Watchman Nee

During his lifetime, he paid a high price to serve CHRIST. He loved CHRIST’s plan, HIS Church. “He pointed out that the church is constituted of all those who believe in Christ and belong to Christ. On the one hand, this church is universal, and on the other hand, it is local. On the universal side, the church is both God’s house and the Body of Christ in the universe. On the local side, the church is the local manifestation of God’s house and the Body of Christ. These local manifestations are the many local churches, which together form one unique church in the universe.

This church, as God’s house, is also God’s household and God’s habitation, affording God the satisfaction and joy of a Father with His children; it is also God’s dwelling place, affording Him full and satisfying rest. In this way, He can freely express all that He is, has, and can do in this house.

This church, as the Body of Christ, is an organism through which Christ moves and walks among mankind and in which He lives out His all-inclusive self. This Body is also the bride of Christ, the counterpart of Christ; it is out of Christ, unto Christ, and for the satisfaction of Christ’s love. This Body is also a new man created by Christ in Himself, constituted with His life and element for the fulfillment of the eternal plan (economy) of God.

To exist among mankind, this church is scattered throughout the earth as many separate local churches. Each has its elders for administration and its pastors or elders for service. In business affairs, the churches are independent and separate, but in life and nature they remain one universal Body, receiving the same apostles’ teaching, maintaining the one apostles’ fellowship, and bearing the one testimony for Christ to accomplish God’s one plan.

Such a church is outwardly composed of all believers as a holy priesthood called out by God from the world, but inwardly it is the result of the Triune God working Himself into the believers in Christ and growing out of them. Hence, it is a living organism; it is absolutely not a religious organization in society, much less a lifeless material building.

This church is also the kingdom of God today, in which God reigns over everything.”

To read more – https://www.watchmannee.org/major-teachings.html#church