Scriptures on Church Membership

Scriptures on Church Membership

The concept of church membership, while not explicitly defined by a single verse, is illustrated throughout the New Testament through metaphors, commands, and practical examples that collectively describe a committed, interdependent, and accountable community of believers. All scriptures are from the New Living Translation (NLT).

1. The Church as a Unified Body: Membership and Interdependence

This foundational theme emphasizes that believers are intricately connected, forming one spiritual body with Christ as the head. Each member has unique gifts and functions, essential for the health and growth of the whole.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Summary: Describes the human body as having many parts that make up one whole body, and so it is with the body of Christ. Each part is essential, with different functions, emphasizing care for each other, no division, and shared suffering and joy.

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The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Romans 12:4-5

Summary: Reiterates the body metaphor, highlighting that just as our bodies have many parts with special functions, so it is with Christ’s body—we are many parts of one body and belong to each other.

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Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Ephesians 4:11-16

Summary: Gifts are given to equip God’s people for his work, building up the church—the body of Christ—toward unity and maturity. This happens as we speak the truth in love and each part does its own special work.

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Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Colossians 3:15-17

Summary: Calls believers to let the peace from Christ rule in their hearts as members of one body, letting the message about Christ fill their lives through teaching, counseling, and singing, doing everything as representatives of the Lord Jesus.

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And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-4

Summary: Encourages encouragement from belonging to Christ, comfort from his love, fellowship in the Spirit, and tender hearts, urging agreement, love, one mind, humility, and looking out for others' interests.

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Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

2. Leadership, Submission, and Shepherding

Church membership implies a recognition of and submission to local church leadership, who are appointed by God to shepherd, oversee, and give account for the people under their care.

Hebrews 13:17

Summary: Commands believers to obey spiritual leaders who watch over their souls and are accountable to God, allowing them to do this with joy for the congregation's benefit.

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Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

Acts 20:28-30

Summary: Charges elders to guard themselves and God’s people, feeding and shepherding his flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit appointed them as leaders, warning against false teachers like vicious wolves.

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So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

1 Peter 5:1-5

Summary: Appeals to elders to care for the flock entrusted to them willingly and eagerly, not grudgingly or for gain, leading by good example. Younger ones must accept their authority, all dressing in humility toward one another.

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And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Summary: Urges honoring leaders in the Lord’s work who work hard and give spiritual guidance, showing great respect and wholehearted love, living peacefully with each other.

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Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

3. Accountability and Church Discipline

Church membership provides the framework for addressing sin, restoring believers, and maintaining the integrity of the community, distinguishing between insiders and outsiders.

Matthew 18:15-20

Summary: Jesus instructs to go privately to a believer who sins against you, then with witnesses if needed, and finally to the church. If they refuse to listen, treat them as a pagan or corrupt tax collector.

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If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.

1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Summary: Paul instructs to remove a man living in sin from fellowship, like removing yeast to keep the batch pure, judging those inside the church while God judges outsiders.

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I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

Galatians 6:1-2

Summary: Calls godly believers to gently and humbly help another believer overcome by sin back onto the right path, sharing each other’s burdens to obey the law of Christ.

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Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Titus 3:10-11

Summary: Instructs to give a first and second warning to those causing divisions, then have nothing more to do with them, as they have turned away from the truth and their sins condemn them.

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If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them. For people like that have turned away from the truth, and their own sins condemn them.

4. Commitment to Gather Regularly

The ongoing life of the church involves consistent gathering for worship, teaching, community, and participation in the table of Jesus and the celebration of baptisms.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Summary: Exhorts believers to motivate one another to acts of love and good works, not neglecting meeting together but encouraging each other, especially as his return draws near.

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Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Acts 2:41-47

Summary: Describes how those who believed were baptized and added to the church, devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and prayer, with the Lord adding to their fellowship daily.

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Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Summary: Paul addresses harm from divisions when meeting as a church during the Lord’s Supper, emphasizing waiting for each other and proper conduct to avoid judgment.

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But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it. ... So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other. If you are really hungry, eat at home so you won’t bring judgment upon yourselves when you meet together. I’ll give you instructions about the other matters after I arrive.

Matthew 28:18-20

Summary: The Great Commission commands going to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all commands, with Jesus always present.

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Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

5. Mutual Care and Responsibility: The "One Another" Commands

The New Testament is filled with reciprocal commands that demonstrate the practical outworking of belonging to a committed community. These "one another" commands are impossible to truly fulfill without a defined group of believers.

Romans 15:1-7

Summary: Urges the strong to be considerate of the sensitive, helping others and building them up, living in harmony to glorify God, accepting each other as Christ accepted you.

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We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

Acts 4:32-35

Summary: Describes believers united in heart and mind, sharing everything so no one was needy, with apostles testifying powerfully and great blessing upon them.

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All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

James 5:16

Summary: Calls for confessing sins to each other and praying for each other to be healed, noting the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

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Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Additional "One Another" Commands

Implicit in a committed community:

  • John 13:34: "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other."
  • Romans 12:10: "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."
  • Romans 12:16: "Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!"
  • Romans 15:14: "I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them."
  • Romans 16:16: "Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings."
  • Galatians 5:13: "For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love."
  • Ephesians 4:2: "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love."
  • Ephesians 4:32: "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:11: "So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."
  • 1 Peter 4:9: "Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay."

6. Spiritual Gifts and Service

Within the context of a local church, believers are to discover and use their spiritual gifts to serve one another and build up the body, contributing to its overall health and mission.

Romans 12:6-8

Summary: Encourages using different gifts God has given for doing certain things well, such as prophesying with faith, serving well, teaching, encouraging, giving generously, leading seriously, and showing kindness gladly.

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In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

1 Peter 4:10-11

Summary: Urges using gifts from God’s variety of spiritual gifts well to serve one another, speaking as though God speaks through you and helping with strength God supplies, to bring glory to God.

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God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

7. Identification with the Community of Believers & God's Family

Belonging to a local church is an expression of being chosen and adopted into God's family, a holy nation, and a peculiar people, publicly demonstrated through baptism.

Acts 2:41-42

Summary: Highlights those who believed were baptized and added to the church, devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and prayer.

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Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

Ephesians 2:19-22

Summary: Describes believers as no longer strangers but citizens with God’s holy people and members of God’s family, built together on the foundation of apostles and prophets with Christ as cornerstone, becoming a holy temple.

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So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:15

Summary: Refers to the church as the household of God, the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth, guiding conduct therein.

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so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Galatians 6:10

Summary: Encourages doing good to everyone whenever possible, especially to those in the family of faith.

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Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Ephesians 1:4-6

Summary: Declares that before the world, God loved and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault, deciding to adopt us into his family through Jesus, pouring out glorious grace.

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Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

1 Peter 2:9-10

Summary: Describes believers as a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession, called out of darkness into wonderful light to show others his goodness.

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But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

8. Growth, Increase, and Organizational Implications

The New Testament records the numerical growth of the church and implies some level of organization and recognition of its members.

Matthew 16:18

Summary: Jesus declares he will build his church upon this rock, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

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Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Acts 4:4

Summary: Notes many who heard the message believed, with the number of men who believed totaling about 5,000.

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But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

Acts 6:1

Summary: Mentions as believers rapidly multiplied, Greek-speaking believers complained their widows were discriminated against in daily food distribution by Hebrew-speaking believers.

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But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

Acts 6:7

Summary: States God’s message continued to spread, believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many Jewish priests were converted.

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So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Acts 16:5

Summary: Reports churches strengthened in faith and grew larger every day.

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So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

1 Timothy 5:9

Summary: Provides criteria for putting a widow on the list for support, implying a recognized group within the church.

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A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband.

Acts 11:22-26 (Loosely related)

Summary: Barnabas encouraged believers in Antioch to stay true, then brought Saul; they stayed a year teaching the church, where believers were first called Christians.

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When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)

New Testament Books Explicitly Written to Churches

The New Testament contains several books, primarily letters (epistles) and the Book of Revelation, that were explicitly written to or intended for various church communities.

Pauline Epistles Addressed to Churches (9 Books)

These letters were written by the Apostle Paul to specific church communities:

  • Romans
  • 1 Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians
  • Galatians
  • Ephesians
  • Philippians
  • Colossians
  • 1 Thessalonians
  • 2 Thessalonians

Other Books with Explicit or Implied Church Audiences

Beyond the direct Pauline epistles, several other New Testament books were also intended for a broader Christian or church audience:

  • Hebrews: Generally understood to be written to a group of Jewish Christians.
  • General Epistles: (James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude) These letters are addressed to a wider Christian audience, or in some cases (2 & 3 John), to individuals who likely represent churches or individuals within churches.
  • Revelation: This book begins with specific messages addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor.

While the Pauline epistles clearly name their specific church recipients, many of the other epistles are also designed for the instruction and encouragement of various church communities.