7. What is the difference between the visible and invisible church?

It was Jesus’ purpose to create a visible community, a fellowship of men and women of which He is the Leader. He chose His disciples to gather a remnant group to Himself that He could train for service. The visible church keeps God’s Ten Commandments through faith in Him, they preach to the poor and heal the brokenhearted, as well as prepare others for Jesus’ coming (Luke 4:18, 19). Members of the visible church must remember that Christ is their Leader, and that even though the organized church is the body of Christ, it is composed of imperfect, erring men and women who may sometimes disappoint them. JTL23 9.1

The invisible church, also called the church universal, is composed of all God’s people throughout the world, and identified only by God Himself. It includes the believers within the visible church, and many who, though they do not belong to a church organization, have followed all the light Christ has given them (John 1:9). These precious worshippers of Christ Jesus will be called out of “Babylon,” or doctrinal confusion, to be a part of God’s visible church before His coming (Revelation 18:1-4). Because of the spiritual gifts given to the visible church (Ephesians 4:4-16), these “called out” worshippers can then fully experience God’s truth, love and fellowship. JTL23 9.2