Who or What is the Church?

Who or what is the church? Some might think there are more pressing issues to address in today’s world, but there’s no question that the word ‘church’ conjures up all kinds of images. Indeed it is a word which is very often misunderstood. Many believe it to relate simply to a building, or perhaps to a certain group of people identifying themselves as members of the clergy. Some view the church as an object of mistrust, a place of hypocrisy, or perhaps just as a place for old ladies or those who like to sing in choirs - in other words an irrelevant institution. In examining passages from several books of the New Testament including Ephesians, 1 Corinthians, Acts and Luke, Alistair Begg explores such questions as; What is the Church’s origin? How is the church defined in the Bible? What does it mean to be included in Christ’s church? Who is in charge of the church? Where do I belong in the church? What are the marks of a healthy church? What are the nature and meaning of baptism and the Lord’s supper? What does it mean to be a worshipping and witnessing community of God’s people? What is effective church leadership? Whatever our starting point, this series of studies will bring us to realize just how vitally relevant and crucial the church is at the beginning of the 21st century.