The New Testament Church

The New Testament Church The Organization of the Church

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Universal, comprehensive sense including all the saved on earth: • “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” {Matthew 16:18} • “But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” {1 Timothy 3:15}

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Universal, comprehensive sense including all the saved on earth: • “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” {Ephesians 1:22,23} • Family of God, Body of Christ, Kingdom of God—all one in the same.

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Universal, comprehensive sense including all the saved on earth: • Whoever does the will of God and obeys the gospel belongs to it. • “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” {Acts 2:47}

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Local Churches, limited sense including God’s people in one community. • “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.”{1 Corinthians 1:2}

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Local Churches, limited sense including God’s people in one community. • “Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.”{Romans 16:16} • “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” {Acts 14:23}

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Local Churches, limited sense including God’s people in one community. • “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”{Acts 5:11} • “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” {Acts 8:1}

Two Uses of the Word “Church” in New Testament • Local Churches, limited sense including God’s people in one community. • “Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers...”{Acts 13:1} • “Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.” {Acts 15:22}

The Organization of the Local Church • An established order • “Set things in order.” • “So when they had appointed elders in every church…” {Acts 14:23} • “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city…” {Titus 1:5}

The Organization of the Local Church • An independent self-governing unit. • Always spoken as separate units. • “And all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia.” {Galatians 1:2} • “And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ.” {Galatians 1:22}

The Organization of the Local Church • Several independent churches in one district. • But no district organization. • “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” {1 Corinthians 14:33} • “Let all things be done decently and in order.” {1 Corinthians 14:40}

The Organization of the Local Church • A plurality of elders in every church • Ordained elders in every church • “So when they had appointed elders in every church...” {Acts 14:23} • “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.” {Acts 20:17}

The Organization of the Local Church • Elders and deacons in every church. • “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” {Philippians 1:1}

The Organization of the Local Church • Members. • Identified with a local church was practice in NT times. • “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function.” {Romans 12:4} • “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” {1 Corinthians 12:27}

The Local Church Only Medium Through Which the Early Church Worked: • New Testament mentions none other. • Every good work done through local organization • “To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.” {Ephesians 3:10}

The Local Church Only Medium Through Which the Early Church Worked: • Missions. • Sent out by the local church. • Reported to local church. • “As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.” {Acts 13:2,3}

The Local Church Only Medium Through Which the Early Church Worked: • Missions. • Reported to local church. • “From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them.” {Acts 14:26,27}

The Local Church Only Medium Through Which the Early Church Worked: • Charity. • Funds for poor saints in Judea were placed in hands of the Judean elders to be administered. • “Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” {Acts 11:29,30}

The Local Church Only Medium Through Which the Early Church Worked: • Various scriptural methods may be used in carrying on the work of the local church. • Other organizations, either within or without, such as Ladies Aid Societies, Young People Societies, were unknown then—therefore unscriptural now. • Nothing larger or smaller than the LOCAL CHURCH!

Cooperation of Local Churches: • Local churches cooperated in doing their work, but such work was always under supervision of local church and eldership. • “But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.” {Romans 15:25,26}

Cooperation of Local Churches: • Local churches cooperated in doing their work, but such work was always under supervision of local church and eldership. • “Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.” {2 Corinthians 8:1,2}

Cooperation of Local Churches: • Local churches cooperated in doing their work, but such work was always under supervision of local church and eldership. • “For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” {2 Corinthians 8:3,4}

Cooperation of Local Churches: • Local churches cooperated in doing their work, but such work was always under supervision of local church and eldership. • “Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea.” {Acts 11:28,29}

Cooperation of Local Churches: • Local churches cooperated in doing their work, but such work was always under supervision of local church and eldership. • “This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” {Acts 11:30}

The New Testament Church