The Church is the body of Christ. It is a fellowship, an organization, a building, a gathering, a bride, and a flock. Martin Luther would most often refer to the Church as an assembly or a congregation, whereas someone like Karl Barth saw the Church primarily as the “body of Christ”. Neither of these terms are wrong ways to describe the Church, but each one emphasizes different aspects of the Church’s nature. While using the term “congregation” might bring to mind the idea of Christians gathered together learning about God’s word, the term “body of Christ” might cause us to think of a people united together serving the community around them. The analogies describing the Church are countless, each bringing with it a different set of baggage and characteristics. With so many diverse analogies surrounding discussion of the Church, a proper ecclesiology is essential.

Ecclesiology is simply the study of the Church. Any proper study of the Church will seek to answer two questions: “What is the Church?” and “What does the Church do?” Countless books have been written to answer these questions, though the basics of both can be clearly discerned.

What is the Church?

The easiest way to begin answering the question, “What is the Church?” is by looking at the Nicene Creed, which says, “I believe in one holy, catholic, and apostolic church.” These four terms can serve as a helpful starting point for defining the Church (Sproul, 2013).

One

First, the Church is one. When Christ came into this world, he brought together a people in unity. Where there was once a growing divide of hostility, there is now a unified family of love. In Christ, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one…” (Gal. 3:28). Despite the conflict and debate that continues to ravage the global church, we are  continually drawn together in a deep unity through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

Holy

Second, the Church is holy. This means that the Church is set apart by God for the purposes of God. Just as ancient Israel was meant to be a light shining in a dark world, so too is the contemporary church. The Church is meant to be altogether different from the world. As sin continues to sink its claws into the surrounding culture, the Church will remain pure, washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholic

Third, the Church is catholic. At first glance, this term can be confusing, as it brings to the mind thoughts of the Catholic Church from which Martin Luther and the other Reformers split. However, this is not what the creed is referring to. Catholic, in this sense, simply means universal. This refers to the fact that the true Church is not located in any one building, but rather in all believers across the world and throughout all of eternity. Every individual Christian, local church, denomination, and era come together to make up what is known as the catholicity of the Church.

Apostolic

Finally, the Church is Apostolic. This refers to both the legacy and doctrinal basis of the universal Church. The Church has an Apostolic legacy because the Church that lives and breathes today is the very same Church that was led by the apostles more than two thousand years ago. The doctrinal basis of the Church is also apostolic in that it submits itself to the writings and teachings of the apostles. In other words, the authority of the Church is found in the Scriptures, much of which were written by the apostles through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Church is not a disjointed organization of the 21st century, but a unified body grounded in the doctrine and practice of its historical fathers.

What Does the Church Do?

These four characteristics of the Church will guide a healthy discussion of our second ecclesiological topic: what the Church does. To tackle this question, we will shift our focus from the ‘big C’ (universal) Church towards the ‘little C’ (local) church.  While the number of things the universal Church does is vast, there are three duties that have historically been considered requirements for a local Church to be considered a part of this universal Church. These are a proper preaching of the Word, an administration of the sacraments, and church discipline (Belgic Confession, 1561). For any gathering of people to truly be considered a church, it must practice these three things.

Preaching the Word

A proper preaching of the Word harkens back to the “Apostolic” nature of the Church, which referred to the Church rooting itself in the teaching of the apostles. Any church that does not carefully preach the gospel of Jesus Christ cannot be considered a church at all. However, it must also be noted that a full preaching of the gospel is more than just the pastor’s Sunday sermon. An accurate preaching of the gospel is all-inclusive, flowing within the very nature of the church. That is to say, a proper preaching of the Word will display itself not only in doctrine, but in deed. The Church is an institution of love and service, carried out in truth.

Administration of the Sacraments

The second feature of a faithful church, the administration of the sacraments, is simply the church’s duty to practice baptism and the Lord’s supper. While there are certainly disagreements regarding the methods of these sacraments, it remains important that some form of them are faithfully practiced. Both baptism and the Lord’s supper serve to draw us back into a mission that is much greater than ourselves. Whether it be believer’s baptism or infant baptism, the truth still remains: I am entering into a covenant that is greater than myself. The same holds true for the partaking of the Lord’s supper.

Church Discipline

Finally, the practice of church discipline finds its basis heavily in verses like Galatians 6:1, which says, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” The members of a church are meant to spur one another on to good works. This body of Christ is striving together towards one goal, and it is a goal that cannot be reached alone. Two are better than one (Ecc. 4:9, Prov. 27:17), and oftentimes the wounds of a friend are essential to growth (Prov. 27:6). Church discipline is not put in place to be mean and crush people. Instead, it is a valuable tool in both protecting the Church from harmful practices (2 Thess. 3:14, 1 Cor. 5:13) and bringing forth healthy fruit in the lives of believers.

Grappling with the many in’s and out’s of Christian ecclesiology is not an easy task. In fact, it can be quite daunting. But by answering these two simple questions, our eyes can be opened to just a glimpse of what it means to be Christ’s covenant bride.