The church participates in two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Christ himself instituted these ordinances.

 Baptism is the act of being fully immersed in water and brought back up to identify with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12). In the New Testament baptism was executed in only one way: the person being baptized was immersed or put completely under the water and then brought back up again (Mark 1:5; Acts 8:36-39)(Grudem).

 Baptism is an act that is appropriately administered only to those who have made a genuine profession of faith in Jesus Christ. By their baptism, a person is bearing witness to: his salvific faith in Christ (Acts 18:8), his union with Christ (Romans 6:1-4), and his desire to obey Christ (Matthew 28:19-20)(Barackman).

 A secondary symbol of baptism is the washing and cleansing from sins. Baptism is beneficial to the believer in that the Lord strengthens and encourages our faith. It is important to note that baptism is not necessary for salvation. However, it is necessary for our obedience to Christ.

 The Lord’s Supper is the second of the two ordinances. This ordinance is a sign of continued fellowship with Christ. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper on the eve of His crucifixion, commanding that His followers continue to observe it until His return (Matthew 26:26-29)(Enns). The Lord’s Supper consists of eating and drinking elements that are symbolic of the physical body of Christ. These elements are not actually the body and blood of Christ (Transubstantiation) nor are Christ’s body and blood present in the elements (Consubstantiation). The elements are purely symbolic and give a visible sign that Christ himself is truly present.

 At the Lord’s Supper, we meet him at his table to partake. When we partake in the Lord’s Supper we are to remember what Christ has done for us and be thankful. Only those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus should participate in the Lord’s Supper. Another aspect to the Lord’s Supper is self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). Self-examination includes looking at our relationships within the body of Christ and making sure they are Christ honoring. It also means that we are to examine our thoughts, actions, and attitudes to make sure we have confessed all sin and that we are right with God.

 Worship is the act of glorifying God in his presence with our voices and hearts. Worship is a direct expression of our ultimate purpose for living. “to glorify God and fully to enjoy him forever” (Grudem).

 One thing about worship that we need to recognize, though it may seem obvious, is that God is worthy of worship and we are not. We know that God is a jealous God in the sense that he is jealous for his own honor. Therefore we must not give glory or worship to any creature or any created thing.

 Worship is not simply the time on Sundays when we sing songs to God. Musical worship is only a part of our worship. Worship is to be a lifestyle that characterizes believers. Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Our act of presenting our lives to God is our act of worship. We can worship through singing, prayer, giving, fellowship, and any other action that brings glory to God.

The true universal Christian church consists of all who have been saved during the present church Age and who have been joined by the Holy Spirit’s baptism to the Lord Jesus and to one another in Him to form a mystical body, of which He is the Head and the Life, and to be His espoused bride (Barackman).

 The universal church is a unified body; it includes both Jews and Gentiles. Christ died for this body and is the head over it. The universal church consists of believers, exclusively, whereas the local church may have unbelievers in attendance.

 The local church is any group of believers identified as an assembly or congregation. First Family Church is a ‘local church.’

 The church is not man-made. It has been established by God in a supernatural way. “As the church is a fact established by God, so is she the place where God acts for our salvation. Here the risen Lord encounters men, changes them from rebels against their Maker into children of their heavenly Father, brings them from enmity into peace” (EDT).

 The church is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:23). Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Christ has cleansed the church by the washing of His word and He is now sanctifying her so that she may be presented spotless for the marriage feast of the Lamb.

 Christ serves as the head of the church. Which makes us His body. The body of Christ is made up of believers who are part of the universal church. As the head has authority over the physical body and gives direction to it, so Christ is the head of the church, having authority over it and giving it direction (Ephesians 1:22-23)(Enns). We represent Christ to the world around us and we act as His hands and feet.

 The church is a place of fellowship with God and His word. His voice is heard in the proclamation of his Word and his acts are seen in the administration of his ordinances (EDT).

 The local church has a few different aspects to its service and ministry: First, the edification of the body itself; second, the evangelism of unbelievers; and third, the ministry to God, our worship.

 The edification of believers is a very important purpose of the local church. Paul says that our goal is not simply to bring others to saving faith, but to “present every man mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). As the church, it is important to teach believers so that they are able to build up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-13).

 Fellowship is another important part of the edification of the body. Believers need to fellowship in suffering (Acts 4:23), in unity (Acts 2:46), in ministry (Acts 4:31), in prayer (Acts 2:14, 42), in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:14), and around meals (Acts 2:46).

 The New Testament church did not contain itself within a building, but rather went out into the world as Jesus commanded. Jesus told his disciples that they should “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The work of the church in the world is to make disciples (learners), baptize them, and bring them into the fellowship of believers (Enns).

 Worship is a third ministry of the local church. Believers are called to sing and pray to God with thanksgiving (Colossians 3:16). We are to “live for the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12). Prayer is an important aspect of worship. We can worship God by praying and thanking him for all He is and all He has done.