What is the Church and why does it matter?

What is the Church and why does it matter? If the last two years have taught us anything, it is surely that the Church is not the building, but the people. We are living through a time in Scotland when, simultaneously, the Church is in decline, yet interest in faith is growing. We are at an urgent juncture in the history of the Church in Scotland and never has there been a time where we reclaim and re-establish our identity and our purpose as the people of God.

 

In this short series, we ask “What is the Church?”. Each week, we will look at key passages from the Bible, and ask key questions, about what the Church is, why the Church matters, how the Church can make an impact, and what Church life should look like.

 

It is our prayer that in studying God’s word together on this important topic, each of us might be challenged and encouraged to examine afresh our attitude to church and that we might reinvest ourselves in our local fellowship at Bellevue, so that, together, we might be the people that God is calling us to be in our generation.  

File What Is Church Sept 2021.docx
1 Peter 2: 3-12 - Identity and Purpose - Scott Hamilton (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, September 5, 2021
Our world tells us that the church is at best outdated and at worst dangerous. Our own eyes and hearts often perceive the church as weak and frail. How do things look from God's perspective? What is he doing in the lives of His people around a church family, and how do we get on board with His vision for a church like Bellevue Chapel?
The Church is a Fellowship of People: What Should Church Life Look Like? - Jim Gladstone (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, September 12, 2021
Key to church life is that our life in Christ is something we share together. That fellowship should lead to love and devotion to one another (Rom 12:9-13) Our shared life in Christ is expressed practically in self-giving love for each other and includes gathering together (Heb 10:25), hospitality (Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9), practical provision for each other’s needs (Acts 2:42-47), bearing one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2), encouraging one another (1 Thess 5:11; Heb 3:13), and praying for each other (Eph 6:18-20). This rich communal life, as well as being a major encouragement and commitment for each of us, should be one of the outstanding attractions of Christianity to those outside the church (John 13:34-35).
John 15: 1-17 - The Church is the Vineyard of God: How can the church make an impact? - Alex Warren (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, September 19, 2021
The Old Testament image of Israel as God’s vineyard, planted and nurtured by God to bring forth fruit (Isa 5:1-7; Ezek 19:10-14; Hos 10), was often used to speak about the failure of Israel. Jesus echoes that failure of Israel in his parable of the vineyard tenants (Matt 21:33-46; Mk 12:1-12) Jesus declares himself the true vine, on which the church depends for its life and existence and restates again the promise and purpose of God that his people should bear fruit.
What should church life look like? - Alan Paterson (Video)
Evening Service, Sunday, September 26, 2021
What should the life of the church look like? This message tells us our fellowship is Based on Salvation, Built on Sincerity, Bound by Sharing and Blessed by Serving.