Carver Church Los Angeles
The Place of Life of Love
Darnell A. Manuel, Pastor/Teacher

“We Make Disciples”

“The Lord’s Plan for the Church:
Doing Church God’s Way”

The Pandemic has forced almost every area of life to rethink and reimagine the way things are done.  The Church has also had to make tough decisions.  Our methods may evolve but our principles remain firm, and we remain steadfast to adhere to what we believe.  The post-pandemic church has struggled to regain traction for many churches.  Research suggests that church attendance has remained in a declined state even though we’ve moved from pandemic to endemic.  How do we do church now?  
I believe that the pandemic has offered the Church a clean slate and a fresh opportunity to be the biblical Church that God has intended for us to be on the earth.  So, what does that look like?  The good news is that there is only one ecclesiology expert, Jesus Christ.  So, we who are believers are to come to the table to learn and be ready to submit to biblical principles concerning the church.   

There are four truths that must be embraced:  

1.    YOU MUST BE CONVERTED TO BE IN THE LORD’S CHURCH!!!  
 (ref. St. John 3)

2.    THERE IS ONE CHURCH
     (Ref. Ephesians 4:4.)

3.    THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the bridegroom.  The Church is awaiting its bridegroom to come back for her. (ref. St. John 3:29)

4.    CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
(ref. St. Matthew 16:18, Colossians 1:18)

 


There are Five Pillars that the Lord’s Church must embrace.  They are:

•    The Lord’s Church has a High View of God.

•    The Lord’s Church believes in the Absolute Authority of Scripture.

•    The Lord’s Church believes in teaching Sound Doctrine.

•    The Lord’s Church believes in Personal Holiness.

•    The Lord’s Church believes in Spiritual Authority.


The Lord’s church is not a building.  The Lord’s Church is made up of people.  Acts 2:47 says, “And the Lord added to the number day by day those who were being saved.”
We who are the Church ought to exhibit certain attitudes because of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  What is an attitude?  An attitude is a position taken mentally and emotionally toward a fact or state.  


Several Attitudes are to be taken by the Church. They are:

•    Obedience (I Samuel 15:22, Acts 5:29)

•    Humility (Colossians 3:12, I Peter 5:5)

•    Love (St. John 15:12, I John 4:7)

•    Unity (Psalm 133:1, I Corinthians 1:10)

•    Willingness to Serve (I Corinthians 4:1, I Peter 4:9-11)

•    Joy- (Philippians 4:4, Romans 14:17)

•    Peace ( I Thessalonians 5:12-13, Ephesians 2:13-17)

•    Thankfulness (Psalm 106:1, I Thessalonians 5:18)

•    Self- Discipline- (I Corinthians 9:24-27, Hebrews 12:1, Ephesians 6:10)

•    Accountability (St. Matthew 7:1-5, Romans 14:12)

•    Forgiveness ( Ephesians 4:32, St. Matthew 18:23-34)

•    Dependence (Psalm 127:1, Proverbs 3:5-6)

•    Flexibility (St. Matthew 15:1-2, Acts 16:6-10)

•    A Desire to Grow- II Peter 3:18, I Timothy 4:11-16)

•    Faithfulness (II Chronicles 16:9, Revelation 2:10)

•    Hope- (Romans 12:9-13, I Peter 1:13)


As a member of the body of Christ, you are to live out these attitudes in your home, community, job, school and gathering of the people of God.  

May the Lord grant us the strength and the wisdom to display to the world that we are the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  May our attitudes dictate actions that glorify God and advance and expand the kingdom of God through the Church.  

 

 

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