Genuine Church

The "Five C's of a Genuine Church," by James Emery White:

Community. To be a church, you must be a true community of faith. There is no sense that this community was to be segmented in any way, whether by race, ethnicity, gender or age. It is to have clear entry and exit points, making it clear (as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians) that there are those “inside” the church and those “outside” the church.

Confession. The second dynamic which constitutes the church involves confession. The idea of “confession,” in the sense being suggested here, is related to the Greek homologeo, which means “to say the same thing” or “to agree.” For the church to be the church, it must be a place where the Word of God as put forward in Scripture is proclaimed in its fullness.

Corporate. The third mark of the church is corporate. The Bible speaks of defined organizational roles, such as pastors (a term which is used synonymously and interchangeably with the terms “elder” and “bishop”) and deacons, as well as corporate roles related to spiritual gifts such as teachers, administers, and, of course, leaders (Rom. 12; I Cor. 12; Eph. 4; I Pet. 4). These corporate dynamics allowed money to flow from one group to another (II Corinthians 8); decisions to be made by leaders as to doctrine and practice (Acts 15); and the setting apart of some individuals for appointed tasks, mission and church plants (Acts 13).

Celebration. The fourth dynamic of the local church is celebration. The church was to gather for public worship as a unified community of faith, including the stewarding of the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, for these were far from being “public domain.” In the New Testament, believers were to “come together” for the Supper, and its proper administration fell under apostolic teaching and direction which was then delegated to pastors to oversee.

Cause. The final mark of the local church relates to cause. The church is on a very specific mission, given to it by Jesus Himself, to reach out to a deeply fallen world and call it back to God. According to the Bible, this involves active evangelism with subsequent discipleship, coupled with strategic service to those in need, such as the poor.

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