The

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The Local Church
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church?
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Church Defined
Acts 247 Eph. 216 Eph. 523 Acts 1120-ff
Terms of entrance - Same
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Acts 11
Heard preaching the Lord Jesus
Believed turned to Lord
Received the grace of God
Church
Christians
Disciples
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church? II. Term church Used in
Two Senses
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Two Senses
Universal All the saved over the world Matt.
1618 Eph. 122-23
Local The saved in a certain locale 1 Cor.
12 Rev. 2-3
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church? II. Term church Used in
Two Senses III. Distinctions in Universal Local
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Distinctions
Universal Only one (Eph. 44) No
organization No work as a whole No treasury
Local Many (Rom. 1616) Elders (Phil.
11) Work (Eph. 416) Treasury (1 Cor.
161-2)
Work of the Local Church Evangelism (1 Tim.
315) Edification (Eph. 416) Benevolence (1
Tim. 516)
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church? II. Term church Used in
Two Senses III. Distinctions in Universal
Local IV. Examples of Local Churches
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• Antioch (Acts 131)
• Corinth (1 Cor. 12)
• Cenchrea (Rom. 161)
• Philippi (Phil. 11)
• Ephesus (Rev. 21)
• Smyrna (Rev. 28)
• Pergamos (Rev. 212)
• Thyatira (Rev. 218)
• Sardis (Rev. 31)
• Philadelphia (Rev. 37)
• Laodicea (Rev. 314)
• Thessalonica (1 Thess. 11)
• Crete (Titus 15)
• Iconium (Acts 1423)
• Derbe (Acts 1423)
• Lystra (Acts 1423)

Local Churches Rom. 1616
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church? II. Term church Used in
Two Senses III. Distinctions in Universal
Local IV. Examples of Local Churches V.
Membership in the Local Church
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Membership

• Membership Is Necessary
• Without it - No local congregation
• For elders to have oversight (Acts 2028)
• To carry out discipline (1 Cor. 5)

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Membership

• Membership Is Necessary

• Examples
• Paul (Acts 926-28)
• Apollos (Acts 1827)
• Phebe (Rom. 161-2)

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Membership

• Membership Is Necessary
• Examples
• Accepting Rejecting Members

Churches have a right duty to accept reject
members
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Accepting Rejecting

• Not arbitrary (3 John)
• Must be based upon - walking according to word
• 1 Cor. 51-13
• 2 Thess. 36-14
• Not accept just anyone (Acts 926-28)
• Right responsibility to ask know (Acts
  926-28)

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Membership

• Membership Is Necessary
• Examples
• Accepting Rejecting Members
• Active within the local church

Attend (Heb. 1025) Contribute (1 Cor.
161-2) Work together (Rom. 14 1 Cor.
12) Worship (Acts 242 207) Support
disciplinary actions (1 Cor. 5) Help restore
erring (Gal. 61)
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The Local Church
I. What is the Church? II. Term church Used in
Two Senses III. Distinctions in Universal
Local IV. Examples of Local Churches V.
Membership in the Local Church
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