HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF A LOCAL CHURCH? 

The Local Church has been identified as having many functions or responsibilities: such as acting as army, or hospital, or teaching center etc. 

My feeling is that the local church first and foremost should be a FAMILY, and then AN EQUIPING CENTER and lastly, A RELEASING/SENDING AGENCY (releasing believers ministry in the community or to other fields of outreach and ministry) 

Of course there are many other functions of a local church, but since our relationship with the Father through Jesus is relational, and the strength of any church is the love and relational bonds formed in mutual love and respect; the FAMILY paradigm I think is the best illustration. 

Ephesians 4:11 instructs the Ministers in the church ( apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers) to " equip the saints  (Christians) for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." 

So, here are some of my thoughts of what the local church should teach/equip people in: 

1. How to give a three-minute testimony

2. How to share a gospel salvation message

3. Conflict resolution

4. Scriptures of Biblical (divine) Healing

5. Christ centered family life

6. Teach/Role model community life (doing life together) 

7. Church statement of faith understood (and could explain) 

8. Stewardship of resources

9. Types of Prayer

10. Missions (local and foreign) 

I'm sure you can think of many more areas of instruction, but the local church should not be just a teaching center (Sunday am and Midweek) with a pastor expecting teaching and preaching alone would mature Christians, but we also need personal interactions, shared memories, corporate projects and outreaches to build strong bonds of unity, love and shared vision. 

REVIVAL IS COMING! Let's get equipped and ready for the 'Third great awakening"

serving, 

Gary