Pastor Terrie Beede's "Studies in Theology" series continued with The Doctrine of The Church Part 5: Fellowship, Ordinances, and Discipline. The session reiterated the anchor text from 1 Timothy 4:16, emphasizing the minister's charge to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" for both personal salvation and that of their hearers, stressing doctrine's "living and vibrant" nature.
Beede reviewed previous sessions on the church's inauguration (Acts 2), its definition as all reconciled believers, its universal and local membership, and its scope as transcendent of earthly boundaries (gender, race, time, and even existing in heaven) and ultimately one. The core article of faith for the church states, "We believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body of which Christ is the head and all who are born again are members".
The discussion returned to the marks or notes of a true church, traditionally identified as: true preaching of the Word of God, proper administration of the sacraments, and the faithful exercise of discipline. These marks, seen in elemental form in Acts 2:41-47, reflect the apostles' teaching, the fellowship of the saints, the observance of ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper), and the reverence for God that implies discipline.
The session then delved into additional marks:
• The Fellowship of the Saints: This is a twofold necessity—fellowship with God and with one another. The scriptures make it plain that believers are called "out of the world" and "into a body". This corporate gathering reflects the unity and society of the Trinity itself, where God's people come together to "picture that for the world around us". This counters the individualistic tendency to think one can "get church on TV".
• The Faithful Observance of the Ordinances: Beede stated that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church: full immersion water baptism and the Lord's Supper. An ordinance is defined as an institution Jesus commanded the church to observe, which is symbolic. The term "sacrament" is sometimes avoided by Protestants because it can convey the idea that "some form of grace or power... is distributed in the act itself," rather than being a visible representation of a spiritual truth. While marriage and the laying on of hands are closely related to ordinances, they are distinguished as separate practices.
• The Observance of Discipline: Discipline is a mark of a true church because it protects the name and honor of Christ and His Word. It involves the "faithful exercise of discipline" by leaders, who are commanded to "reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (1 Peter 5:2, 2 Timothy 4:2, Titus 2:15). Beede clarified that this is not the abusive "shepherding movement" where leaders control every aspect of a believer's life; rather, it pertains to upholding "the word of God itself and the commandments of the word". Discipline is a visible act of obedience, signifying a body functioning in submission to the Word and in fellowship with one another.
• Praise and Worship: This was briefly introduced as a mark, connecting to the church's purpose of ministry to God, and would be explored in future sessions.
The session concluded by stressing that individuals, families, and the corporate body have a responsibility to reflect the attributes and marks of the church in their lives and conduct, as the church's ultimate purpose is to glorify God, not merely to meet individual needs.