C.H.U.R.C.H.

Matthew 16:13-19 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. KJV

Introduction:
When you think of the word church what comes into your mind? Jesus told Peter, I will build MY Church, was he referring to the Baptist, the Church of God and son on? What was Jesus referring to when He to Peter, I will build MY Church? In a national poll, a man was ask the question, what is your Church preference? His answer was Red Brick. With that being said, my question for you today, do we really understand what a Church is? Do we really understand what the Church should be? In this message we will look at each letter of the word C.H.U.R.C.H. to help us to better understand the roll and function of the New Testament Church. C- Congregation. H- Hospital.

U- Unified Body. R- Redemption Center C- Community H- Home

C- The Church is a Congregation

Many people today understand the church as a building or a denomination. The church is not a building; it is people, people with a purpose. The primary definition of a congregation is an assembly of persons met for worship and religious instruction. This congregation today has met for the purpose of worship and to be instructed in the Word of God. The word Church is translated from the Greek as a called out assembly, or a congregation, of people. The Church is a called out assembly that assembles within the four walls of this building, to worship, and to be instructed in the ways of God. Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. KJV

H- The Church is a Hospital

The church is a hospital for spiritual healing and restoration. Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. KJV One person said the church is for the broken and battered, the disillusioned and depressed. It is for the blind and the lame. The Church is where all of these people come for healing and restoration. The Church is to be a hospital for those who are hurting, therefore we must be in the business of healing. The Church is not to be a courtroom filled with both judge and jury but a place for restoration and reclamation. Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who [are] spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. KJV

U The Church is a Unified Body

John 17:20-21

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. KJV Church unity is so important. Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel KJV 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. KJV Church unity does not mean uniformity. We do not all have to look alike but we all have to work together in the same direction.

R The Church is a Redemption Center

Luke 14:23 "Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled. KJV 1000 church attendees were asked the question, "Why does the church exist?" 89% said that the church's purpose was 'to take care of MY family's and MY spiritual needs.' Only 11% said that the purpose of the church was 'to win the world for Jesus Christ.' Our church ought to be a church where people encounter God, experience life transformation through the saving blood of the Lord Jesus Christ with each member fulfilling their call to be fishers of men.

C The Church is a Community

A. Community a group of people with a common interest interacting together and provide mutual encourage, counsel, and support. The church is to be comprised of individuals from different backgrounds, races, and life experiences who help each other take the next step to victorious living in Christ. Life is pretty tough when we try to "go it alone." We all need each other. Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some [to be] apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ - from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. KJV 1 Corinthians 12:25-26

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. KJV

H The Church is Home

Ephesians 2:19 So then, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of Gods household, KJV When you think about home, you think of a safe place, it is a place of belonging and security, it is a place that I can be myself, a place that I can open up, a place where I am loved. Regardless of where you go, home is always where your heart is.