SPC

First Century First Century Christianity In the Christianity In the

Twenty-First Twenty-First CenturyCentury

The Work Of The Church In Edification

The Basis Of Authority

➡ The Need For Authority

➡ Lack Of Authority Is Punishable

➡ Source Of Authority: Heaven or Men?

How To Establish Bible Authority

➡ Direct Commands - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15,16; Col 3:16; Eph 5:19

➡ Approved Apostolic Examples - 1 Cor 11:1; Acts 20:7

➡ Necessary Inferences - Jn 3:2; Mt 21:31,32

The Need For Edification

➡ A proper foundation is necessary - 1 Cor 3:10-15

➡ In order to properly grow spiritually we must teach the gospel - Eph 4:7-16

The Recipients Of Edification

➡ The church, the disciples, are to receive edification - Acts 9:31

➡ Fellowship is a spiritual sharing with one another - 1 Cor 10:16, 20; Rom 15:26

➡ Church cooperation was to help needy saints, not for the purpose of evangelism.

Fellowship Defined

➡ “Fellowship, communion, participation, sharing” (Mounce’s Expository Dictionary)

➡ “Communion, fellowship, sharing in common...partnership...a partaker or partner” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary)

Fellowship Defined

➡ “A sharer, associate, companion, partaker, partner” (Strong’s Concordance)

➡ “A partner, associate, comrade, companion...community, communion, joint participation” (Thayer’s Lexicon)

The Causes Of Edification

➡ The worship is to be organized, orderly and done in decency - 1 Cor 14:40

➡ Instruction from God’s word - 1 Cor 14:1-4

➡ Praying together - 1 Cor 14:13-15

The Causes Of Edification

➡ Singing together - 1 Cor 14:15

➡ Partaking the Lord’s Supper - 1 Cor 10:16,17

➡ Giving of our means - 1 Cor 16:2

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ What The Issue Is NOT:

➡ Can I eat in the church building?

➡ Whether the building is sacred or not.

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ What The Issue IS:

➡ Where is the New Testament authority for the church to plan and provide materially for social activities in its work?

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

““The fact is, that man would like to unite The fact is, that man would like to unite church and stage, cards and prayer, church and stage, cards and prayer, dancing and worship. If we are dancing and worship. If we are powerless to stem this torrent, we can at powerless to stem this torrent, we can at least warn men of its existence, and least warn men of its existence, and entreat them to keep out of it. When the entreat them to keep out of it. When the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the old faith is gone, and enthusiasm for the gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that gospel is extinct, it is no wonder that people seek something else in the way of people seek something else in the way of delight. Lacking bread, they feed on delight. Lacking bread, they feed on ashes; rejecting the way of the Lord, they ashes; rejecting the way of the Lord, they run greedily in the path of folly” run greedily in the path of folly” (Charles (Charles Spurgeon, Another Word Concerning The Downgrade, Spurgeon, Another Word Concerning The Downgrade, Aug. 1887, 398).Aug. 1887, 398).

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

““Many have left looking for the Many have left looking for the experiential aspect of religion…experiential aspect of religion…Baby boomers’ lives are so filled Baby boomers’ lives are so filled with worry about economics and with worry about economics and

relationships that they want a relationships that they want a place where they can flat out place where they can flat out

have some fun” (“have some fun” (“Boomers Demand Boomers Demand Own Spiritual Paths: Prodigal Sons, Daughters Own Spiritual Paths: Prodigal Sons, Daughters Want Changes If and When They Return to the Want Changes If and When They Return to the

Fold,” The Tennessean, 11 April 993, 14 A).Fold,” The Tennessean, 11 April 993, 14 A).

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

““We have a society filled with We have a society filled with people who want what they want people who want what they want when they want it. They are into when they want it. They are into

their own lifestyle, recreation, and their own lifestyle, recreation, and entertainment. They want comfort, entertainment. They want comfort,

happiness, and success. When happiness, and success. When churches appeal to those selfish churches appeal to those selfish desires, they only fuel fires that desires, they only fuel fires that

hinder true godliness.” hinder true godliness.” (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church

Becomes Like The World, pg 85)Becomes Like The World, pg 85)

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

““Now evangelicals everywhere are Now evangelicals everywhere are frantically seeking new techniques frantically seeking new techniques and new forms of entertainment to and new forms of entertainment to

attract people. Whether a method is attract people. Whether a method is biblical or not scarcely seems to biblical or not scarcely seems to

matter to the average church leader matter to the average church leader today. Does it work? That is the test today. Does it work? That is the test

of legitimacy. And so raw of legitimacy. And so raw pragmatism has become the driving pragmatism has become the driving

force in much of the professing force in much of the professing church.” church.”

(Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church Becomes Like The World, pg 71)Becomes Like The World, pg 71)

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

““If you get bored in church, may I If you get bored in church, may I suggest to you that it’s not a suggest to you that it’s not a

commentary on the sermon – it’s a commentary on the sermon – it’s a commentary on your heart! Even if the commentary on your heart! Even if the sermon isn’t particularly worth listening sermon isn’t particularly worth listening to, the chance to pick up some truths to, the chance to pick up some truths about God that come through, should about God that come through, should be the most exhilarating time of your be the most exhilarating time of your

life. If you’re uninterested or indifferent, life. If you’re uninterested or indifferent, it’s not a commentary on the sermon, it’s not a commentary on the sermon,

it’s a commentary on you.” it’s a commentary on you.”

(True Worship, MacArthur’s Bible Studies (True Worship, MacArthur’s Bible Studies Series, Chicago: Moody Press, 1982, pg 89)Series, Chicago: Moody Press, 1982, pg 89)

(Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church Becomes Like The World, pg 71)Becomes Like The World, pg 71)

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

“A number of Baptist bloggers who opposed Floyd linked to articles by the Associated Baptist Press about the church’s children ministry and a ‘fire truck’ baptistery. One article quoting Christianity Today, said, ‘The unique baptistery, created by Disney designer Bruce Barry, is part of a $270,000 high tech project for the church’s children worship area which includes…

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

…video games, a light show, music videos and a bubble machine, according to Christianity Today. When a child is baptized in the fire-truck baptistery, sirens blare and confetti is fired out of cannons. ‘Putting a talking head in front of kids for an hour does not work,’ the children’s minister told the magazine…Floyd told Arkansas Baptist News that creative evangelism was needed to package the gospel ‘in ways the culture can understand and receive’” (Arkansas Times, p.4).

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

“There is a difference between spiritual progress and a religious hurrah, but some people seem not to know it. When a church gets swept up in a ‘religious hurrah’ of church sponsored youth camps, banquets, ball games and institutionalism it would be good to remember Paul’s statements (Gospel Advocate, B.C. Goodpasture, August, 1935).

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

“Again I say to you with caution and thought, that it is not the work of the church to furnish entertainment for the members. I have never read anything in the Bible that indicates to me that such was the work of the church” (Hardeman Tabernacle Sermons, Volume 5, p.50, 1942).

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

"Wow! What a weekend. This

weekend was full of all sorts of activities,

of course we had church this last Wednesday and Sunday, but I'm

talking about the other fun activities."

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ The Church Is Commanded To:

➡ Assemble - Heb 10:24,25

➡ Observe the Lord’s Supper - Acts 20:7

➡ Sing - Eph 5:19

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ The Church Is Commanded To:

➡ Pray - Acts 12:12

➡ Preach - Acts 20:7

➡ Contribute - 1 Cor 16:2

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ The Church Is Commanded To:

➡ Support the preaching of the gospel

➡ Provide for destitute saints - Acts 11:26-30

Fellowship Halls And Kitchens?

➡ The Fellowship Argument

➡ The church can do what the individual can do - 1 Tim 5:8-16; Mt 18:15-17

The Results Of Edification

➡ Edification produces peace - 1 Cor 14:33

➡ Edification produces unity - 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:16

Conclusion

• The work of the church in edifying its members is spiritual in nature. The social gospel is not how we are to edify our members.

• Next Lesson: we will study the work of the church in evangelism