What is the Church?

A church is an assembly of professing believers in Christ who have been baptized and who

are organized to do God's will. Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 5;23). Christ can not

abandon His church because He has such a love for His church.

Leadership is a divine requirement in the church (Hebrews 13:7, 17). We must respect

leadership. The pastor is the leader in the local church. He is one who serves. Jesus is our

example, He came into the world to serve.

Whenever Paul preached a revival a revolution broke out. Something always happened.

Something should happen to people today when preachers stand before them and preach the

Word of God. Preaching should lead to commitment. John Wesley's preaching led people to

make decisions to follow Christ and to lead a new life "following the commandments of God."

To preach the gospel is the first command of pastors in Christian Methodism.

The church does not exist for itself it exists to do a job for God. In the church, there must be

life. This life flows through those in the church so that the work for redemption may be carried

out in the lives of its members. The word of God is a life giving force.

Church membership begins with the acknowledgement of faith in the saving grace in God

through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). The church is composed of human beings who have answered "yes" to the call of God.

The oneness of Christ, is the source of every local church's life, keeps any single church

from claiming to be the only church.