The Nature and Mission of the Church

The symbol for the early church in the early history of Christianity was the "boat." The church was understood as an"ark of salvation"

carrying believers safely over the flood that destroys life.

The earliest name of the Christian Church was "The Way." According to Owen C. Thomas in his book, entitle Introduction to Theology, the description of the church as the body of Christ appears only in Paul's letters, and it is his only image of the church, except of the olive tree in Romans 11.

Bultmann said that the church exists only in the event of preaching, hearing, and obedience to the kerygma.

There are two elements in the Church. The first element is God. The second element is a body of believers in God. The Church is divine because it belongs to God. God does his work for the world through the church.

The mission of the church is to produce a sense of the reality of God in the lives of those who come to it for help and inspiration. A primary way to help people know and experience God is through inspiration. An important way to help people know and experience

God is through Scripture. It is important for one to understand Scripture because it provides a means by which one can experience God's grace, deepens one's faith and helps one relate to others. God can be experienced in Scripture taught in Sunday school and in Bible study.

Christianity is a kind of life that is to be lived each day. Christ finished his flrst seffnon by telling his audience, "This day this is to be done."

If the Church is to recover its commanding place of influence in the life of the world today it must give a larger share of leadership to those who are young. The Church must develop a new spirit of adventure. Adventure is a characteristic of youth.

When the Church becomes fully aware of its mission of spiritual interpretation and leadership in the world it will understand that it must have a new type of training for its ministries, its leaders, and its mission workerg.

Many laymen feel the need' of concrete and specific guidance. It is expected that the church will provide this luidance.

We mirst remember that the Church is Christ manifested in flesh. The church belan with Jesus Christ and wherever He is there His church is.

The Church is divine because it belongs to God. God does his work for his people through the church. Its mission is divine because of its nature.