What Is The Church???

The church is the triune God's:

Covenant people: We are the flock of the Good Shepherd. As an assembly, we are called together as a 'congregation', literally meaning 'together flock'. The Shepherd brings His flock together, to worship and praise God. This flock is gathered from all nations sharing in the promise to Abraham. We confess a Catholic (worldwide, universal) church. The church is God's people of the covenant promise and obligations; called to worship and obey (literally to 'hear' or 'listen' to) the Word; to proclaim and uphold the Word as pillar and ground of the truth; the field which God causes to grow and the building which is being built up (edified) through active, living members.

Redeemed people: 'Church' literally means 'of Christ'. We confess a Christian church: Christ is Head of the church, it is His church. The church is a congregation redeemed by the blood of Christ; assembly atoned by God's mercy in Christ; citizens of God's kingdom ruled by Christ; the body of Christ; a communion of saints in communion to Christ.

Holy people: "Ecclesia", a Greek word also referring to the church, literally means 'out-calling'. God calls His people 'out' to come together. We confess a Holy church: dedicated to reflect God's holiness; set apart by God's grace to praise Him; consecrated people endowed with the Holy Spirit; who are individually and collectively temples of the Holy Spirit; holding up the banner of the Word in living a faithful life that reflects their living faith.

As a reflective question: Do we uphold the true name of what we confess to be the church?

P.S. More to follow on the 'true' church and how we view the local/catholic or visible/invisible church...