What is the Church?

From a sermon by Earl Phillips

What is the church? In order to answer that question, it would be helpful to first establish what it is not.

The church is not a building where people gather for religious worship.

It is not a fellowship, although fellowship is a very important part of the church. The Bible lets us know that we have fellowship one with another when we walk in the light as He is in the light. In the Book of Acts, we read about the brethren of the early church: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” These founders of the Christian faith gathered together and spent time discussing the doctrine and the things of God. They had fellowship. But if fellowship is all that we want, there are many groups in the world that we could belong to, and they’re not all Christ-centered. No, fellowship is not what makes a church.

We are not a fund-raising organization. But is money important to the church? It is very important. Who pays the light bill? Who pays for the heat that makes the building comfortable? Who pays the preacher’s salary? How about all the little things like stamps and light bulbs in the church and cleaning supplies to keep the church in order? In the case of our church, the Apostolic Faith, who pays for the religious magazines and tracts that are sent out around the world free of charge? It takes a lot of money to pay the bills—and I know that because I have been a pastor. But we are not a fund-raising organization. That isn’t the purpose of the church; although it’s true that sometimes people think it is. That’s the message they are hearing from many organizations. “We need your financial support! The tenth of the month is coming! If you send us your money, you will be so blessed!” and on and on. Yes, it is up to you and me to pay our tithes to the church. That just feels like the right thing to do when you’re saved. But raising money and collecting tithe checks is not the mission of the church.

We’re not a political organization. Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, or something else entirely, doesn’t make any difference. When you get to the pearly gates, they’re not going to ask you if you voted Republican. Supporting causes isn’t our mission either. There are many issues that could be debated—some of them important to the church and Christianity as a whole. Certainly we have a civic responsibility as individuals, but championing causes isn’t the purpose of the church.

We’ve mentioned several things that the church is not. So . . . what is it?

Simply this. It is the body of Christian believers, men and women dedicated to the cause of Christ, whose lives have been wholly surrendered to Him, and who are living daily in accordance with the Word of God.

Characteristics of the church

There are several characteristics by which we can identify the true church.

The true church is a body of believers with a clear purpose: to win souls. Jesus himself told His followers that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name “among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Is that your chief aim and desire? If so, then you will be applying your efforts to this goal of spreading the Gospel throughout the world. Or do you sit on the outside edges of any effort along these lines that would demand a commitment from you, unwilling to get involved? If you’re not involved, then you’re not filling the place God would have you fill in the church.

The true church is composed of believers who are one in Christ. We read in Romans, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5). Every part of your physical body is important, and so it is with the spiritual body—the church. We are one with each other, and we are also one with Christ. In Hebrews we read, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one” (Hebrews 2:11).

What does it mean to be “one body"? It means that when I get up to preach, you feel the burden too, because you have prayed for me. We support one another and we stand behind each other. We offer encouragement to each other. We are united in our goal. If you have been called to clean the church, to usher, to sing in the choir—whatever your particular part in the body of Christ is—we are all one.

A praying people

The true church is a body of believers who believe in and practice prayer. We can’t all go “into all the world,” but we can pray. We can carry the burden for souls, both near and far away. We can travel around the world on our knees in prayer. Look at the example recorded for us in Scripture. The early church was born in a prayer meeting! Just before Christ left His followers, He told them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. They did so, and they had revival. Three thousand souls were won into the Kingdom of God. Then what happened? The followers of Christ were told to be quiet about what they believed. In fact, they were threatened with a jail sentence if they persisted in preaching. They were scattered by persecution. But if we look in on those early believers, do we find that they quit praying? No, we read that they went from house to house, breaking bread and praying.

I received a magazine just this week that said that prayer meetings have almost disappeared from our churches. It said when we get together on Wednesday night, instead of prayer meetings we have discussions. That trend doesn’t coincide with the aim of the true church. Prayer should be a very important part of our mission. And what makes a praying church? Long and beautifully composed renditions offered by the minister? No, a praying church happens when the people—you and I and all of those that make up this body of Christ—pray and seek God.

The devil would like to get you to stop praying, and if he cannot succeed at that, he would like to get your focus on other things. I have this problem and that problem, this need or that need. He would have you concentrating on anything except the winning of souls! However, the true church prays, and their prayers revolve around the salvation of souls.

The true church has the power of God blessing their efforts. Why did the early church have power? Because they prayed! When we pray like the early church did, we’ll have the same power that they had. They had power because they had oneness. They had power because they followed the doctrines. In our day we sometimes hear, “We go to a church that doesn’t preach doctrine. Doctrine divides.” But that’s not according to my Bible. My Bible tells me that when we’re saved, we know the doctrines. We love the doctrines. We love the Word of God. Members of the true church aren’t bickering about this point of belief and that point of belief. They believe and accept and teach the whole Word of God.

Love for each other

The true church has love for one another. Do you love the people around you, both fellow believers and the unconverted? God’s Word makes it very clear that our love for others is a key characteristic of Christ’s followers. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). When we have the love of God in us, do you know what will happen? People will recognize that, and we will see souls saved.

No, the true church is not a building, a fellowship, a fund-raising organization, or a political force. It isn’t a professional speaker that can move us to tears, a carefully orchestrated program with something for everyone, or a choir with beautiful, well-trained voices. Those things may be part of many organizations, but that isn’t the true church.

The true church is made up of those who have committed their lives to Christ and the winning of souls.

Are you a part of that church?

Earl Phillips is a retired pastor of the Apostolic Faith work, and a member of the ministerial staff in Portland, Oregon.