When we studied Local Church in Bible College there was an emphasis on the differences between the Local Church and the Body of Christ. Most notably, I remember learning that the Church is an organism and the Local Church is an organization. I have since come to believe that the Local Church is more than a mere organization. After years of pastoring and reading the scriptures I believe that our church body should typify the body of Christ and function as a body.

We know that Jesus Christ is the head of the church which is his body [Eph 1:22-23]. Christ is the head and the members are the body [1 Cor 12:12-13; Eph 5:30-32]. This is the Church, the literal body of the Lord.

Then there are local churches as in 2 Thes 1:1, the church of the Thessalonians, and 2 Thes 1:4, the churches of God. The local church is not the building in which the church meets or the organization by which the church conducts its business [though local churches generally have buildings and are generally organized].

The local church is a local body of believers that function together.  Functionally, a pastor accomplishes Eph 4:12 through his local church more so than in the Church, the body of Christ. Note: We have not adopted the Baptist Brider doctrine.

Therefore we should:

Unite our church body – Eph 4:13, 4:3.  The members of the local church should function just like the members of the body of Christ [1 Cor 12:14-27].  We make up the hands, feet, ears, eyes, nose, mouth and so forth that the Lord uses to accomplish his work in the local church. Christ is the head of the local church and he sets the members in the church as it pleases him [1 Cor 12:18]. We have seen that as needs arise in our church God raises up the people to meet those needs.

Feed and protect our church body – Eph 4:14; Acts 20:28-31.  We are to be fed just like we feed our own bodies with nourishing food that strengthens us and our immune system.  The members of our church should be nourished and cherished as we nourish and cherish our natural body.  Jesus asked Peter, “do you love me”?  And after Peter replied, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”.

Love our church body – Eph 4:14-16, 5:25-29.  Christ loves the church and he loves our church.  We need to love them, too.  The attitude of many pastors is that sheep just need feeding, watering and plenty of sheering (reproof and rebuke).  They need far more than that; they need loving, principally.  Relationships should be nurtured with these souls.  And for us, this love stems from our love of the Lord, 1 Jn 4:20.

Serve our church body – Eph 4:16.  “every joint supplieth… the effectual working in the measure of every part… the edifying of itself in love”.  We should take time with souls when they join our church to help them see that membership in a local church involves serving the body.  Each member has a responsibility to the others to do his part in the body.  A young man who is called to preach in our church has been supplied by his Sunday school teachers, his youth pastor, his pastor, the members who have prayed for him and encouraged him and, above all, the Lord who has worked through the members to edify him to fulfill his call.

Grow our church body– Eph 4:16.  Soul winning then is not about merely leading souls to Christ but about getting them connected to the local church so they can grow and function within the body.  As the members of the body grow and mature, the church grows up, v.15.  As the members grow, they also reproduce.  And as we reproduce, the body grows,  This is the “increase of the body”.  In Eph 2:21, when souls are added to the Lord his temple “groweth”.

Conclusion:  Our attitude toward our local church will change for the better when we realize that our local church is part of the body of Christ.  As much as Christ loves his body, the church, is the degree to which he loves our local church.  And we should love our church, unite our church, feed and protect our church, grow our church and serve our church the way he does his body.