I don’t know if there is any aspect of Christianity that brings out more debate and more emotion than “the church.”
Even using the word presents challenges, because it carries so many different, and sometimes incompatible, meanings. Are we speaking of the fellowship instituted by God, or the institution created and maintained by people? Are we thinking of the spiritual union or the legal entity? The believers around the world, or a specific local congregation? All of Christianity, or a particular denomination? A building or a collection of people?
All of those things and more are legitimately called “the church,” but they are not the same.
When the Bible speaks of the church (and I’m including other words that mean essentially the same thing: flock, body, people, assembly, etc.) it often speaks in ideal terms, but sometimes addresses the frail reality that currently exists.
Paul’s letters especially often address divisions and failings within the church communities he is associated with. He can speak at times of lofty visions of unity across all places and ages, and in others of all-too-human gossip and backbiting. Both visions of the church are part of the reality.
We, as Methodists, believe that we are one part of a larger whole.
The church is both its small, limited expressions in individual congregations and denomination, and the heavenly reality of all believers united in communion with our Lord Jesus Christ.
We expect and believe that someday the visible church will match the ideal, but for now we live with what we have.
The church we have, though limited and imperfect, is still the vehicle God gave us for living out our lives as Christians.
Through it, we aspire to live in the kingdom of God even here on earth. God has indeed called us out of darkness to live in his marvelous light!
– Rev. Mark Fleming
This is part of a sermon/reading series in July-August, 2024, looking at some core Christian beliefs, along with distinctive emphases of the Methodist branch of Christianity.
The daily readings are my own, but they are loosely based on the topics covered in the Catechism of the Global Methodist Church. The column at the right contains the questions from the catechism and the sources it lists.
You can find the full catechism and other information about the Global Methodist Church at globalmethodist.org.
I invite you to join us for worship and other church gatherings at China Methodist Church and Forest Park Methodist Church.
Respectful conversation is welcome. Use the comment section at the end of this post.
From the Catechism of the Global Methodist Church:
27. Do you believe in the church?
Yes. I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
John 10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Revelation 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
28. Who constitutes the church?
The Christian church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
1 Corinthians 1:2-3 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:11-22 [We are now fellow citizens with God’s people] Read it here
Revelation 7:9-10 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
Confession of Faith Article V We believe the Christian Church is the community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. We believe it is one, holy, apostolic and catholic. It is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by men divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers and the redemption of the world.