PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 1

I. The sine qua non of the local church is God, who gathers the saints in
anticipation of eschaton.
The sine qua non of the local church is God. While God is not the church, God
orchestrates the aspects that distinguish the local church from other things. Van Gelder
says of Gods foundational role in the church that: the church is not just another human organization[It] is about human behavior that is being transformed through
God's redeeming power (p. 24). Without the enablement of Gods characteristic grace,
there would be no church. God alone founded, builds upon, sustains, and will perfect
His church (see Eph. 2:8, 20; Heb. 12:2; John 10:27-30; Matt. 16:18; Phi. 1:6; Rom.
8:28-39). God Himself is the essence or intrinsic determiner of the church.

Since God orchestrates the aspects that distinguish the local church from other
things, an investigation of these aspects is necessary. First, God gathers. The word
church comes from the Greek ekklsia (lit: a calling out), and refers to a popular
meeting - an assembly of people in a time and place as one group. Gathering is a necessary part of the church, and local churches have done so since the New Testament
era. Driscoll & Breshears state that: Jesus died and rose to reconcile sinners to God
as Christians and to one another as the church (p. 9). Furthermore, the Son is not the
only Trinitarian member involved in assembling the church as God gathers as an economical Trinity: the Father planned the gathering from eternity (see Acts 13:48; Rom.
8:28f; Eph. 1:4f; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 2:8; Rev 13:8), the Son provides righteousness in His
name (see 2 Cor. 5:14f, 21; Col. 2:14; Heb. 7:25; 1 Jn. 2:2), and the Spirit inspires and
indwells the gathering (see John 14-16; Acts 2:4; 2 Cor. 3:17f; Eph. 5:18; 1 Cor.
12:3-11).

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 2

Second, those who are gathered are the saints - that is, sinners redeemed to be
under Christs lordship as disciples of Jesus and fellow heirs of blessing with Him. For
clarity, the concept of sainthood is identical to modern terms such as Christian, believer, et cetera. The authors of Scripture commonly use the term saints (Gk. hagios)
which means sacred, consecrated, or holy to refer to local church members (e.g. Rom.
1:7; 8:27; 12:13; 15:25f & 31; 16:2 & 15). Because of the work of God, anyone who has
faith in Jesus Christ is consecrated for a specific purpose in the world: to share the
gospel with everyone. So, sainthood carries Divine and human aspects in the local
church.

Third, God gathers the saints in anticipation of eschaton. This anticipation takes
two forms. On one hand, the church is waiting for the fullness of Christs kingdom to
come. At that time, Christs complete dominion will be established - the victory of God
over sin, death and the eects thereof. The church will ultimately be gathered together
to Christ (see Matt. 24:30f; 2 Thess. 2:1). On the other hand, the local church currently
experiences the kingdom as it is now. The local church enjoys the indwelling Spirit and
His signs, such as leading people to Christ, convicting of sin, empowering to good
works, healing, prophesying, et cetera (see 1 Cor. 12). Other present marks of the
Kingdom are the ordinances (the Lords supper and baptism) which make visible the
spiritual work of God. So, the essence of the local church is God, who gathers the
saints in anticipation of eschaton.

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 3

II. The purpose of the local church is to experience and display the
presence of God.
The local church exists to celebrate and share that God has gathered the saints
in anticipation of eschaton - or, said again: the purpose of the local church is to experience and display the presence of God. The presence of God is historys central concern as revealed in the Bible. Now, in the church era, local ecclesial gatherings are
Gods vehicle of personal availability to us. The church is that special place where
saints come together and are more than the sum of their parts.

The presence of God can be understood in terms of the economical Trinity. First,
Gods presence continues the Sons ministry of gospel mission. Referring to Acts 1:8,
Van Engen says that: the purpose of the body of Christ is to make the fact that Jesus
Christ is present in the world tangible, real, visible, and eective (p. 97). Where Gods
presence is, there is reconciliation, truth, and a paving of the way for Gods Kingdom.
This looks like serving, healing, giving, and all the things that Jesus did on earth. Second, Gods presence glorifies the Father. This is worship as an outpouring of the heart.
Third, Gods presence realizes the Spirits power. This means intimate connection to
the person and work of God the Holy Spirit. Those in His presence submit to the way
of Spirit, not the desires of the flesh.

The local church experiences the presence of God. One way that this happens is
through the blessing of the ordinances. The church exists to facilitate the Lords Supper as the sign of Christs body and blood given up for His people. Furthermore, on
baptism, Colson says:

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 4

[As] the public display of faith in Christ and the visible sign of entry into the
church, [baptism] can only be carried out by the church. And only the church
can truly teach all that Christ has commanded, equipping believers to grow
in maturity and to be the people of God (p. 312).
Another way the church experiences the presence of God is in perichoresis, as saints
enjoy membership with Christ and one another. 1 John joins Gods initiating love to the
church members reciprocal devotion to one another (e.g. 3:16). The church exists to
share in Gods interpenetrating love which has been enjoyed in the Trinitarian community forever.

The church also displays the presence of God. Part of the local church's job is
to distinguish those who believe from those who dont - to show what it means to truly
follow Christ (Harris, p. 48). In this way, argues Harris, the ordinances are a missional
aspect of the churchs purpose (see p. 49). Furthermore, the churchs mission (or, the
missions church) empowers saints to cover the globe with the gospel message. The
church is Gods instrument for supplying missionaries in both Pyongyang and Colorado
Springs to pursue the lost.

Another way that the church displays the presence of God is in the secular culture in which it exists. First, worldly culture eects the church as local gatherings contextualize the objective truth of God into their neighborhood. Second, the local church
eects the culture as it contributes to the customs, arts, and industries of its community for the progress of society and the glory of God. Local churches exist to inspire
movements which ultimately point to the presence of God. So, The purpose of the local
church is to experience and display the presence of God.

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 5

III. The characteristics of a fully mature follower of Christ are: membership in a local church community, a personal grasp of the Gospel, behavior which brings God glory, and an active, missional role in secular
culture.
First, a fully mature follower of Christ is a member of a local church community.
The local church exists to experience and display the presence of God, and its number
one priority is maturing followers of Christ. Membership is primarily a Pauline-biblical
concept, coming from the Greek melos meaning a limb or part of the body. Ecclesiologically, each committed participant in a local church acts like an organ, limb, or part
of a body. Volf highlights this body motif as important to ecclesiology yet distinctly
metaphorical: the church is not an actual body but is like a body in certain ways. Thus,
a fully mature follower of Christ manifests this concept in their relationship to a local
church: they steward their unique gifts and contributions in service to this gathering of
saints. A mature Christian also recognizes their need to be served by the other members of their local church.

Second, a fully mature follower of Christ has a personal grasp of the Gospel.
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus has fulfilled all the righteous requirements of
Gods holiness and has given the saints perfect reconciliation with God. Since a fully
mature follower of Christ is no more saved than anybody else, it is their day-in/dayout grasp of this identity which reveals their maturity. Clem refers to this concept as
image, relating to both to Imago Dei and the imputed identity of Christ. A fully mature
follower of Christ is cognitively aware of the Gospel at all times and, furthermore, emotionally engaged with life through this spiritual lens. No aspect of history, lifestyle,

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 6

struggles, victories, or heart is o-limits for those in a trusting relationship with a fully
mature follower because there is no shame or condemnation from sin, but freedom
found in walking in the light.

Third, a fully mature follower of Christ brings God glory though their behavior.
Not only is a fully mature disciple aware of the Gospel (as seen above), but thinks,
feels, and acts in worship to God. Praise, adoring service, and outpouring worship are
all characteristics of a mature Christians everyday behavior. Best writes of worship as
a ceaseless outpouring that every person does either to idols or the true God. So, a fully mature follower directs that worship in gratitude to God, who has chosen in grace to
reveal Himself to us.

Fourth, a fully mature follower of Christ has an active, missional role in secular
culture. Stetzer says, the church does not have a mission, the mission has a church.
In one sense, the mission of God is timeless: Gods mission has always been to fill the
world with image-bearing worshippers. In another sense, the mission of God is timely:
the time-period, continent, race, ethnicity, culture, region, class, neighborhood, family,
and relationship all factor into the method of communicating the Gospel. The fully mature disciple is thus a missiologist, a student of mission and culture. A mature Christian
both arms nonChristians in their current state as image bearers (albeit broken ones)
of God, and simultaneously confronts them in their anarchic rebellion.

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 7

IV. The local church matures followers of Christ through the weekly processes of liturgical gatherings and structured relationships.
Followers of Christ grow in their (1) membership in a local church community, (2)
personal grasp of the Gospel, (3) behavior which brings God glory, and (4) active, missional role in secular culture through the processes of the local church. Liturgical gatherings, or services, which generally take place every Sunday are one major vehicle in
the local churchs process. In these services the entire membership is gathered (ecclesia) together for several specific processes. Here, the sacraments are observed, the
Bible is preached expositionally, and theology is corporately recited.

A follower of Christ is matured through liturgical gatherings in several ways: first,

their membership in a local church community is solidified through participating in the
sacraments. As the service oers communion and makes baptism available, these images of spiritual realities are corporately armed. There is accountability between
members - one cannot receive communion at one point and reject Christ at another
because the witness of the local church arms the truth of the Gospel in every individual member. Second, their personal grasp of the Gospel grows through listening to expositional sermons from the Bible. Every time the local church gathers for a service,
they listen, learn, and grow through hearing the Word delivered as relevant, life-changing Scripture. Third, their behavior brings God glory through corporate recitation of
theology. Many local churches recite a creed or doctrine statement, others worship in
singing music designed for the service.

The liturgical gathering is not a complete process for the churchs purpose because missional avenues in secular culture are absent. This is why structured relation-

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 8

ships coincide with liturgical gatherings to fulfill the churchs purpose. Structured relationships are discipleship groups, that can involve as few as two and as many as
twenty people. These groups meet consistently in small gatherings for meals, conversation, prayer, and outreach.

A follower of Christ is matured through structured relationships in several ways:

first, their membership in a local church community is realized through the committed
relationships found in structured relationships. Spiritual gifts are shared relationally as a
group of brothers and sisters grows together with Jesus. Second, their personal grasp
of the Gospel is deepened in personal relationships which expose sin and arm righteousness. While the expositional sermon oers biblical truth, in structured relationships
that truth is applied directly to the life of the believer. Third, their behavior brings God
glory as the group not only discusses truth intellectually, but seeks to live in a way
which fosters holiness and healthiness. Fourth, their active, missional role in secular
culture is actualized by getting in and out to mission. They get in to their local meeting
places and culture-centers where they naturally influence the secular community as
members of it. They get out to disconnected communities; that is, places with few believers or no local church. They undertake both aspects of mission because missio dei
compels a local church to be more than merely local, and structured relationships
propel the followers of Jesus into this process of the local church.

PT403 The Local Church & Disciples of Christ

Richardson, PM 9

Bibliography:
Best, Harold M. Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2003. Print.

Clem, Bill. Disciple: Getting Your Identity from Jesus. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2011.
Print.

Driscoll, Mark, and Gerry Breshears. Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009. Print.

Harris, Joshua. Stop Dating the Church: Fall in Love with the Family of God. Sisters,
Oregon: Multnomah, 2004.

Keller, Timothy J. Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-centered Ministry in Your

City. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012. Print.

Stetzer, Ed. Subversive Kingdom: Living as Agents of Gospel Transformation. Nashville:

B&H, 2012. Print.

Stott, John R. W. The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor. Downers Grove,
IL: IVP, 2007. Print.

Van Engen, Charles. God's Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local
Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker, 1991.

Van Gelder, Craig. The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit.
Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2000. Print.

Volf, Miroslav. "III. The Ecclesiology of the Church." After Our Likeness: The Church as
the Image of the Trinity. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 1998. 127-54.
Print.