The church is the community of believers united in Christ for worship, teaching, fellowship, encouragement, and mission. Scripture calls believers not to neglect gathering together as one body.
The church is described as a body with many parts, each contributing different gifts for the good of the whole, held together by a shared faith in Christ rather than uniformity of personality or background. Gathering together for worship, teaching, prayer, and fellowship is not optional or old-fashioned; Hebrews specifically warns against neglecting this habit, especially as challenges increase. Beyond weekly worship, the early church modeled shared meals, mutual care, and active mission together, showing that spiritual growth happens best in community rather than in isolation.
The church is a worldwide community raised up to proclaim the everlasting gospel, make disciples, care for people, and prepare the world for Christ's return. No congregation replaces a personal relationship with Jesus, but believers are called to worship, serve, practice spiritual gifts, and pursue unity together.