MY DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHURCH MEANS

   After I have answered the divine call and sacrificed everything for full-time gospel ministry, I realised that the world is thrown into chaos by the many fragmentary explanations of what the word “CHURCH” means; so also is the understanding of its various aspects. I became so much confused as to what to accept and that which I must reject. For this reason, I began to make several types of research on the internet and to read several articles on this subject but none has satisfied my hungry soul. I listened to many sermons and attended several conferences, yet still, my many questions about the church were not wholly answered. This pushed me to seek the face of the Lord and to read the Bible more regularly. Finally, the God who said that He will be found whenever He is diligently sought for gave me clearer light, understanding, and revelation on this subject.

   Even as I have received light from the Lord on the subject of the church (Galatians 1:11 to 12), I am not the first to receive such revelation. I therefore want to acknowledge those generals who had similar revelation before me. In the 1820s, the Lord gave John Nelson Darby, William Kelly, B. W. Newton, and J. G. Bellett the revelation of the oneness of the body of Christ; hence, they condemned division among believers. Then in the twentieth century, the Lord raised up Watchman Nee from China and Balkh Sight from India and gave them the biblical revelation of the church. So they worked and established churches according to the pattern set by the early apostles. Thus, Watchman Nee and his teammates laboured in China, Singapore, Taiwan, the U.S, and some part of Africa. Likewise, Balkh Sight and his teammates laboured in India, and other parts of Asia. May the Lord richly bless these faithful servants!

   One thing we must know as we proceed with the discussion of the church is that we will be judged according to the Word of God, and our services will be measured by the prototypical ministry of our Lord Jesus and the early apostles. For this very reason, if our life is not in line with the Word, and our ministries are below the standard set by Jesus and the apostles of old, we will lose reward!

   As these are certain, we must therefore take caution not to practise anything less or more than what the Bible teaches. For all that the Lord requires from us, both in word and in conduct has been practised by our forefathers and these are recorded in the Bible. Hence, if we want to know more about anything related to Christianity; in other words, if we desire to know the truth about the various aspects of the church, then we must be diligent to read the Bible and to look back on the ministry of the early apostles.

   My brethren, I am led by the Holy Spirit to discuss with you the eight major aspects of the Church the Bible portrays. These are: 1. The Church, the constitution of the saved ones.  2. The Church, the organisation of the early apostles. 3. The Church, how the early believers fellowshipped. 4. The Church, doctrine, and teaching.  5. The Church, the body of Christ. 6. The Church, offerings, and donations. 7. The Church, team working in the Lord’s work.  8. The Church, authority, and leadership. Each aspect of the Church as listed above will be treated in each chapter respectively.

   I entreat everyone to lay aside his personal views and understandings, his feelings and opinions as we discuss the various aspects of the church from the biblical point of view. I also ask my brethren not to be quick in judging the words given to us by the Lord in this book until they have thoroughly read it. Furthermore, I encourage everyone who has access to this book to read every chapter of it thoroughly to enjoy the riches deposited in it by the Lord and get the full meaning of what the church is. Finally, we must offer much prayer when reading, paying close attention to the riches in this book rather than considering the literary language.