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How To Find The Lord’s Church

How To Find The Lord’s Church. Past: how to choose a church??. Location – close enough? Size – large enough? Friends – social enough? Children – play enough? Building – lavish enough? Respectability – who goes there?. Present: why choose a church?. Who needs it?

carlos-armstrong
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How To Find The Lord’s Church

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  1. How To Find The Lord’s Church

  2. Past:how to choose a church?? Location – close enough? Size – large enough? Friends – social enough? Children – play enough? Building – lavish enough? Respectability – who goes there?

  3. Present:why choose a church? • Who needs it? • Rv.2-3, not one reference to ... • Area of town • Size • Friends • Children • Building…

  4. Christians were not left alone Ac.2 – Rv.2-3 Ac.9:31 Met with other Christians in local churches. Hb.10:24-25 Rv.2-3, separate congregations

  5. I. Terms That Describe It

  6. Ro.16:16; 1 Co.1:2; Ga.1:2; 1 Th.1:1… A congregation could describe itselfwith any Scriptural term • These are not proper names • These are not denominations (congre-gations bound together into manmade organizations) • 1 Co.1:10; 4:17

  7. No denominational nameswere ever used in NT Denominational names are divisive Baptist: emphasizes baptism; disting-uishesit from other denominations Presbyterian: church government... Methodist: methods of work/worship... Pentecostal: spiritual gifts...

  8. I. Terms That Describe it II. Where It Originated

  9. Jerusalem (Isa.2:1-3) Contrast denominations 1. Baptist: Holland 2. Presbyterian: Scotland 3. Methodist: England 4. Pentecostal: U.S. • Lk.24:46-47 → Acts 2

  10. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age

  11. Acts 2…5…11 – church of Lord existed Denominational birthdatesare too late to be NT church 1. Baptist: 1609 2. Presbyterian: 1560 3. Methodist: 1729 4. Pentecostal: 1918

  12. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder

  13. Mt.16:18; Ac.20:28 • We refuse money with wrong picture . . . • Denominations claim different founders • Baptist: John Smyth • Presbyterian: John Knox • Methodist: John Wesley • Pentecostal: Bresee; Spurling, et al.

  14. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder V. Its Law

  15. 2 Tim.3:16-17; Ja.1:25 Gal.1:6-9, anathema Denominations follow different laws Baptist: Bible + creed → Baptists Presbyterian: Same → Presbyterians Methodist: Same → Methodists Pentecostal: Same → Pentecostals

  16. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder V. Its Law VI. Its Entrance Requirements

  17. Acts 2:37-47 Denominations follow different plans • 1. Baptist: repent, believe, vote, baptism • 2. Presbyterian: sprinkle infants; teach • 3. Methodist: Same as Presbyterians • 4. Pentecostal: Some same as Baptists; others require H.S. baptism Added when saved (cf. 5:…11)

  18. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder V. Its Law VI. Its Entrance Requirements VII. Its Structure

  19. Acts 20:28; Ph.1:1; 1 Pt.5:2-3 Denomination: organization larger than local church, smaller than church universal • Independent / Autonomous • Church must exist before it selects elders, Ac.14:23 • Baptist: convention; President… • Presbyterian: different elders; hierarchy • Methodist: presiding elders; circuits • Pentecostal: preacher oversight…

  20. Denominational Practices: based on creeds “It is most likely that in the Apostolic age when there was but ‘one Lord, one faith, and one baptism,’ and no differing denom-inations existed, the baptism of a convert by that very act constituted him a member of the church, and at once endowed him with all the rights and privileges of full membership. In that sense, ‘baptismwas the door into the church.’ Now, it is different...”– Hiscox, Manual for Baptist Churches, p. 22

  21. I. Terms That Describe It II. Where It Originated III. Its Age IV. Its Founder V. Its Law VI. Its Entrance Requirements VII. Its Structure VIII. Its Worship

  22. Acts 2:42; Ep.5:19; Ac.20:7; 1 Co.16:1-2 Denominations promotedifferent acts of worship Baptist: National anthem; organs; sporadic Lord’s supper; fundraisers, etc. Presbyterian: Organs; social gospel, etc. Methodist: Same. Political forums… Pentecostal: Mechanical music; H.S. baptism; ignore 1 Co.14 rules

  23. Earmarks No matter how much another hog looks like yours, it is notyours unless the earmarks match Police manhunt: 6’6” John Smith… Imagine Peter, the Roman Catholic Imagine Paul, the Methodist?

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