The Church: The Gospel Made Visible

by Mark Dever

A biblically ordered church regularly gathers the whole congregation.

It may be true in that the gospel is preached, but it is irregular in the sense that it is not according to the rule of Scripture.

The fourth commandment established a weekly rhythm among God's people,7 and whatever the relation of the Old Testament Sabbath to the New Testament Lord's Day, the nature of Christian obedience always demanded that believers regularly assemble.

Christians met regularly before daybreak on the appointed day.

unity inside the congregation is easier to maintain when the congregation regularly gathers.

An individual must decide to join a congregation, and then he or she must make the continual decision to participate through attendance, prayer, acts of service, financial support, and submission to the leadership of the elders and finally to the discipline of the congregation.

the decision to join or leave a church requires mutual consent between the individual and the congregation

Both the officers and polity described in the New Testament have led many Christians to conclude that the church should be structured congregationally.

A congregational church recognizes the congregation as the final earthly court of appeal in matters of dispute.

"Even with all its imperfections, the church represents Jesus on earth."

"independent"

Congregationalist churches are not, however, independent of one another in affection, care, advice, or cooperation.

voluntarily interdependent.

One can speak in the singular of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America or of the United Methodist Church in a way one could never correctly speak of the National Baptist Church or the Southern Baptist Church.

Their congregations need not continue to affiliate with any particular convention in order to continue being a true church.

The most coherent way to understand the New Testament's presentation of local church polity is to recognize the role of both individual leaders and the congregation as a whole.

special recognition of a lead teaching elder,

all three aspects of authority seen in the New Testament (individual, plural eldership, and congregational) should be enjoyed in every congregation.

One elder supported by the church and responsible for the ministry of the Word could well be recognized as having a senior position in order to give leadership to the church's vision and direction. At the same time, a plurality of elders, whether paid or unpaid, can together lead the congregation in matters of doctrine and discipline. And at the same time, the congregation can, in humility, shoulder the responsibility for acting as the final court, under God, in all matters of discipline and doctrine which rise to that level of significance.

this congregational authority seems to be merely authority to affirm or deny the assertion of teaching (or teachers) and of members, not to lead.

Those who are regularly welcomed to that table are essentially a church's members.

The sign of union with Christ—baptism—precedes the sign of communion together.

If agreement on a particular matter is not essential for salvation, should agreement be regarded as essential for church membership?

First, some things are not essential for an individual's salvation, yet agreement on them is essential in order for a church to function.

If baptism is not essential for Communion and church membership, it effectively becomes a matter of individual judgment.

Certainly the intention to disobey God is sin. But a disobedient action toward God is also a sin even if the individual does not intend to sin.

If Christ has commanded Christians to be baptized, then countermanding that instruction, or substituting mere intention, even sincere intention, does not serve him best.

If we understand that Christ commands the church to baptize only those who believe, then it seems clear that a biblically faithful church is a Baptist church.

The church is not only an institution founded by Christ; it is also his body. In it is reflected God's own glory. How will theology, the Bible, and even God himself be known apart from the church?

getting the doctrine of the church right becomes a benefit to people, as the truth about God and his world is more correctly known, taught, and modeled.

Pastors in churches today must recover the understanding that their primary role is to preach the Word of God.

To this end pastors must also lead the church toward a recovery of corrective church discipline.

an untaught and unhealthy church is a poor witness.

Healthy organisms naturally grow.

To this end pastors must take greater care both in scrutinizing candidates for baptism and in encouraging the congregation to scrutinize themselves before partaking of the Lord's Supper.

the Christian conceives of his or her spiritual life as fundamentally one's own business, managed by selecting among various helps.

a vigorous practice of church membership helps a congregation's evangelism. It also helps Christians gain a proper assurance of their own salvation.

Recovering this understanding of church membership should be one of the chief desires of congregations today.

The idea that membership in a local church should only require a profession of faith in Christ is an idea that is both common and destructive to the life and witness of the church.

They were regarded as the objects of all natural affections, but they were also recognized as specially entrusted to Christian families for training in the Lord.

Conversions could occur at early ages, of course, but it was generally thought most wise to delay baptism until maturity tested the reality of their conversion.

While humility should inhere in all Christian exercise of authority, God has also placed leaders within the body to teach, give direction and guidance, be examples, and make decisions.

The polity of the church is like the prongs of a ring which hold the precious treasure of the gospel—comparatively unimportant, its purpose and role is to secure that which is of most importance.

a carefully biblical structure which recognizes both the leadership of the elders and the responsibility of the congregation best protects the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:2) and encourages the leaders (Heb 13:17).

Among Baptist churches the movement toward female ordination has been slower, but the process has undoubtedly been aided by extrabiblical structures such as committees, church councils, and staff positions, which are neither mandated nor described in Scripture, and which have, therefore, been more easily filled with women—even in otherwise biblically conservative churches.

A culture of discipling, evangelism, and missions best encourages the church to be what God has made it to be—a reflection of his own character.

A clear understanding of the gospel is foundational for any genuine renewal in evangelical churches.

In the Christian church the reigning consumer must become the repenting sinner, and the Christ-ordained sacraments are better not received than being received without personal faith (see 1 Cor 11:30).

The recovery of church discipline requires viewing it as a natural part of church membership.

Learning to love and disciple one another—truly practicing the priesthood of all believers—is a prerequisite to introducing corrective discipline.