Doctrine: What is the Church? (Part 1a)

As we continue our Doctrine series, we will now explore the commonly confused and often mistaken doctrine of the church.  What is the church?  Is the church supposed to have a steeple, or pews, or an organ?  What about stained glass windows?  Or quite frankly, is the church simply a building?  The answer to this question changes everything.  If the church is a building, then everything we do changes.  If this is the case we should only have programs that get people ‘in’ the church.  We should be inclusive.  We should spend all of our money on the building and the programs for discipleship and outreach.  OR, is the church the people of God?  When someone asks you where your church is do you tell them that it is down the road on the corner?  Or, do you tell them that your local church is spread throughout your city and that you gather together to worship at the ‘building’… down the road… on the corner.