"But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." {1st Timothy 3:15}

1st Timothy 3 has much instruction about how church leaders are to conduct their lives. The Apostle Paul summarizes these instructions by saying: "...that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God..."

The "house of God" is a reference to the family of God. Remember the Philippian jailer? He fell before Paul and Silas and cried out, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Their response: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." They were prophesying that if that jailer would get saved, his whole family (his house) would ultimately believe on Christ as well.

1st Timothy 3:15 continues by referencing "the house of God, which is the church of the living God..." This is specifically referring to the local church, where the house of God (that is, the family of God) in a given locality meets to learn about Jesus Christ, sing about Christ, praise Christ, serve Christ, fellowship around the things of Christ, encourage one another to stand for Christ, and worship Christ.

This chapter begins with a discussion of local church bishops (pastors), continues by considering local church deacons, and concludes by speaking of "the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." The logical thought process confirms that it is the local church -- like the one led by Pastor Timothy -- is in God's sight the pillar and ground of the truth for the world today.

It's time for Baptists to divorce themselves from any infatuation with some mystical (and mythical) "universal church", and begin to appreciate the local church which is the place were God's family in a given locale meets to tap the rich deposits of God's truth buried in God's Word.