day but we.

Had many gatherings in my home. After that we started.

Meeting at APCC. College.

Classroom on Friday nights. And it didn't really.

Feel like church? But we were gathered together.

The Saints were there. And we were.

Figuring out how. To do stuff.

And next week? We're not.

Going to be in this. Room either we do what we're

calling. City.

Church once a month. We're in my office building in

the city. Let's us meet.

In a conference room. And it looks kind of like that

different. There's no.

Arched roof and. It feels different.

I like city church we. Usually connect with more guests

when we meet in the city than what we do.

Here, but a church is. An assembly.

It's not a facility. And you can't do it alone.

Today, our notes is really just a list of things, so let's just

move on to the second one. The second one is.

That the church there a church? Is.

Universal. I'll explain what that means.

You see all believers. In Jesus.

Christ after the Resurrection. Are a part of the.

Church. The larger church.

We if we go. Back to that.

That place in Matthew chapter 16 and verse 18.

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

Jesus says I will. Build my church.

He doesn't say churches. It's not.

Plural. So there's a.

Sense in which we call this the universal, the global.

The maximum the big church. All Saints.

Over the last 2000 years that have believed in the death.

Burial and resurrection. They are a part of the church.

We see a couple. Of those verses like.

Ephesians 120. 2 Where Christ is the head.

Over all things to the Church. So I put it to you this way in

your notes that. Every saved person is a part of

God's church. Whether you attend the gathering

or not, if you have called on the Lord to save.

You through the gospel, you're a part of the church.

Now we're. Not going to end.

Here, obviously we need to get. To the local church.

So a church is also local. Sometimes if you read

commentary. And study the Bible.

People will call. The the global church like the

mystical. Church.

Because it's not something that we can see.

You can't attend the gathering of every person that's ever

been. Saved over the last 2000 years,

nobody has ever been to a. Church like that it's.

It's impossible. When you get to heaven, you know

you'll get it off. We'll all be together then.

But for now, if you're going to meet together in a.

Church. It's going to be a local.

Church, There is no universal gathering on the planet, so the

Bible mentions in. Several different places.

Churches. In certain locations unto the

church. Of God, which is at.

Corinth, and that's where. We get the.

Epistle Epistles. In the New Testament written to

different churches. Paul says.

In every. Church, so there were multiple.

Of these assemblies and gatherings and in.

The book of Second Corinthians, he says.

Throughout all the churches. So there are many.

But for you, as we consider the subject today, of what a church.

Is it's going to get more? Intimate as we go.

What is your local church? Where is your gathering is.

This room is this. Group of people you're

gathering, you are. Welcome here, we hope.

So. If you don't have a.

Place that you will. Call home for church gathering

Let's look next at the. The church has members.

The church. Has members now sometimes.

We we get the. Concept of membership messed up

and. The church.

World because we think about other things.

I'm a membership at my Country Club.

Or I'm a member. My dad is a lifetime NRA member

and he has a badge in his wallet to prove it.

You know, we we think that maybe we have.

Our our card. And I I'm I'm valued somewhere,

although I never go. I'm a member there.

And that's not really the. Way the Bible.

Uses the word member. It's actually pictured as a

body. And we have members.

In our body, as it says in Romans.

That we. The gathering.

The church. Being many are one body in

Christ and everyone members one of another.

So we're not just. Members of an organization we're

members were attached. To each other just like your

body parts are attached to each other.

That's the kind of relationship that church members.

Have together. Now, Lord willing, later.

This year. Hopefully in the spring.

We'll have a church membership kind of thing that we're going

to get together for the first time.

I'm really looking. Forward to that and we'll have

some. More teaching around it, but for

today, since we're on the subject, I want to.

Give you 4 signs. Of a healthy church member. 4

signs of a healthy church member so turn in.

Your Bibles to Acts chapter. 2 I don't.

Have this on the screen Acts chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

And verse 44. See, the church also has a.

Beginning you. Can read about it in Acts

chapter. Two, we call it.

Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and the.

Others that were there, that was the first day that the church

really. Began.

And shortly after that, some events happened, and this is

kind of how. The Bible describes these first

people that were gathering together.

In the resurrection. Acts Chapter.

Two and verse 40. 4 to 47. The Bible says.

And all. That believed were together.

Isn't that cute? That's a sweet word, isn't it?

All that. Believed.

Were together and had all things common, and sold their

possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every

man had need. And they continuing daily with 1

accord in the temple and breaking bread.

From house to house did eat their bread with.

Gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having.

Favor with all the people. And the Lord added.

To the church daily, such as should.

Be saved so. Just really quickly 4.

Things that we notice here about what it means to be a member in

a church. Is that they share resources

together. They said they had.

All things common. Now, this isn't exactly.

Reproducible this. Is something that happened in

the 1st century in Jerusalem during this time, but

nevertheless we see the need the needs being.

Met by other people. In the gathering other members,

if you will. We're taking care of each other.

So for you, do you have a place where?

You give. And share your needs are met.

Hey I have a need hey. I'm contributing to something.

We see also that they enjoy meals.

Together this says daily. I don't, I mean, I don't know if

that's on the American. Schedule to get together.

Every day for church. That sounds like a lot, but they

were breaking bread. Check it out from house to

house. Not just they were in the

temple. But they were.

Also in. House to house.

And this is something I think we.

Can do a better job of. Is having some meals.

Together when we were. In my other house, we met

together over the summer a lot more times and we tried.

That last? Week when we had our last prayer

meeting, we y'all came over. I'm just down the road now.

We'll. Probably try that again.

And even for some of y'all's Bible.

Studies. I'd like to.

Have you come just be a part? Come to my house, let's have

dinner, let's hang out. Let's have meals together.

So that's something that. Hopefully we'll get on.

The radar But do you have a place where you have?

Real relationships around. Jesus and.

You share meals with other people.

That's what a church is. The third one is that they were

worshipping. God together.

So it's not just a community. You can find those all over the

place. This one it says in verse 47,

praising God and having favor. With all the people.

So they were praising and they were known.

As the people that gave honor to God, maybe they had song

services going on, but we. Learned two things.

From this the church. Is a place of worship.

And the church represents. God to the world.

It says that they had favor. With all the people.

The church is. Associated with who?

God. Is and so the church needs to

represent God. And be.

Holy and loving. And truthful.

And lastly, we see that they enjoy salvation together.

It says in verse 47 and the Lord added to the.

Church daily such. As should be saved.

And now we. See this word.

Again, we had. This word last week such as

should be saved. You see, anyone can attend a

church, but only those that are born again are actually.

Members of a church. You cannot be lost.

And be on the church. Roster.

The way that you enter membership.

Is by believing the gospel being saved?

Having the Holy Spirit coming up in you and.

Reckon you recognize. That you're a child of God,

That. Is the way that.

You enter into church membership.

This is a critical issue for us. We can't just let.

Anybody be members? If you don't agree.

To what the Bible says. You just have to.

Do something else. You're welcome to attend.

But standing in this room doesn't make you a Christian any

more than standing in a. Garage makes you a car.

Right. There's something that we.

Have to do so here. Here's a.

Litmus. Test How do I?

Know that I'm. Saved if this is.

True of you? Then maybe you're born.

Again, search your heart today. You recognize that you're a

Sinner. You understand that you are

separated from God. You believe?

Jesus paid for your. Sin on the cross you have called

upon him to. Save you by faith alone and you

have evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life.

You see last. Week we we had.

A similar question. How do I know that I'm getting

to heaven? If the answer is anything other

than what Jesus did on the cross and I.

Asked him to save me and he forgave me.

You might need to recheck the answer to that question.

There are not enough. Good works to get you to heaven.

It's all based on what Jesus did.

But we see here. That people who?

Are saved have a place to gather.

So do you have a place? That is like minded.

To your values. Of being a Christian, having the

word. Of God, the world.

Out there, you know. As well as I.

Do they have? Different thoughts than

Christians do. The church is a place where the

saved people. Can come and gather and worship

and enjoy. God together, all right. #5 you

still. Holding on.

All right #5. The church has leaders.

So there are many things. That would gather together.

And. Call itself an organization.

Call itself a church. Maybe you've heard?

Where two or three are gathered. That.

Constitutes being a church. And I'm not sure.

That that would be quite true. We need to figure out what is

going on in this. Organization, but first.

Who are the leaders of the church?

And before you promote me. To being in charge.

Of this place, let me just tell you.

Jesus leads the church. The Bible is very.

Clear that you cannot be the CEO of a church.

I had somebody when we first moved to Oregon.

People are just so. Unfamiliar with Christianity,

the last place we lived was. A lot of.

Other religions, if you will, and.

Somebody asked me like. Do you own the?

Church, it's like. I don't.

No, I don't own. I'm not.

Sure. How to answer that?

No, I don't. Own the church.

I'm not like the. Boss or the executive?

There's no ownership. I didn't franchise.

Right, like. That's not how churches work.

And you can. See the Lost.

Person's mind just trying to figure out.

How does that work for you guys? And we?

Would go to a. Couple verses like this where

the Bible says that Jesus he is the head of the body, the

church. Right, we see that in

Colossians. If you've been in Bible study,

Ephesians. Five says that Christ is the

head of the church. So there is no human.

Leader over the Universal Church, the the corporate.

Church. The big church.

There is no human leader. There's no.

Vicar of Christ. There is no Pope.

That leads the church. On.

Earth, but there are people that.

Are responsible for congregations and those people,

we call them pastors. The Bible technically uses the

word bishops. And elders.

And I gave. You some extra references, I

won't look. At all of them with you.

But First Timothy 3 and Titus One use those phrases and they

describe. Who is qualified to be a pastor,

elder, Bishop over a church? All three of those terms are

exchangeable. For the same role in the church.

But we see this. Clearly in Acts chapter 20 and

Acts 20 · chapter mention

verse 20. 8. And what's happening here is.

The Apostle Paul. Brings together who's called the

elders if you go back to verse. 17 And he charges them, and he

says, Take heed, therefore unto yourselves, and to.

All the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you

overseers to feed the Church of God, which he has purchased.

With his own. Blood.

I love that last phrase. I had a question or a.

Conversation earlier this week with a guy from my office and he

was trying to figure out how to raise money for his church and.

Start some. Businesses and it got a little

strange but I eventually you know we.

Got to the question of what is. A church.

And when he he. Asked I.

I didn't really think about my response, but I'd said.

The church's people who? Have been purchased.

By the blood of Christ, their. Sins have been paid for.

That's what it costs Jesus. He purchased the.

Church in his blood. But pastors here, it says.

They are made overseers. They see.

Over the flock they don't get to.

Rule in a demanding kind of sense.

Because Hebrews tells us that they watch for your souls.

As they must give account so really what the role?

Of a pastor is is a shepherd. Somebody who's able to.

See the whole flock? 1234.

You know Jesus. And.

He tells a parable of a shepherd.

That counted the 90. 9 was missing 1 and he knew.

That somebody wasn't there. So really.

This is what? Pastoring kind of looks.

Like. You have a group of people.

That you feed and lead and take care of.

So I ask you this today, do you have a pastor that is?

Leading you? And caring for your soul,

certainly other people can help invest.

In your. Christian life and here in our

church. We delegate some of.

This to disciple. Makers that meet one-on-one

with. People in a mentoring

relationship. To.

Care for your soul. But it's also my job.

And you may not know this. But I pray for each of.

You in this room by name? I didn't know Miss Debbie would

be here today, but everybody else?

I have on my. Board in my office.

I know it's a. Looks a little dark OK, but this

is. What my?

Whiteboard looks like in. My office and if you look to.

The far right side there's a list.

Of names and. I didn't do this just for you.

You can ask. David and I meet there every

week. I keep a list of.

The far left side is. Central, that's the office that

I'm in, people that I'm praying. For that are there.

Our team disciples and then on the.

Right side, I probably need a better.

Term, but I call it fringe people that are on the perimeter

of our church. They're maybe not totally

connected, but people we know and you hopefully should.

Find your name on. That list somewhere?

If not, let me know if I missed somebody.

But it's my goal to pray. For every.

Person on that list. Every day.

I can't say that I'm 100. Percent, but as a.

Part of my responsibility. As a shepherd.

Is to know who's in my flock, who's in this church.

And maybe some of those people haven't.

Been in this room in a while but I'm not giving up on him until.

They tell me to stop praying for him.

But for you, do you have that person in your life?

If that person is me, I may not know that, so please come and

let me. Know if you think I'm your

pastor. I would love to know that

because sometimes people. We all think different.

Things I don't know. What you're thinking?

Let me know. By the way, as we're talking

about this role of. Leadership in the church.

There are 0. Instances in the new.

Testament of Priests. Leading any kind of.

Congregation or forgiving? Any kind of sins the Bible only

mentions. Pastors.

And. Teachers for us today, let's

look last at what a church does a church.

Has a mission. Do we just gather to feel good?

Man, the Rock show was awesome. I feel so much.

Better. Man, that was a good Ted Talk.

Let's go home. Let's.

Go get Burgerville the. Church has a mission and I want

to be brief on this because this.

Will be our subject. Next week when we have.

Church. In the city we.

Have something that God? Has called us.

And only. Us to do.

And that is to reach the. World reach the.

World and help people. Follow Jesus.

That is really the crux of. The Church's mission.

But there is only one organization on the planet

that's been commissioned. To do this, do you know that?

There's no. Other group of people.

On the planet that. Will take the gospel.

And share. It with other people.

So that they can be saved. Only Christians are the ones

that care about it and Jesus before he ascended to heaven he.

Gave his disciples. Some final marching orders we.

Call this the Great Commission and we'll see it next week in

Matthew Chapter 28, he says. Go ye therefore, and teach all

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the

Son, and of the. Holy Ghost.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have

commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway,

even unto the end of the world. So we'll look at those 3.

Things next week, but. The first word is go.

Christians are called to go. And take the saving.

Message of the gospel to the rest of the world, just like

the. Ahoras are doing going to

Toronto and there's a. Bajillion people.

In Toronto, a really highly unreligious city.

So I put it to you this way in your notes.

If. Christians do not reach.

The world with the Gospel. Who will?

Honestly, who would? I'm going to share.

With you a. Slide, it's probably hard to.

See, I couldn't get. It in a better format, but

there's an organization. Called the Joshua Project.

And they track, it is really hard to see.

They track the world's population.

And people that have been reached.

Green is good so. We would say significantly

reached that's North America. There's exposure to the gospel.

You can go find a church that may not.

All be great, but you can. Find a place where.

You can find this book and be saved but.

You get all the way up to the top and the.

Red. According to them, 3.5 billion

people have never. Heard the gospel before.

And no one. 'S trying to reach them.

That's what the dark red means. Minimally reached, superficially

reached these things. All mean things to them based

on. Proximity opportunity.

But 43? Percent of the world.

Will not go to heaven when they die, because faith comes by

hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

If Christians do not. Run towards the red.

Line who will I mean you can go build all the.

Wells and whatever you. Want wherever you want.

And none of that. Will save the gospel.

Is what the world needs. It's what the.

Church has been called to share. With the rest of.

The world. But the church isn't.

Just on mission. We're not trying to just lose.

Everybody we want to send people, man, praise the.

Lord. We want to send people.

We also need to build up. The people.

That are in our congregation the Saints.

The church is also. The only organization on the

planet. Designed to help you grow.

As much. As that there are.

Other helps and other. Books only.

Christians are going to. Teach you this book.

There, there is no government that's going to.

Grow you up in your faith in. Jesus, there, there's no.

College anymore today really especially that's going to grow

you up in. The Lord Jesus there.

There's nothing. There's not much good on YouTube

honestly, and God has not even commissioned.

Any of those things. Although they're useful tools,

the church is the place. That God has given.

For Christians to grow. This is our last point,

Ephesians. Chapter 4.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

The Bible. Says And he gave some apostles,

and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some.

Pastors and teachers, that verse right there in.

Verse 11 lets. Us know the roles within the

church. Verse 12 The reason why they're

given is for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the

ministry, for the edifying of. The body of.

Christ, body of Christ. Is another.

Word for the church. So those roles in verse 11 are

given to edify the Saints. So if you find yourself.

Out of proximity of. Pastors and teachers.

You're going to find. Yourself without the ability.

To truly grow this. Says in verse 14 that we

henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro with every

wind of doctrine. By the slight and cunning of

men. See, this is that's.

Where YouTube comes in in verse 14.

Everybody's got. A thought and an.

Opinion and a feeling about something God showed me and I

came. Back from the dead and.

I got another book to add to your book and if you don't want

to be. Tossed around, you need a.

Shepherd who's? Watching over to say hey come

into the. Safety of the gathering.

And let's worship God. Together and let's hear what he.

Says that is how. You will grow.

This weekend. Bible study in Colossians,

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2. The Bible says that.

You can be rooted and build up. In him and it's.

Established in the Faith note as you have been taught.

So there's a sense in which you need to learn some things.

You need to be taught if you want to be established and

strong, as you'll see in Bible study this week.

There's some other people. That are going to want to

deceive and manipulate you and you need to.

Have something grounding you? Tethering you.

To the truth. So do you have?

A place in your. Life to be instructed in the

Word. Of God.

If not, ma'am, we invite you to come participate.

Join in all that we're doing. Here in our church, but today as

we. Conclude today we learned.

That the church is a. Gathering you got to.

Show up, it's local. So that you can be known.

It has members and we're connected together.

It has leaders. People that we can.

Follow and it has a mission. So I want to give you a moment

today to look. At your notes.

And maybe there's one of those things.

That you would. Say I need that.

Or perhaps you would say our. Church needs that.

We need more of. This.

And I want to give you a moment to just think about that, pray

about it, and then David is going to come up and.

He's going to lead us in a. A final prayer.

We'll have another. Song.

So I want to give you just a moment for that.