Ekklesia - a called out assembly.

The Church is invisible and visible, universal and local.

1. The invisible Church is made up of all true believers and can be seen by God.

2. The visible Church is made up of all professing believers and can be seen by all.

3. The universal Church is made up of all believers past, present, and future around the world.

4. The local church is made up of all believers in one place committed to each other and their shared mission.

Start Talking

When have you been part of something that was made up of people past, present, and future and both locally and all over?

If you were only connected to or involved in either only those who were all over or only those who were local, what would you have missed out on?

Start Thinking

Read Luke 17:20-21. If you put this passage in your own words, what would you say that Jesus is teaching here? How is this different than how most people have culturally experienced or been taught about what "church" is?

Read Acts 2:44-47. What evidence do you see in these verses that shows that this church - most likely the first local church to ever exist - was not only a group of believers who were part of the universal Church, but also a group of believers from a local community who were committed to each other and to a shared mission in their local community?

Start Talking

Do you default to more easily identifying as a member of the universal Church or the local church? Why?

What is the danger of not prioritizing and valuing your role in both? What will you miss if you do not fully embrace both the universal and local church?

What does it mean for our micro church and the collection of micro churches called OneLife to be committed to each other? What is the shared mission that is unique to our calling?

Start Doing

What do you need to do to be committed to each other in this micro church and our shared mission? What do you need to do to be committed to the people of OneLife Church and its shared mission?

What would you say to someone who says they do not need to be committed to the local, visible church because they are part of the invisible, universal church?