• Membership: composed of professing believers and devoted followers of Christ.


• Officers: composed of pastors, bishops, elders, deacons, teachers, evangelist  

The Functions of the Local Church

Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists

1. They are not given to the world but to the church for the perfecting of the saints to the work of the ministry (Acts 21:8; Ephesians 4:11,12; 2 Timothy 4:5)


2. The teachers serve to instruct the church. (1 Cor. 12:28-29; Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 2:7)


3. They (with bishop and elders) serve to guide, care for, and teach the church (Eph. 4:11-12; Titus 1:5-7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4) 

Officers

1. Preach the Word (2 Timothy 4:2)


2. Teach members (Ephesians 4:11-16)


3. Evangelize the lost (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:11-16)


4. Oppose sin (Ephesians 5:11, 2 Thess. 3:14; Titus 1:9-11)


5. Care for those having special needs (Acts 6:1-7; James 5:14)


6. Administer the Lord's Supper and Baptism (Acts 2:41-42)  

Members

1. Exhort one another (Hebrews 10:25)


2. Pray (Acts 2:42; 12:5; 2 Cor 1:11)


3. Evangelize the lost (Matt 22:1-14; 28:19-20)


4. Contribute financially (Romans 15:26; 1 Cor.16:1-2)


5. Fellowship (Acts 2:46) 6. Partake of the ordinances of Lord Supper and Baptism (Acts 8:12; 20:7)  

Having laid out the basic definition, organization and function of the local church, I've included as well FACC's statement of faith concerning Regeneration, Church, Chrisitan Conduct, Baptism and Lord's Supper below.  

I would like to encourage everyone to continue in the WORD, prayer and fellowship. When we discipline ourselve in our basic roles and functions the Lord will equip us with words, ways and means of reaching out our "roman catholic" friends and acquaintances. I believe the Lord draw them close to us so "they will experience God" in the truest sense of the word. Let's be honest with our dealings with them showing Christ's love. Let's show them, we Christ's truly love and care for them.  

We should not mislead a person into thinking/believing that he/she belongs to family of God, if that person have not fully/truly experience REGENERATION through the Holy Spirit. A truly regenerated (born-again) person will show/manifest heart-inward transformation that will also be reflected with outward manner of living (2 Cor 5:17). How would we know a person is not yet a believer? The Holy Spirit will tell you and will lay it in your heart. Your spirit will be burdened and will make you confront that person. I suggest you wrestle your thougths with God in your prayer. You're welcome to share your thoughts with me on individual level.  

Let's focus on people that the Lord has drawn already in our midst. Have you personally communicated or confronted them with their "regenration or born-again" experience? Remember Nicodemus encounter with Jesus in John 3. Do you think your friend, loved one could be more religious or devout than Nicodemus? Try revisiting than John 3 narrative.  

Yes, we are not judging a person's salvation, but I believe God can/will enable us to help a person truly "come clean" and "into terms" with Jesus Christ. That person can be truly regenerated through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3). The Holy Spirit can use the Scripture, circumstances but definitely the Holy Spirit Can use YOU and me to CONNECT him/her Creator/Maker - the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Are you willing? Will you make time to pray and be used?  

Let's continue "CONNECTING" with them and watch and see how God works in their lives and yours as well.  

In Christ;

Kuya Louie

Question: What do we believe about the Regeneration?

Answer:

• We believe that a sinner can be saved only because of and through the mercy, grace and love of God who provided the Savior for the world - His divine Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, 1 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 1:9-10)


• In order to be saved, a sinner must repent of his sin and believe and trust in Christ as his personal Savior and Lord. (Romans 10:9-10, Ephesians 2:8-9)


• A sinner who has exercised such faith is counted by God as righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), and is regenerated by the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

• We believe in the Church, a living spiritual body of which Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22-23), and of which all regenerated persons in every place and in all ages are members.


• We believe that local churches are visible representations and agencies of the Body of Christ.


• The local church is a company of baptized believers in Christ who have united together in fulfillment of commands of Christ for worship, fellowship and the preaching of the Gospel. (Acts 2:41-47)


• To the local churches have been given the responsibility of reaching the lost for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20), the nurturing of believers in their Christian life and faith and the administration of the ordinances. (Ephesians 4:11-13)


• The Scriptures provide for two principal offices in the local church: the pastors (also called bishops, elders, or presbyters), and the deacons. (Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:1-10) Other kinds of elders are also listed. (Ephesians 4:11)


• Every church is an independent body and is responsible only to its Head, Jesus Christ. Local churches conduct their administrative affairs and the election of needed leaders in a democratic manner, the majority prevailing. (See: Acts 15)

• We believe that every Christian should live for the glory of God.


• The Christian begins at the moment that a person receives Christ as Savior.


• As the Christian studies God's word, as he prays and as he allows the Holy Spirit to guide and empower him, his Christian life is strengthened in holiness and in the knowledge of God's will. (2 Peter 3:18)


• We believe that the life of a believer ought to be blameless before God and the world. (1 Corinthians 10:32-33)


• The Christian should avoid every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), and exemplify the purity and beauty of Christ. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)


• He should be a faithful steward of his material possessions and of his God-given talents. (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Timothy1:15)


• A Christian should unite with a local church where the Gospel is preached in order to have fellowship with God's people, and to support the work of the Gospel with his participation in giving.

• We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the churches, namely Baptism and the Lord's Supper.


• We believe that Baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19-20)


• Baptism is an act of obedience to Christ, symbolizing the death of the believer to sin, his burial with Christ and his resurrection with Christ to a new life (Romans 6:3-4), and visibly identifying him as a believer.


• We believe that the Lord commanded His people to commemorate His sacrificial death until He returns by regular celebrations of the Lord's Supper in the churches. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)


• These two ordinances are symbolic in their meaning, and have no power in themselves to confer grace or eternal life.