Marbaniang, Domenic

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." (Rom.12:5) The Church is not a denomination, for denominations are organizations, but the Church is one body, and the believers, being many, are individually members of one another, irrespective of location, language, nationality, or time period. Unity is organic, not organizational, obviously. Organizations exist for the sake of order and oversight; however, they can often be a hindrance to the individual. But, the Church has no name or human barriers. It is always one body. The deeper connection is undeniable and basic to the body no matter what the external identifiers may be; the Lord only knows His one body.

There can be two different approaches to Ecclesiology; one from below, the other from above. The former is inductive and studies the phenomena of churches to decide on an answer. The latter is deductive and proceeds from principles clearly articulated in Scriptures. Here we approach ecclesiology from above. 1. The Holy Spirit will not appoint two different churches in the same location; He doesn't divide, He unites. Either one of them is from God and the other not or both of them are not from God. God is not the author of confusion. 2. Structure doesn't matter. The Temple didn't mean God was compelled to stick to it. When there is no place in the Synagogue, Tyrannus Hall is open. Sometimes, God will tell His own to Come out of them.... It also means judgment. 3. Evangelists can move from place to place and preach the Gospel. In a new place, where the church had not earlier been (i.e. where there is no believing community), a church is thus called out. Where there is already...