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What is the Church
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Both organism and organization. One cannot exist without the other.
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An Organism?
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The people of the church. The fellowship and the body life.
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An Organization?
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Elders who bound things. The structure of the Church.
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Not what Christians should do but...
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What the Church should do. Don't think Individualism
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Institution of the Church
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Something Jesus introduces to us in Matthew 16:18. We go from small gatherings, to a body life and something more deep
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Matthew 16:18
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"an I on this rock will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it"
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Keller
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Argues that fundamentally the Church is where God dwells.
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Parallel between Exodus 19:16-19 and Acts 4:31
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Both God dwelt in and the place of His dwelling was shaken. Exodus - he dwelt with his people at Sinai. Acts - the believers met and prayed
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Body, Bride and Fullness of Jesus Christ
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Given authority by God, his fullness dwells in the Church, the Church is the body (Eph 1:18-23), we all contribute with separate spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:7-13)
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The "now" of the kingdom
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The Church as the assembly of those who expierienced and responded to the message. The kingdom now as the assembly of believers
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What is wrong with the "now" kingdom theology
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In this view the uniqueness of the Church can get lost. It's individual.
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Task of the Church
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Preaching good news (in word and in deed) of God. Especially among the poor. We do this because this was J.C. ministry and the Church is to be a reflection of J.C.
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The Church is not the kingdom but....
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It points to the kingdom and where the kingdom dwells.
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Covenant
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Something God binds himself to.
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Church Covenant
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God has bound himself to the Church. So God will work through the Church, even when we don't see it. Put our faith in God binding himself to something.
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