It was brief, forthright, and authoritative.

It was spoken near a single ancient city called Caesarea Philippi, but would ultimately influence every city in the world. It was spoken before a small group of men, but would affect every human being until the end of time. It was spoken in the year 29 or 30 A.D., but was meant for the ages.

     It was spoken by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

     What was this announcement?

     “I will build my church.”1

As far as is known, it was the first time Christ stated His plan to establish the church. As a matter of fact, it was the first time He used the word “church” to describe the formation of a permanent society of His followers.

     Yet, the church was planned by God from the beginning of time.2

     During all the centuries before Christ, the church remained veiled, but step by step, age by age, God prepared man for the era when the church would become a reality. God called Abraham and promised that through his descendants all people would be blessed.3 The Hebrew prophets foresaw the coming church, an institution surpassing all others. Often described by the prophets as a kingdom,4 it would bear the design of its Divine Originator. It would never become outdated. It would be universal, unrestricted by geographical, political, racial, or social barriers.

The Church Established…

     Less than one year after Christ promised to build His church, He was betrayed, condemned, crucified, and entombed.5

     But three days later, by the most meaningful miracle, Christ was resurrected from the dead.6 His resurrection overcame death, but more than that — it heralded the beginning of that glorious age planned by God.

     Fifty days following Christ’s resurrection, the church became reality. It was established in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, when the city was filled with devout people from every part of the world.7

     To this world-wide audience, Christ’s followers proclaimed the Gospel — the good news that a glorious new age had dawned — the Christian age. For the first time, Jesus was proclaimed as the resurrected Lord and Christ.8 For the first time, salvation was preached in His name. For the first time, men were commanded:

     “Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”9

     On that day, three thousand persons believed that Jesus was Lord and Christ and gladly obeyed the command to be baptized. On that day, the church came into being.10 The kingdom long-promised by God had come.11  

What the Church Is…

     The church is people — Christ’s people. It is the total of all people who obey Christ, who unreservedly commit themselves to Him, who find peace and joy in His service.

     Christ and the church are inseparable. Christ gave Himself for the church, purchasing it with His blood.12

What is the church like? It is like a human body. The head supplies the body with its life. The head directs the body. The head saves the body from harm. The head unifies and coordinates the different organs of the body. But at the same time, the head depends upon the body to carry out its functions.

     In like manner, Christ is head of the church, which is His body.13 Christ gives life to the church. Christ guides and controls the church. Christ is the Savior of the church.14 In Christ, the church — composed of people who differ in race, background, culture, status, and talent — is one.15 Yet, Christ, the head, depends upon the church, the body, to accomplish His purposes.

     The church is the hands, feet, and mouth by which Christ works and speaks within the world.

It is therefore impossible to understand the church until we recognize that the church, as the body, and Christ, as its head, are inseparable. This understanding of the church as the body of Christ points out the necessity of being a member of that body.

     Any individual who is not a member of the church is not in the body of Christ. This is the clear teaching of the New Testament.

Becoming a Member of the Church…

     In the first century, a man became part of the body when, believing deeply in Christ as the Son of God,16 he turned from his sin,17 confessed his faith in Jesus as Lord,18 and submitted to baptism, that act in which he was immersed in water in the name of Christ.19

     Baptism was an act of obedience to the command of Christ.20 The burial21 in water was a decisive act. It marked a radical change in the man: he was immersed in water — he disappeared; then out of water came a new man. His life had been transformed as he shared the power of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.      He was now incorporated into the body of Christ.22 He was now complete and free in Christ — without the restrictions of sectarian creeds and denominational alliances that were to come later. He was indeed free in Christ!

Worship, Organization, and Service in the Church…

     In the first century, members of the church met in Christ’s name on the first day of the week to worship:23 to share the holy memorial meal, the Lord’s Supper;24 to unite in hymns of praise;25 to unite in prayer;26 to give of their means to support the work of the church;27 and to receive God’s Word in teaching.28

     The description of the church as Christ’s body puts organization in its proper perspective. The unity of the church was that of a living organism, rather than a ritualistic organization. Christians of the first century worked and worshiped together in local churches, independent of each other, with no central human organization governing them. Each local church, guided by a group of elders,29 was a complete entity in itself. Local churches were linked only by their common tie to Christ, the head of the church.

     This picture of the church as the body of Christ explains the quality of life lived by members of the church. Being inseparably related to Christ, they lived under the rule of Christ, following Him in loving and humble service.30 The church as the body of Christ reflects Christ in the world. The church found great joy in this — joy in her fellowship — joy in her relationship to Christ.

     Thus, in the first century, the church was the body of Christ united simply and vitally in the one and only common denominator that matters: Christ. The glory of that church was her relationship with Christ.

The Church in the 21st Century…

     Twenty centuries have passed. Many things have changed, including man’s ideas about the church.

To some, “church” means little more than a cold and awesome building.31 For others, “church” is synonymous with “denomination” or “religious sect.”

     It is popular today to depreciate the importance of the church. Many cry out: “Jesus Yes! — Church No!”

     Members of churches of Christ, however, believe that the church is important — provided it is the church that Jesus established almost 2,000 years ago, the church established by Christ and revealed in the New Testament, the church that can and should exist today.

     Churches of Christ of today proclaim the same message proclaimed in the first century — the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.32 It follows that man’s response to that message be the same. Man today must believe in Christ and confess that faith. He must turn from sin and be baptized into Christ.33 Thus, when man submits to Christ today, as man did in the first century, he becomes a member of the same church.

     Like the New Testament church, the church today is governed by Christ, its head. Each local church is directed by elders, men of faith and experience whose qualifications are set forth in the Scriptures.34 Deacons, evangelists, and teachers are appointed — again according to the New Testament pattern. Worship is expressed in the same acts of faith that characterized the worship of the church in the first century — partaking each first day of the week of the Lord’s Supper, praying, singing hymns, giving of one’s ability to support the church, and teaching the Word of God.

     Churches of Christ are simply striving to be the New Testament church — in purpose, doctrine, worship, organization, life, and joy — because Christ’s life, Christ’s Word, and Christ’s plan for His church are dynamically relevant to modern man.

In the 21st Century, Christianity Can Progress Only by Turning to the 1st Century…

     This is the information age — an era of bewildering technology, instant communication, and exponential advances in knowledge. We are trained to look ahead, not backward. We are racing forward in scientific development, upward in satellite deployment, outward into space. Why should we be concerned with a church that is almost 2,000 years old?

     The same question might be asked about Christ. His life, teachings, death, and resurrection were all happenings of the same century in which the church began. In all ages, including our own, man has looked back to Christ, believing this was the most progressive thing he could do. He returns to Christ because Christ is always contemporary, up-to-date in every generation.

     Christ has not changed.35 What He did for man’s salvation was done completely, never to be repeated, once and for all!

     But what about man? Has he changed? Fundamentally, man is the same. He has the same basic needs. He has the same drives. He has the same capacity for good or evil, happiness or unhappiness.

     Man’s condition has not changed. Like man in the first century, he still wrestles with guilt, fear, pain, and death. With all his scientific progress, man has discovered no cure for sin. The sins of Jerusalem, Corinth, and Rome are the sins of New York, London, Nairobi, or your city. As in the first century, man needs something definite upon which to base his life. He still hungers for direction, meaning, hope, unity, and thrust in his life.

     Christ is able to meet these needs perfectly.

Man’s needs, and Christ’s ability to answer man’s needs, make Christ both relevant and absolutely imperative in the 21st century.

If, therefore, we look back to Christ, we must in that same view see the church. Since Christ is still the answer to man’s needs, so, then, is His church.

     To accept this takes faith and courage.

     This is true because popular concepts and impressions of “church” are far removed from the church of the first century. It will take massive faith and courage to move against the tide. But, of course, it took faith and courage for Christ in his day to teach as He did and work as He did — despite the opposition of public sentiment, even from religious leaders.

It took faith and courage on the part of the followers of Christ — Peter, Paul, and others — to proclaim salvation in Christ and His church.

     And it took faith and courage on the part of those who heard this proclamation to reject their past life, and even religious associations, in order to submit to Christ.

But the glory of Christ and the church is reason enough. Faith and courage grow out of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ as Lord.

Faith and Courage Are Needed Today…

     It is time to submit fully to Christ. It is time to take seriously the concept of the church. It is time to act. The church must not remain a beautiful idea; it must be a reality.

     Knowledge of Christ and faith in Him come from the inspired writings of the New Testament.36 Knowledge of the church comes from the New Testament. It is time to progress by looking back to Christ and His church. It will take faith and courage to protest the misconceptions and ill-founded expressions of the “church” today. But whatever effort it takes, it will be worth it. To know Christ and His church remains the greatest blessing known to man — even in the 21st century.

     How wonderful it would be if everyone who believes in Christ would be willing to submit wholly to His will and to be united with Him and with all other believers in the church! What a revolution would take place wherever men call on God in Christ! Think of the peace which would flow into millions of hearts and homes! Consider the joy of millions in newfound freedom in Christ! Imagine the impact upon the millions of unbelievers!

     No wonder Jesus prayed that His followers might be one!37 No wonder the apostles of Christ stressed the need of unity!38 No wonder the Lord laid out the fundamentals of unity!39

The only hope of believers in Christ for true unity in any age is found in the Word of God.

     There is one body, and one Spirit,

     even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

     One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

     One God and Father of all, who is

     above all, and through all, and in you all.40

— Walter E. Burch

      ——— Footnotes ———