Mission Preaching in the Established Church (2): The Biblical Perspective of the Local Congregation

Having set forth different views of the congregation and the problems associated with them, we now turn to the correct view, which is called the "organic" view of the church. This term was coined by Herman Hoeksema, especially in his book Believers and Their Seed. Let's allow him to speak for himself as we quote a short segment from this work. We begin on page 114. God's people in this world are pictured to us in nature as a plant, of which some of the branches bear fruit and others do not....