2020-09-02 Describing Church from Scripture

Read Acts 14:21-28. Discuss Pauline cycle.

Read Acts 2:37-47. Discuss what the aspects of a church are.

The following passages each say something that describes church:

Covenant / Family / Commitment

• Hebrews 10#10:19-25 :: Draw near with faith, hold fast our confession, encourage one another to love and do good, meet regularly together.
• 1 Corinthians 1#1:10-17 :: Community, unity in Christ, harmony among households
• Acts 4#4:32-35 :: everything in common, distribution among the needy

Baptism

• Romans 6#6:1-11 :: Baptism
• Acts 8#8:35-38 :: Baptism, in the context of a god-fearer accepting the Messiah
• 1 Peter 3#3:21 :: baptism corresponds to flood narrative

Word of God

• 2 Peter 1#1:16-21 and 2 Timothy 3#3:16-18 :: The Bible is the foundation of our faith and practice. Private experience is secondary and subject to the Bible.
• 1 Timothy 4#4:13 :: Services to include reading the Bible, exhorting, teaching.
• Colossians 3#3:16 :: teaching, admonishing, singing (psalms, hymns, spiritual songs), thankfulness

Lord's Supper/Communion

• Matthew 26#26:26-29, 1 Corinthians 11#11:23-34 :: Pattern and principles for Communion

Fellowship / Family

• Acts 2#2:38-47 :: Evangelize, Repent, believe, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, study Bible, spend time together, eat together (Communion), prayer. Hold all things in common, give to the needy, daily meet in public and in homes with joy, praising God.
• Colossians 3 and Galatians 3#3:23 :: new life in Christ and body composition, faith instead of law

Giving & Ministry

• 1 Corinthians 16#16:1-4 :: Giving to other churches, save money each week so that you are ready to give.

Prayer

• James 5#5:13-16 :: Suffering, prayer, praise, sickness, confessing sin
• 1 John 1#1:9 ::

Praise

• Ephesians 5#5:18-20 :: be filled with the spirit, speak to one another with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, giving thanks
• 1 Corinthians 14#14:26-40, Colossians 3#3:16 :: Orderly and participatory worship service, including: hymns, lessons, revelations, tongues and their interpretation all for mutual edification. Prophecies are to be weighed by others. Women at church and home

Evangelism & Discipleship

• Acts 13#13:1-3 and 1 Peter 2#2:9-10 :: Missions
• Matthew 28#28:18-20 :: Make disciples of all peoples, baptize, teach the Bible, by power of Holy Spirit

Leaders

• Acts 14#14:21-23 & 1 Timothy 3#3:1-13 :: Standards for elders and deacons.
• Ephesians 4#4:11-16 :: saints do ministry

Related to 2018-Institutional vs Micro Church and 2018 Basic Church and 2020 Church Thoughts, see References only in Google Doc for printing