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Chapter 4: The Particular Church

Part I — Form of Government

Sections 5.1–5.5

4-1

Section 5.1

4-1. A particular church consists of a number of professing Christians, with
their children, associated together for divine worship and godly living,
agreeable to the Scriptures, and submitting to the lawful government of
Christ's kingdom.

4-2

Section 5.2

4-2. Its officers are its teaching and ruling elders and its deacons.

4-3

Section 5.3

4-3. Its jurisdiction, being a joint power, is lodged in the church Session,
which consists of its pastor, pastors, its associate pastor(s) and its ruling elders.

4-4

Section 5.4

4-4. The ordinances established by Christ, the Head, in His Church are
prayer; singing praises; reading, expounding and preaching the Word of God;
administering the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper; public solemn
fasting and thanksgiving; catechizing; making offerings for the relief of the
poor and for other pious uses; and exercising discipline; the taking of solemn
vows, and the ordination to sacred office.

4-5

Section 5.5

4-5. Churches without teaching elders ought not to forsake the assembling
of themselves together, but should be convened by the Session on the Lord's
Day, and at other suitable times, for prayer, praise, the presenting and
expounding of the Holy Scriptures, and exhortation, or the reading of a sermon
of some approved minister. In like manner, Christians whose lot is cast in
destitute regions ought to meet regularly for the worship of God.