The Doctrine of the Church III

The Universal Church

• One (unity of the church)
• Holy (sanctity of the church)
• Catholic (universality)
• Apostolic (apostolicity)

The Local Church

The New Testament describes how believers came together in small groups to worship Christ, receive instruction from the Scriptures, meet one another's needs, pray, and evangelize

• Where did the believers meet before they had church buildings
• On what day of the week did they meet
• What was the early church devoted to

The Local Church Organized

• According to God He gave gifted men to the church
• Why did God give these men
• 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to
  the building up of the body of Christ
• Are all these given to the Church today?

Are there Apostles Today?

• Three qualifications were specific to the office of apostle
• Eyewitnesses of Jesus' resurrection, having seen the risen Lord
• Called directly by Christ, personally, to that office
• The Apostle's call was to lay the foundation of the Church
• The Apostles were all called by Jesus during His ministry. He called them to be
  “Fishers of Men”. The exception was Paul who refers to Himself as one born out
  of season. v.8 and last of all, as to one untimely born
• Directly and personally trained for their labor and office by
  the Lord Himself

What about the Evangelist

• In today's church what offices do we have?
• Who is the only person in the NT called an Evangelist?
• Why was 1 Tim written?
• It appears in the early Church that there were special men called to be Evangelists