The Church is Jesus's bride — a fascinating subject of study, and angle from which to learn more about our glorious Groom. She is also “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession” (1 Peter 2:9), “the household of God,” and “a pillar and buttress” of his gospel (1 Timothy 3:15).

In this episode of Theology Refresh, Gregg Allison provides a substantive summary about this vital doctrine. Allison is professor of Christian theology at The Southern Baptist Theology Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and an elder at Sojourn Community Church. He is author of a significant book on this topic, Sojourners and Strangers: The Doctrine of the Church (Crossway, 2012). Allison is a top-notch scholar, but has written this book on the church for local-church leaders and pastors, and especially church planters.