C O L I N
U R Q U H A R T
Apostolic
B IB L IC A L C H U R C H
Copyright Š 2009 First published in Great Britain 2009 The right of Colin Urquhart to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unless otherwise stated, Scripture taken from THE TRUTH NEW TESTAMENT, copyright Š 2009, by Colin Urquhart and published by Integrity Media Europe
ISBN 978-1-9004-0977-1
Printed in the UK Cover Design: Jon Smethurst Ezekiel Design Kingdom Faith Roffey Place, Old Crawley Road HORSHAM West Sussex RH12 4RU Tel: 01293 854600 Email: resources@kingdomfaith.com www.kingdomfaith.com
APOSTOLIC BIBLICAL CHURCH
COLIN URQUHART
WHAT IS MEANT BY THE WORD ‘CHURCH’? We are confronted with a great variety of churches that demonstrate considerable differences of lifestyle, reflecting their differing views of the nature and purpose of the church. For most people their understanding of ‘church’ is determined by their personal experience of church. They will defend their church as being the right concept of church, often because it is their only experience of church! If they belong to a historic denomination they assume that their congregation must be a valid expression of church, for surely their leaders could not have been mistaken for so long, centuries even!
WE HAVE TO REALISE THAT THE USE OF THE WORD ‘CHURCH’ IS IN ITSELF A PROBLEM BECAUSE DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERING UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE WORD
Those who belong to more recently formed churches usually assume that one of the main reasons for their church being formed was to be a more biblical expression of church, without necessarily having the spiritual discernment to see whether this is in fact the case. Some may spurn the idea of tradition, while failing to realise that it takes only a few years for a congregation to become traditional, even if they put in place different forms of tradition from those of other churches! All this begs a number of questions that we will seek to address in these pages. We are concerned to understand the biblical
concept of church, to see how this can be expressed in practice and then maintained so that the church retains the vibrancy of the life of the Holy Spirit and is truly effective in its ministry to the world. We have to realise that the use of the word ‘church’ is in itself a problem because different people have so many differing understandings of the word. In this short book we are seeking to reveal the church as God intends His body on earth to be. At the same time our purpose in not to be idealistic but realistic, because God has a real task for His church to perform before Jesus Christ will return! Sadly, what is lacking is a valid doctrine of the church. The creeds of the early church not
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only stated what was accepted as right doctrine about the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, but what was also common belief about the nature of the church. In many places there is still right concern to maintain true doctrine about the nature of God, but little emphasis is put on understanding the true nature of the church. It was clearly stated the church is: Holy: a people set apart by God to fulfil His purposes on earth and then to enjoy eternal fellowship with Him in heaven; a people He has consecrated through the blood of His Son and the gift of His Spirit to be able to fulfil His will on earth. Catholic: this means that the church is universal. This word has nothing to do with the claims of any particular denomination, but expresses the truth that there is only one body of Christ here on earth. Jesus Christ is the Head of this church, and every person that is born again of His Spirit is a member of this one universal church. Apostolic: meaning that the church is sent by God with a particular purpose. Jesus said: “I have sent you in the same way that My Father sent Me.� The church, then, is to continue the ministry of Jesus in the world, that His Kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. This early understanding of the nature of the church was based on the scriptural revelation of the church. So we need to see how the church is described in the New Testament.
THE TRUE VINE Jesus spoke of Himself as the True Vine and His disciples as the branches of this Vine. The essential nature of the church is based on relationship with Jesus Christ and with the other branches of the Vine, fellow believers. They are incorporated into the Vine by God the Father, through their faith in Jesus Christ as His Son. These believers are commanded by Jesus to stay in the Vine, to abide in Him, to live continually in Him by obeying what He has commanded them to do.
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Immediately we see, therefore, that Jesus envisages the church to be people who live in close relationship with Him and with one another; an obedient people who are fulfilling His commands to His church. Through the unity with God and with one another created by these relationships, the sap of the Holy Spirit can flow through the branches of the Vine, empowering the disciples to be able to fulfil His purposes, both personally and corporately.
THE PURPOSE OF EVERY BRANCH IS TO BEAR FRUIT, NOT SIMPLY PRODUCE SHOWY LEAVES
The purpose of every branch is to bear fruit, not simply produce showy leaves. This fruit-bearing process can only take place if the branches remain in the Vine, by remaining in relationship with Jesus while, at the same time maintaining relationship with the other branches.
Jesus warns that the fruitless branches will be cut out of the Vine by the Father, piled up and burned. It seems they are fit for nothing else. Even the fruitful branches will be pruned so that they will be more effective in bearing fruit. Clearly any branch that separates itself from the Vine will wither and die. Apart from remaining in the Vine a branch can produce nothing! The true believer who lives in Christ need not fear, for by remaining in the Vine he will certainly bear fruit; The Holy Spirit will produce this fruit in him.
“If you continue to live at one with Me and My words continue to live in you, you can ask for anything you want and it will be given you. My Father will be glorified and honoured in your lives because you will bear much fruit and so demonstrate that you are truly My disciples.� (John 15:7-8, The Truth N.T.) The specific command given to the disciples is that they are to love one another in the same way that Jesus has loved them. So the church is to be a body of people noted for the way in which they love one another. This love is to be expressed in laying down their lives for one another, living for others instead of living for themselves.
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C O L I N
U R Q U H A R T
Apostolic leader, founder of Kingdom Faith and well known author of many best sellers. In ordained ministry for over 45 years, Colin is an established international conference speaker and broadcaster with a heart for revival.
Apostolic ...LEARN HOW THE CHURCH OF TODAY CAN FULFIL IT’S GOD GIVEN DESTINY!
B IB LI CA L CH U R CH
How far has the church as we know it today departed from the life that the New Testament church radiated? How realistic is it to suggest that the contemporary church is expected by God to demonstrate the same life, love and power? Do the present forms of the church restrict or inhibit God’s purposes instead of enabling them? These are vital issues addressed in this short book that contrasts the biblical church that is to be apostolic in nature, with what has become traditional church that many know from experience. The purpose in doing this is not to be critical or negative, but to see how the church today can fulfil its destiny through obedience to God’s call and purpose, and so become His powerful instrument for impacting the world with the truth of the gospel.
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ISBN: 978-1-9004-0977-1
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