What is a Local Church?

 The vision of the Center for Church Multiplication is healthy, multiplying, and sustainable churches in every context on earth. But, how do we define a local church?

We think the following definition, adopted by over a hundred organizations and networks in the Global Alliance for Church Multiplication, is helpful:

 A healthy, multiplying local church is a sustainable body of believers and followers of Jesus Christ with recognized spiritual leadership who regularly gather for worship, prayer, fellowship, instruction, communion, and baptism. These churches fulfill the Great Commandment by loving God and their neighbors and fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations.

The churches described in the New Testament were diverse in their size, make-up, and meeting location. From small groups of believers meeting in secret, household gatherings (Acts 16), to established multi-ethnic gatherings (Acts 13, 14, 17), to thousands of Christians gathering together in one place (Acts 2:41-47), no one church looked the same.