Seven biblical principles of church

This blog have thus far focused on the question what is the church? To answer this question, we looked in detail at the very first mention of the church in whole Bible. From this passage, we gathered seven biblical principles of church.

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

From this passage, we have seen that the church today based on human traditions is a lot different from the Bible-based Assembly Jesus was talking about. But being different doesn't mean the church has failed. The church is still a work in progress, so we must continue go beyond a traditional church and continue growing into a biblical Assembly. From this passage, we've highlighted seven biblical principles that define a church.

Jesus' Assembly...

1) Is an organic community
The Assembly is an organism made up of people, not an institution or weekly meeting. It's a lifestyle. (Read more)

2) Is interactive
Gatherings are participatory, not a program. Everyone contributes. (Read more)

3) Is orderly
The Assembly is lead by men and organized. Leaders serve and raise up others. (Read more)

4) Is supernatural
The Holy Spirit moves through the Assembly in power, not feelings. (Read more)

5) Edifies its members to build the Kingdom
The purpose of the Assembly is to equip disciples to fight evil and grow the Kingdom of Heaven. (Read more)

6) Is made up of believers 
Gatherings are for disciples so they can go out, not for inviting visitors in. (Read more)

7) Believes a gospel of repentance and baptism
Disciples aren't sinners, they are freed from sin and walk in righteousness. (Read more)

How do we put biblical principles of church into practice?

If you're in agreement with these principles, I've got good news: you're not the only one! God has been putting these same desires in the hearts of other people around the world. I want to encourage you to find other like-minded believers nearby and start having fellowship together. It's ok if it's just two people. Three is even better! But a hundred is questionable. And if your only religious experience is a church with thousands of people, you're missing out on the amazing community that God desires for you.

If you don't know where to find other people, pray that God will send them. You can send me a message and I'll try to connect you with others. I started this blog so I could find other people in my area that want to have this kind of fellowship. A number of people have already reached out. If you live in Los Angeles and want this too, let me know! We're going to start having regular gatherings so that we can put these principles into practice.