This is an informal study that Gilbert Jorgensen and SDA Pastor Kevin Morgan did together on the definition of the term "Body of Christ".

As I am reviewing the SDA Definition of the Body of Christ, that you contributed to http://www.defendingthegospel.com/glossary/body-of-christ.php , I am seeking some clarification. It states:

Since Christ, in His physical body (Col. 1:22), is now in heaven (Heb. 5:7; 10:20), He works to accomplish His will on earth through His spiritual body (Eph. 5:30), which is a community of believers, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people (Rev. 14:6), confessing Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour (Eph. 1:22, 23; 1 John 4:15). Each member of the body, with his or her own gifts and functions (1 Cor. 12:12-26), obeys Jesus Christ the Head, following His teachings in Scripture and accepting His leading through His Spirit of truth (Eph. 4:15).

1. Christ works to accomplish His will on earth through His spiritual body.
2. His spiritual body is a community of believers, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people that confess Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour.
3. Each member of the body contributes his or her own gifts and functions.
4. Each member obeys Jesus Christ the Head.
5. Each member follows His teachings in Scripture.
6. Each member accepts His leading through His Spirit of truth.

Yes.

Cool! We are on the same frequency at least. That is a good sign.

I'm trying to visualize how this works. It appears that we have the following objects or "things". Would you agree?

Objects:

1. Christ
2. Earth
3. Community of Believers (Christ's spiritual body)
4. Member (smallest atomic unit that makes up the Community of Believers)
5. Scriptures
6. Spirit of truth

Can't see anything missing. (I just realized how silly that sounds!)

Ok. Now that we agree on what "objects" are involved in your definition of the Body of Christ, I would like to turn our attention to how the various "objects" relate to each other.

Would it be correct to say that?

1. Christ works to accomplish His will on earth through His community of believers.
2. Each member of the community of believers
   1. confesses Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour.
   2. obeys Jesus Christ the Head.
   3. follows His teachings in Scripture.
   4. accepts His leading through His Spirit of truth

One more
5. Is individually gifted to play a role within the body.

Oh. Yes. I didn't mean to overlook that one.

1. Christ works to accomplish His will on earth through His community of believers.
2. Each member of the community of believers
   1. confesses Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour.
   2. obeys Jesus Christ the Head.
   3. follows His teachings in Scripture.
   4. accepts His leading through His Spirit of truth
   5. is individually gifted to play a role within the body.

Looks fine to me.

1. Christ works to accomplish His will on earth through His community of believers.
2. Each member of the community of believers
   1. confesses Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour.
   2. obeys Jesus Christ the Head.
   3. follows His teachings in Scripture.
   4. accepts His leading through His Spirit of truth
   5. is individually gifted to play a role within the body.

1. Christ working through the Holy Spirit to lead each member.
2. We have the members responding to Christ's leading.

Eph. 4:8 (KJV) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. {captivity...: or, a multitude of captives}
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) {fill: or, fulfil}
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: {in: or, into} {stature: or, age}

Don't know how you want to put this.

Not sure why this needs to be part of the definition. Was the Church of Rome one body of Christ, while the Church of Ephesus was another?

Individual churches are not separate bodies of Christ. They are part of one.

• Christ (via the Holy Spirit)
• Churches (groups of individuals)
• Individual people

1. How an individual relates to God (which is covered pretty well in the existing description)
   1. confesses Him as Creator, Lord, and Saviour.
   2. obeys Jesus Christ the Head.
   3. follows His teachings in Scripture.
   4. accepts His leading through His Spirit of truth
   5. ?
2. How an individual relates to the group they are a part of
   1. is individually gifted to play a role within the body.
   2. ?
   3. ?
   4. ?
   5. ?
3. How individuals relate to each other within the group
   1. ?
   2. ?
   3. ?
   4. ?
   5. ?
4. 
   How a group relates to God
   1. ?
   2. ?
   3. ?
   4. ?
   5. ?
5. How groups relate to each other
   1. ?
   2. ?
   3. ?
   4. ?
   5. ?

(I put in question marks because the GUI editor tries to collapse the outline.)

I am trying very hard not to influence your thinking because what I am after is "your verbalization of the Adventist perspective" from the viewpoint of an Adventist Pastor.


Gilbert

Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

14 I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,

15 so no one can say that you were baptized into my name.

16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

.... 8 Churches ....

Warrensville Methodist Church
184 Church St, Warrensville (336) 384-2317
0.1 mile

Warrensville Baptist Church
130 Church St, Warrensville (336) 384-2840
0.2 miles

Clifton Baptist Church
972 Carl Eastridge Rd, Warrensville (336) 385-2074
4.1 miles

Full Gospel Church of God
1960 W Mill Creek Rd, Warrensville (336) 385-1663
3.4 miles

Warrensville Baptist Church
5154 NC Hwy 88, Lansing, NC - (336) 384-2518
0.3 miles

MT Jefferson Church of the Nazarene Psge
2657 Teaberry Rd, Warrensville, NC - (336) 384-3097
4.0 miles

Woodruff Primitive Baptist Church
1521 Elliott Rd, West Jefferson, NC - (336) 384-2185

Phoenix Baptist Church
7910 Nc Highway 194 N, Lansing, NC - (336) 384-2185
2.5 miles

Smethport United Methodist Church
200 Smethport Dr, West Jefferson, NC - (336) 846-1050
3.7 miles

They're all part of Christ's Church. We count them as brothers and sisters in Christ and cooperate with them in community ministries, participating with them in holy week speaking appointments, and fifth Sunday sings. We know them and speak to them. We invite them regularly to share the Sabbath with us.

Do they have a full understanding of Eph. 2:8-10? (Saved by grace, created unto good works.) Most have only a partial one, and our Methodist ministers regularly chortle about the Baptist's emphasis on getting people saved and absence of teaching on sanctification. They're usually pretty good natured about it.

In apostolic times the early Christians would have met in "home churches". When the Apostle Paul would write to the Church at Ephesus, he was writing to all the early Christians in Ephesus that were meeting in the various "home churches". Wouldn't you agree? Today "home churches" are replaced with the more sophisticated "church congregations".

Let's suppose that the Apostle Paul is living today and he is writing a letter to the "Church at Warrensville". He would expect that his letter would be circulated throughout each of the "church congregations" that represent the "Church at Warrensville".

Based on what you told me earlier it sounds like these are the various "church congregations" that our modern-day Paul would have in mind when he writes his letter of instruction and encouragement to the "Church at Warrensville". Would you agree?

I have listed them in alphabetical order.

• Clifton Baptist Church
• Full Gospel Church of God
• MT Jefferson Church of the Nazarene Psge
• Phoenix Baptist Church
• Smethport United Methodist Church
• Warrensville Baptist Church
• Warrensville Methodist Church
• Warrensville Seventh-day Adventist Church
• Woodruff Primitive Baptist Church