Intro. to Church Series for X

Mark introduces a short teaching series on the local church, arguing many churches don’t follow the New Testament pattern. He points to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that believers become “perfectly one,” saying division has damaged the church’s witness for nearly 2,000 years. He describes the local church as a key outpost of God’s kingdom, warns of increasing spiritual warfare and persecution, and predicts many churches may close, pushing a remnant into smaller gatherings that recover early-church life and unity.