April 20, 2008

In God's design, the local church is to serve as 1) a place to hear God's word preached and applied in a systematic way; 2) a place to put our commitment to God, and to one another, into practice; 3) a context for us to mature; 4) a place to discover and practice our ministry and spiritual gifts with perspective and leadership; 5) a protection from doctrinal error; 6) a place to demonstrate the gospel; and 7) a place to preserve and cultivate the fruit of the gospel.