Since the closing of the church we were attending a year and a half ago, I have not been enthralled with the idea of
going to church on Sunday mornings. It seemed like
going to church didn't have much to do with
being the church. Each week we rush 3 kids out the door to chase them around. There was little fellowship, little worship and a whole lot of frustration going on. After being out of that church setting, I began to see why church was not appealing to people. I've shared most of this with some of you. What's funny is that most of my friends on some level agree, and have the same frustrations. Not surprising since most of my friends are ministers or are ministering in the church in some way. Church equals work. You can define for yourself what work equals! I was challenged by Sunny in New York and we came to terms with each other's position with mutual respect. I've been challenged again recently by my friend Candice. I suspect we will end up in the same place, but I'm going to post my study. I am soliciting comments and thoughts. Iron sharpens iron. I am currently in Acts, but feel free to throw out Scripture from other books. Try hard to put me in my place. I can take it, trust me.
So I just began listing the characteristics of the first church;
Devoted to the apostles’ teaching (2:42)
Devoted to fellowship (2:42)
Devoted to breaking of bread (2:42,46) – I want to say that this one was also mentioned another time. I feel like it was an important one for them.
Devoted to prayer (2:42)
Had everything in common (2:44) – toughy
Met every day in the temple courts (Solomon’s Colonnade) (2:45) and prayed at 9am, 3pm and sunset (3:1 and study notes)
Praised God
Enjoyed the favor of all the people (2:47) – Luke talks much about how they were all on the same page. He talks about it again in chapter 4.
Some other things I took note of in Chapter 4:
While they met at the temple the Sanhedrin opposed them, imprisoning Peter and John and warning them not to speak to anyone in the name of Jesus (4:2ff)
The Sanhedrin was astonished by Peter and John because they were unschooled, ordinary men. The Message says they were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education, yet they were confident and so sure of themselves (4:13).
No one was needy because they sold possessions to take care of each other and the disciples distributed it according to each person’s need (4:36). Taking my position on church, I thought it was noteworthy that it is specified that the money was given to people and not for a meeting place. I had a friend go to Israel a few years ago and was told by one of her guides that the church really grew when people loved each other and took care of each and quit growing wildly when hierarchy and buildings became the focus. I’m going to have to do some research on that one to see how true it is, but I do have that statement in the back of my mind.
ago Cody asked Scott if he would interview for the youth minister position at his church. Scott was hired and the rest is history. We met them my freshman year of college (don't care to figure out how long ago that was), and they've been more like family than friends since we've been up here. Our kids are more like cousins. We love them and will miss them.