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We believe that Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church. Everyone who trusts in the risen and ascended Christ is united to Him by the Holy Spirit and becomes part of His Church, which Scripture describes as the body and bride of Christ. This spiritual union does not depend upon membership in a particular congregation or denomination.
The universal Church is expressed visibly through local congregations. Believers are called to gather faithfully for worship, prayer, the teaching of Scripture, fellowship, mutual encouragement, and service. Participation in a local church does not produce salvation, but it is an important part of following Christ and living in relationship with His people.
Christ gives different gifts and responsibilities to the members of His body so that they may serve one another and build up the Church. Local congregations should be led by biblically qualified leaders who serve under Christ’s authority, teach God’s Word faithfully, care for His people, and remain subject to Scripture and appropriate accountability.
Because all believers belong to Christ and to one another, Christians should preserve the unity created by the Holy Spirit, pursue peace, and love one another. This unity does not require every Christian or congregation to belong to the same organization, nor does it require agreement on every secondary matter. Believers may differ in culture, tradition, practice, and understanding while remaining united in Christ.
Christian unity does not require pretending that sin does not matter, tolerating abuse, or accepting teaching that denies essential biblical truth. Truth and love must remain together. Believers should approach disagreements with humility, patience, honesty, forgiveness, and a sincere desire to honor Christ.
Supporting Scriptures
Christ as Head of the Church
Matthew 16:16-18; Ephesians 1:20-23; Ephesians 5:23-27; Colossians 1:15-20
One Body in Christ
Romans 12:3-5; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 2:13-22; Ephesians 4:1-6
The Life of the Local Church
Acts 2:41-47; Acts 14:21-23; I Corinthians 14:26, 40; Colossians 3:12-17; Hebrews 10:23-25
Leadership and Equipping
Ephesians 4:11-16; I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; I Peter 5:1-5
Unity in Truth and Love
John 17:20-23; Romans 14:1-19; I Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians 2:1-5; Jude 1:3-4
Layman's Terms
The Church is not primarily a building, denomination, or organization. It is the people who belong to Jesus Christ. Every genuine believer is part of His Church because the Holy Spirit has united that person to Christ and to other believers.
Being listed as a church member does not save anyone. At the same time, belonging to Christ is not an excuse to live in isolation from other Christians. God intends believers to gather in local churches where they worship, learn Scripture, pray, serve, encourage one another, and receive care.
Christians will not agree about everything. Differences involving culture, tradition, worship practices, or other secondary matters do not necessarily destroy Christian unity. We should approach such disagreements with humility and love.
Unity does not mean pretending that truth is unimportant. Christians should not pretend that sin does not matter, tolerate abuse, or accept teaching that denies essential biblical truth. Genuine unity is centered on Christ and expressed through both truth and love.
Further Study
The Universal Church and the Local Church
The universal Church includes everyone whom the Holy Spirit has united to Christ as a member of His body. It is not limited to one denomination, organization, country, or culture. Christ knows everyone who is His.
A local church is a visible gathering of people who profess faith in Christ and commit themselves to worship, teaching, fellowship, service, and mutual care. A local congregation may include people who outwardly identify as Christians but have not truly trusted Christ. Conversely, a genuine believer does not become part of the universal Church by having a name placed on a membership roll.
The universal and local Church should not be placed in opposition. Christ joins believers to His one body and ordinarily calls them to live out that relationship through faithful participation in a local congregation.
Why Christians Need the Local Church
The New Testament does not present the Christian life as an isolated relationship between an individual and God. Believers are repeatedly told to teach, encourage, forgive, serve, correct, comfort, and pray for one another. These commands require continuing relationships with other Christians.
No local church is perfect. Every congregation consists of people who still need God’s grace and correction. This reality should lead believers toward humility, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. It must never be used to excuse abuse, false teaching, or refusal to repent. At the same time, ordinary disappointment or disagreement should not become a reason to abandon Christian fellowship.
Believers need the teaching, encouragement, accountability, and opportunities for service found within a healthy local church. The church also needs the gifts and service of each believer.
Unity Does Not Mean Uniformity
The unity of the Church is created by the Holy Spirit and centered on Jesus Christ. Organizational agreements cannot create this unity, and pretending that differences do not exist cannot preserve it.
Some disagreements concern secondary matters on which faithful Christians may reach different conclusions. These differences should be handled with humility, patience, and respect. Not every disagreement requires separation.
Other disagreements concern truths essential to the Gospel or conduct that harms others. Christian unity does not require believers to treat false teaching as truth or sin as harmless. Truth without love can become harsh, while love separated from truth becomes sentimentality. Biblical unity requires both truth and love.
Leadership Under Christ
Jesus Christ remains the Head of every local church. Pastors, elders, deacons, teachers, and other leaders serve under His authority rather than replacing it.
Church leaders must meet biblical qualifications of character and should use their authority to teach, equip, protect, and serve God’s people. Leadership is not permission to dominate others, and no leader is above Scripture, correction, or appropriate accountability.
The members of a congregation also have responsibilities. They should pray for their leaders, receive faithful biblical teaching, use their gifts in service, encourage one another, and participate in the life and mission of the church.
Memory Passage
Ephesians 4:1-3
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