the purpose driven music paradigm - Escape Babylon's Demons

CHAPTER 2
The purpose, order and operation of the church
The church is the living body of Christ of which the Lord Jesus Christ is head
The church is the living body of Christ. Christ is the living Head of the body. Each
christian is a member of the church of God, the body of Christ. Each christian is the
temple of God housing within themselves God the Holy Spirit. (Colossians 1:18;
Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 12:4-5)
The church is a living organism
Individual members of the body of Christ, the church, are also compared to living
stones which make up a spiritual house which has Jesus Christ as it’s chief corner
stone. (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:5-10)
Members are distributed a spiritual gift and arranged in the body by it’s head
Each individual believer is an integral part of the overall body of Christ. Each receives
a spiritual gift distributed to them by the head of the body, the Lord Jesus Christ. That
gift is to be used in service to other members of the body of Christ. The Lord
designed these diverse gifts to work in united, biblical love through each member of
his body. Each christian is arranged by the Lord to be either a visible body part like a
hand, foot or eye or some other less visible, but most essential interior body part. The
purpose of the gifts is to edify or promote the growth of Christ-like character and well
being of each member of the body that meets together. (Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Corinthians
14:26; 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-27; Romans 12:4-8)
The ultimate purpose of the church is to reveal the full character of Christ
According to scripture, the purpose of the church is to grow to reveal the full
character of the Lord Jesus Christ to all people and the heavenly powers. This
purpose is to be accomplished through the working of a variety of spiritual gifts
distributed by the Lord. (Ephesians 3:9-11)
The church isn’t an organization
The church isn’t a financial bottom-line oriented organization to be led by the
coercive, authoritative external political power of a pastor functioning in the manner
of a corporate executive officer. (Luke 22:24-27; 1 Peter 5:1-3)