Readable Notes
Why Church?
11/13/2022 - Why Church? #1: What is a New Testament church? Is church attendance really necessary in an age of social media? Shows the importance of being a responsible and functioning member of a local church. What are valid activities of a church, as seen from scripture? This study starts with just three: regular meetings, recognized leadership, and the reading, preaching, and teaching of the Word. Others will be covered in subsequent teachings.
11/20/2022 - Why Church? #2: Another scriptural activity of the church is discipleship training. This is not only to bring new Christians "up to speed", but also that older Christians would continue to grow in Christ, and not just hit a spiritual plateau. This training is largely doctrinal, but can also be practical, inspirational, and social.
11/27/2022 - Why Church? #3: Other activities of the church from scripture - worship, prayer, and support for evangelism. Evangelism is an important function in the church, but it is not the reason for our regular meetings. Churches minister to the needs of those who are already believers, and is hopefully preparing them to go out and evangelize in their personal environments. This lesson also shows what the evangelical message of the NT was, and should still be,
Audible Lessons
12/18/2022 - Why Church? #4: A lesson on the Greek word "koinonia", as fellowship, as communion, and as financial relief for poor saints. Also a study on the church ordinances - water baptism, the communion of the bread and the cup, and foot washing.
12/25/2022 - Why Church? #5: A lesson on "body ministry", meaning the proper functioning of every member of the church, in the calling and gifts God has given to every individual member. Also a discussion of the necessity of the discipline of erring church members, and the different levels of discipline.
1/8/2023 - Why Church? #6: A lesson on the purposes of the church - toward us as individuals and toward one another, toward other Christians (outside our own local church), toward unbelievers and society in general, and finally the purpose of the church toward God.
1/29/2023 - Why Church? #7 - What About THIS Church?: An open discussion of how we as a single church in New Santa Fe, IN line up with the activities and purposes of the NT church as seen in the previous 6 lessons. Looking at what may be our unique purpose for being here, as a small country church. What makes us (or any of the other "country churches everywhere) distinct from the typical large churches? Considers our need of effective personal evangelism as the real way to perpetuate this church from generation to generation. What should we see as "success" as individuals and as a church? What are our personal goals and purposes, as individual members of the church?