What is the universal church, and how is it different from the local church?

from the old testament

• The universal church and local church is not recorded in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• The word in the Bible most often translated as "church" is the Greek ekklesia, which means any gathering of people. When Jesus said, "…on this rock I will build my church…" (Matthew 16:18), He was saying He would build His gathering of people.
• When a church is identified with a city or a region, the word refers to local bodies of believers within that region (see Acts 8:1).
• When Paul persecuted the "church,” (Acts 8:3) he persecuted believers wherever he could find them, so in this context the word refers to the universal church.
• Whenever a church is mentioned in affiliation with someone's home, it refers to a local congregation. (Romans 16:5).
• When Paul gives instruction to "the church” (1 Corinthians 5:12) he is often referring to the body of believers as a whole.
• In reference to Jesus' church (Colossians 1:18), this includes all believers everywhere.
• Often, "church" refers to a local congregation of believers. For example, in Revelation 2—3, in the letters to the churches, the comments are addressed to specific churches in identified towns.

implications for today

The Greek word ekklesia is used interchangeably in reference to both local congregations and the body of believers as a whole. The difference is found in the context.

When people say “church” they often refer to a specific body that meets in a designated place and can be composed of believers and regularly attending non-believers. Our duties to the local church include regular attendance, respect for the leadership, and financial support. It is important for a believer to attend a local church because that is where biblical teaching, serving, and spiritual growth most often occur. The local church is also known as the "church family."

There are also people who use “the church” in a general context, referring to the universal church—which includes every believer in the world, no matter what denomination, and excludes every non-believer even if they go to a Bible-teaching church. Our responsibilities to the universal church include prayer, support, and not causing division because of minor theological differences. It's important to note that the church universal may include individuals who go to local congregations that do not teach the true gospel.

The "church," whether local or universal, is a group of people seeking God. At no time in the Bible does "church" refer to a building. Despite the money, time, and attention we pay to structures, the true church is God’s people.

It is a gift to be a part of God’s church, both local and global. We belong together as God’s people, made up of every tongue, tribe, nation, and generation. And we get to grow together in a local church where we use our gifts, serve and love one another, and build each other up. As we live faithfully in community as part of a local church, we live out the truth that the church is not a place we go but a people we are.