Preface
Many of us have grown up in the church. Within our modern context, this can mean almost anything – from receiving a pep-talk once a week so that we feel good about ourselves as we face the trials of life, to a fire-and-brimstone declaration of our lot as sinners (although this has virtually disappeared). What we think of “church” will be shaped by our experiences whether we have attended it regularly, sporadically, rarely, or not at all.
It was during one of our weekly gatherings (we meet in our home) that I was challenged to do a study of the church, with the suggestion that I base my study on the book, New Testament Church Principles. However, as I began to read, I saw that to base a study on this book would be simply to build on another man’s research or to develop an in-depth book review. With that settled, I began to consider what Jesus meant when He said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). What exactly is Jesus building?
Church has come to mean different things to different people, but, in all of our activities, we must be careful to remain Biblical. When was the last time anyone considered, in the light of Scripture, what they were doing in church? Have we become like the proverbial hamster on a treadmill, expending a lot of energy but seeing no spiritual results? Are we so absorbed by the programs and practices of our particular church that we no longer stop to think about what we are doing, or why we are doing it? Have we ever found ourselves saying, “Since the pastor says (or does) this, then it must be okay”? Do we ever evaluate what we hear according to the Bible?
A friend recently said that he finds himself to be a fixer-upper of Biblical teaching – someone he might hold in high esteem has said or written something, and he will tweak it just a little to make it better fit his understanding of the Scriptures. This is a very appropriate description of much of what takes place within churches today – the foundation for activities is no longer the Word of God but our traditions; the teachings of Scripture are continually being tweaked to fit our tolerance of what is acceptable. Our minds have been shifted into neutral, the Bible has been shelved, and we go forward, content in the confidence that those who have gone before us have done their homework. Guess what! That is ill-founded confidence. What Christians desperately need today is a fresh dose of love for God’s truth; it should be there if the Spirit of God is truly abiding within, but our sanctified carnality often excludes the Holy Spirit. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates [not standing the test, not approved]?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).1
If we are called to examine and test ourselves to ensure that we are in the faith of Jesus Christ, should it not also be important to carefully scrutinize what we are doing to ensure that it is in keeping with Christ’s commands? What follows is a brief examination of what our Lord called His ekklesia (which translators have dubbed the “church”). Are you prepared to test the church of western thinking against the ekklesia that Jesus said He would build?
___________________________
1 Strong’s Concordance, Online Bible Edition.
Many of us have grown up in the church. Within our modern context, this can mean almost anything – from receiving a pep-talk once a week so that we feel good about ourselves as we face the trials of life, to a fire-and-brimstone declaration of our lot as sinners (although this has virtually disappeared). What we think of “church” will be shaped by our experiences whether we have attended it regularly, sporadically, rarely, or not at all.
It was during one of our weekly gatherings (we meet in our home) that I was challenged to do a study of the church, with the suggestion that I base my study on the book, New Testament Church Principles. However, as I began to read, I saw that to base a study on this book would be simply to build on another man’s research or to develop an in-depth book review. With that settled, I began to consider what Jesus meant when He said, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). What exactly is Jesus building?
Church has come to mean different things to different people, but, in all of our activities, we must be careful to remain Biblical. When was the last time anyone considered, in the light of Scripture, what they were doing in church? Have we become like the proverbial hamster on a treadmill, expending a lot of energy but seeing no spiritual results? Are we so absorbed by the programs and practices of our particular church that we no longer stop to think about what we are doing, or why we are doing it? Have we ever found ourselves saying, “Since the pastor says (or does) this, then it must be okay”? Do we ever evaluate what we hear according to the Bible?
A friend recently said that he finds himself to be a fixer-upper of Biblical teaching – someone he might hold in high esteem has said or written something, and he will tweak it just a little to make it better fit his understanding of the Scriptures. This is a very appropriate description of much of what takes place within churches today – the foundation for activities is no longer the Word of God but our traditions; the teachings of Scripture are continually being tweaked to fit our tolerance of what is acceptable. Our minds have been shifted into neutral, the Bible has been shelved, and we go forward, content in the confidence that those who have gone before us have done their homework. Guess what! That is ill-founded confidence. What Christians desperately need today is a fresh dose of love for God’s truth; it should be there if the Spirit of God is truly abiding within, but our sanctified carnality often excludes the Holy Spirit. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates [not standing the test, not approved]?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).1
If we are called to examine and test ourselves to ensure that we are in the faith of Jesus Christ, should it not also be important to carefully scrutinize what we are doing to ensure that it is in keeping with Christ’s commands? What follows is a brief examination of what our Lord called His ekklesia (which translators have dubbed the “church”). Are you prepared to test the church of western thinking against the ekklesia that Jesus said He would build?
___________________________
1 Strong’s Concordance, Online Bible Edition.
Outline
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Kingdom of God/Heaven
Chapter 2 – The Old and New Testaments and Christ’s Ekklesia
A. Replacement Theology
B. “Church Age” Theology
Chapter 3 – How Should We Then Live?
Chapter 4 – The Ekklesia – a Building
A. Christ, the Pattern
B. Christ, Drawing All Together
Chapter 5 – The Ekklesia – the Body
A. Gifts Given
B. Purpose of Gifts
Chapter 6 – The Ekklesia and Marriage
Chapter 7 – The Ekklesia – Christ’s Purpose
A. The Great Commission
B. Growth
C. Church Membership
Chapter 8 – Government
A. Elders or Bishops
B. Deacons
C. An Example
D. Democracy/Congregational Government
Chapter 9 – The Ekklesia – Ordinances
A. Baptism
B. Lord’s Supper
Chapter 10 – Summary
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Kingdom of God/Heaven
Chapter 2 – The Old and New Testaments and Christ’s Ekklesia
A. Replacement Theology
B. “Church Age” Theology
Chapter 3 – How Should We Then Live?
Chapter 4 – The Ekklesia – a Building
A. Christ, the Pattern
B. Christ, Drawing All Together
Chapter 5 – The Ekklesia – the Body
A. Gifts Given
B. Purpose of Gifts
Chapter 6 – The Ekklesia and Marriage
Chapter 7 – The Ekklesia – Christ’s Purpose
A. The Great Commission
B. Growth
C. Church Membership
Chapter 8 – Government
A. Elders or Bishops
B. Deacons
C. An Example
D. Democracy/Congregational Government
Chapter 9 – The Ekklesia – Ordinances
A. Baptism
B. Lord’s Supper
Chapter 10 – Summary
