I had originally finished this series on How to Identify the Church some months ago, but just the other day I came across a very helpful table that clarifies the subject of the church tremendously. In Lesson 13 the church of Christ was spoken of in terms of a local group of Christians who function according to God’s inspired word. There were even summarized nine identifying marks of a Bible based church. No doubt, speaking of the church in this way will not be agreeable to many readers. One of the major reasons for this disagreement or simple confusion about the subject is due largely to a naivety of how the word “church” is used in the Bible. The table below thoroughly explains how this word is translated and used throughout the New Testament.
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The English word church comes from the Greek word ekklhsia. This word can be translated church, congregation, or assembly. However translated, this word can carry one of four different connotations as reflected in the table below. |
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Bible Verse |
The Universal Church |
A Group of Local Churches |
A Specific Local Church |
A Local Church Assembled |
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Matt. 16:18 |
Church |
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Matt. 18:17 |
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Church |
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Acts 2:47 |
Church |
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Acts 5:11 |
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Church |
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Acts 8:1 |
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Church |
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Acts 8:3 |
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Church |
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Acts 9:31 |
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Churches |
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Acts 11:22 |
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Church |
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Acts 11:26 |
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Church |
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Acts 12:1 |
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Church |
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Acts 12:5 |
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Church |
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Acts 13:1 |
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Church |
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Acts 14:23 |
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Church |
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Acts 14:27 |
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Church |
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Acts 15:3 |
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Church |
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Acts 15:4 |
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Church |
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Acts 15:22 |
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Church |
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Acts 15:41 |
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Churches |
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Acts 16:5 |
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Churches |
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Acts 18:22 |
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Church |
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Acts 20:17 |
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Church |
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Acts 20:28 |
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Church |
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Romans 16:1 |
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Church |
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Romans 16:4 |
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Churches |
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Romans 16:5 |
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Church |
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Romans 16:16 |
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Churches |
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Romans 16:23 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 1:2 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 4:17 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 6:4 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 7:17 |
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Churches |
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1 Cor. 10:32 |
Church |
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1 Cor. 11:16 |
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Churches |
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1 Cor. 11:18 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 11:22 |
Church |
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1 Cor. 12:28 |
Church |
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1 Cor. 14:4 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:5 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:12 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:19 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:23 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:28 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 14:33 |
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Churches |
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1 Cor. 14:34 |
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Churches |
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1 Cor. 14:35 |
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Church |
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1 Cor. 15:9 |
Church |
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1 Cor. 16:1 |
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Churches |
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1 Cor. 16:19 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 1:1 |
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Church |
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2 Cor. 8:1 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 8:18 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 8:19 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 8:23 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 8:24 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 11:8 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 11:28 |
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Churches |
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2 Cor. 12:13 |
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Churches |
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Galatians 1:2 |
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Churches |
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Galatians 1:13 |
Church |
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Galatians 1:22 |
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Churches |
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Ephesians 1:22 |
Church |
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Ephesians 3:10 |
Church |
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Ephesians 3:21 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:23 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:24 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:25 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:27 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:29 |
Church |
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Ephesians 5:32 |
Church |
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Phil. 3:6 |
Church |
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Phil. 4:15 |
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Church |
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Colossians 1:18 |
Church |
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Colossians 1:24 |
Church |
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Colossians 4:15 |
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Church |
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Colossians 4:16 |
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Church |
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1 Thess. 1:1 |
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Church |
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1 Thess. 2:14 |
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Churches |
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2 Thess. 1:1 |
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Church |
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2 Thess. 1:4 |
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Churches |
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1 Tim. 3:5 |
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Church |
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1 Tim. 3:15 |
Church |
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1 Tim. 5:16 |
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Church |
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Philemon 2 |
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Church |
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Hebrews 2:12 |
Congregation |
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Hebrews 12:23 |
Church |
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James 5:14 |
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Church |
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3 John 6 |
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Church |
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3 John 9 |
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Church |
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3 John 10 |
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Church |
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Rev. 1:4 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 1:11 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 1:20 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 2:1 |
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Church |
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Rev. 2:7 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 2:8 |
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Church |
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Rev. 2:11 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 2:12 |
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Church |
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Rev. 2:17 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 2:18 |
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Church |
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Rev. 2:23 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 2:29 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 3:1 |
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Church |
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Rev. 3:6 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 3:7 |
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Church |
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Rev. 3:13 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 3:14 |
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Church |
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Rev. 3:22 |
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Churches |
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Rev. 22:16 |
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Churches |
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Total = 108 verses Derived from Gene Getz’s book Elders and Leaders– Appendix A |
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You may look at this table and think, “Okay, that’s pretty, but it really doesn’t have much significance.” Unfortunately, many people speak of the church as if it is something that exists inside each individual and is divorced from any relationship with a local congregation of Christians. These people classify as spiritual but not religious. At other times, people will make unfair biblical arguments by citing scriptures where the word church connotes the universal body of believers and then manipulate such a usage of the word to justify a practice of the local church or the local church assembled. Such manipulation is used to authorize church directed and church funded works that have no business in the church (i.e. church day care, gymnasiums, church theater, etc.).
This table was very helpful to me personally, and I hope this series on the church and this concluding lesson provides a fuller picture of the church, at least more than you had before. If you have any questions from the lessons in this series do not hesitate to contact me via the email at the bottom of this page.
This sermon attached explains more about this subject and is made available for your continued learning.
