The Church Ephesians ch2 vs 11-22, Acts ch2 vs 38-41
His followers, who were all Jews at first but later included non-Jews, formed a community known as the Church. It’s task is to live according to the values of God’s kingdom in fellowship with the risen Jesus. We believe Jesus is the Messiah foretold in the Jewish scriptures and therefore we believe the church is the ‘New Israel’ - God’s Kingdom people.
We become members of this community by being ‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit into a new relationship with the risen Jesus. In response or in anticipation of this new birth a person outwardly becomes a member of the Church though the ceremony of Baptism.