The Church — gospel-centered followers of Jesus

A New Testament church is an autonomous, local congregation of regenerated and baptized believers who confess Jesus as Lord in response to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In obedience to Scripture they organize under qualified leadership; gather regularly for worship through song, the preaching of the Scriptures, and the ordinances of believer’s baptism and Communion; are unified by the Spirit; are disciplined for holiness; and scatter to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God’s glory and their joy. Its scriptural offices are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service and serve in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6; 13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21; 5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15; 4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.