10 Bible Verses About the Church

Derived from the Hebrew verb kahal (meaning to convoke) and the Greek ekklêsia (assembly), the Church refers to the community of baptized believers whose faith rests on the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. Following Jesus, the apostles, and their successors, the Catholic Church is mandated to continue His mission of evangelization.

Discover with Hozana 10 Bible passages and verses about the Church, also associated with the assembly, community, and people.

10 Bible Teachings About the Church

"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18)

"If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15–17)

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42–47)

"Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)

"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." (Romans 12:4–5)

"And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:28)

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. [...] God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." (Ephesians 1:17–23)

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 3:10)

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy." (Colossians 1:17–18)

"On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: ‘Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’" (Revelation 1:10–11)

With Hozana, Let Us Grow in Love for the Church

Hozana helps you grow in love for the Church daily:

• Through God’s Word, which you can meditate on daily

• Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation

• Through the lives of the Saints

FAQ: The Church in the Bible

Which verse speaks about the importance of the Church?

Jesus said to Peter, whom He entrusted to build His Church:
"And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." (Matthew 16:18)

What is the Church according to the Bible?

The Church—the community of all Christians—is compared to a body in the Bible, with Christ as its head. Paul explains this in his first letter to the Corinthians:
"Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:12–13)

Why should we go to church, according to the Bible?

Here are key biblical reasons to gather as the Church:

1. Christ’s presence: "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20)

2. Teaching and worship: "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit." (Colossians 3:16)

3. Encouragement and perseverance: "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24–25)

4. The Eucharist: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’" (Luke 22:19)