When Jesus came to "seek and to save the lost," he established his church by the same process (Luke 19:10; Matthew 16:18).  When people heard and obeyed the gospel of Christ, the Lord added them to his church (Acts 2:41,47).  A member of the church is simply a disciple of Christ, who is simply a Christian (Acts 11:26). One becomes a disciple, or a Christian, or a member of the church when one believes in Jesus, repents of sin, and is baptized in obedience to the gospel.  It is by this same process that one is saved or forgiven of one's sins (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16).  

    Jesus only established one church.  The church he established is the one he called "my church," (Matthew 16:18).  The church which began in Acts 2 on the first day of Pentecost after the resurrection is described as "the church of God," the "church of Christ," and the "church of the firstborn ones," (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Romans 16:16; Hebrews 12:23).  It is also described as the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, the household of God, and the temple of God (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 2:19; 5:25; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17).  Often in the New Testament, it is simply called "the church" because there was only one.  In the mind of God, there is still only one church.

What Does the Church Do?

    When the church was first established by the baptism of the three thousand on Pentecost, the Bible says, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayer," (Acts 2:42).  Jesus had commissioned his disciples to teach the people "all things that I have commanded you," (Matthew 28:18).  Therefore, the church continued to carry on  a teaching ministry to those who became its members (Acts 11:26; 14:22-23). The early church also continued in "fellowship" or "sharing," (Acts 2:42).  This probably has reference to the sharing of goods and money which were used for the common good of the Christians in Jerusalem and for the carrying out of the church's mission. The Christians also continued steadfastly in "the breaking of bread," (Acts 2:42).  This probably has reference to the taking of the Lord's Supper in their Sunday gatherings (Acts 20:7).  In addition, the church continued "in prayer," (Acts 2:42).  They trusted in a God who was working among them and attentive to their prayers. All of the activities of the church in the New Testament can be broken down into a few major categories.

    First, the church worships.  Not only in Acts 2, but throughout the New Testament, the church was a group of worshipers.  The early Christians assembled together on Sundays and took the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17).  This day became known as "the Lord's Day" and was the day on which Christians came together in every city.  Their worship included the taking of the Lord's Supper, singing songs, praying, preaching and reading the word of God, and the contribution of money to God's work (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; 14:26; 1 Timothy 2:8-11; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 13:15).  

    Next, the church shares the gospel with as many other people as possible. This is very obvious from the beginning of the book of Acts.  First, the apostles preached everywhere in Jerusalem (Acts 2-7).  Then, when persecution scattered the Christians to other places, they "went everywhere preaching the word," (Acts 8:4). They preached in Samaria, in Caesarea, and northward into Syria (Acts 8,10,11).  The missions of Paul and those he took with him demonstrate the constant involvement of the church in sending the gospel to the lost.  The true church of Christ will always be involved in the spreading of the gospel (Romans 10:13-17; Romans 16:25-26; Philippians 1:5; 4:15; Galatians 6:6-8).

    Thirdly, the church is involved in the work of compassion and benevolence.  The early church was "praising God and having favor with all the people," (Acts 2:46-47).  They took care of the widows who needed food (Acts 6). Christians from other places send aid to the poor Christians in Jerusalem who were enduring a famine (Acts 11:29-30).  They were instructed to "do good unto all men, especially those who are of the household of faith," (Galatians 6:9-10).  They were known for their willingness to show compassion for those in need.  This was very much a part of what Jesus himself had taught his followers to do (Matthew 25:31-46).  

    What does the New Testament church do?  It evangelizes.  It worships.  It does good toward all people.  It does these things because it has been directed to do them by Christ and his apostles.  The Bible doesn't always specifically tell us how to accomplish these things, but we bring all of our resources and creativity together to see that these things are done.  When the Bible does tell us how to do something, we comply with God's directives because Jesus is Lord of his church.

What Should I Do As A Member of the Church?

    Under the general directives of Christ toward his church, the duties of a Christian are many.  At the most basic level, a new Christian needs to learn what God wants him/her to do.  This involves being an eager and open student of the Bible.  Just as the first converts "continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching," the new Christian today needs to learn everything possible from the writings of the apostles, the New Testament.

    Each new member of the church should begin worshiping God as he has directed in the New Testament.  This means assembling with the church on the Lord's day, taking part in the Lord's Supper, singing praises to God, praying, and becoming a giver to the Lord's cause.  Each of these things deserves careful consideration and study in order to do them properly.  

    Each member of the church should be involved in the lifestyle changes that are demanded by repentance (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:18-23).  This involves the elimination of bad habits, changing sinful attitudes, dissolving evil companionships, and a host of other things.  With God's constant help, we can accomplish these things.  We should remember that the Christian life is a continuing process of sanctification as we allow the Spirit's influence to grow in our lives.   

    Each member of the church should be careful to have a godly influence on others (1 Peter 2:11-12).  As we grow in Christ, we should be ready to share the gospel with other people in a gentle and respectful way, doing our part to carry out the great commission (1 Peter 3:15).  Faithfulness involves pursuing all of these things with dedication as long as we live.