CHURCH LIFE CLASSS
RELATIONSHIPS AND THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
PREFACE: The picture we have from Scripture of the New Testament Church shows us that “Church”
was a relational way of life. Church wasn’t just a meeting, or a building, but the people of
God walking out their common life together in Christ. Church, like salvation, was truly a way
of life.
I. EIGHT MODELS WE SEE IN THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH SCENE
A. The Lecture Hall- A place where believers go to hear the Bible expounded. Some go so far as
to name their church organization “The Teaching Center.”
B. The Theater - A place where faithful gather to witness the drama of the sacrament and other traditions enacted before them.
C. The Corporation Church - A place where an efficient and highly program-oriented organization
a full-time pastoral team involved in retailing religion to the masses.
D. The Country Club Church - A place where people join to have certain needs met, just as one might
join any other organization to have other needs met.
E. The Mystical Any Meeting Church - Any meeting where the faithful of the Mystical Body Of Christ may gather. In this type of gathering no organization, leadership, or practical commitment is necessary because we are all “one in the Spirit.”
The Event/Revival Center Church – The Church is centered around getting people to come to
events or meetings. Success is measured in the number of people gathered in buildings.
G. The Personality Church – The Church is centered around a Charismatic leader with great gifts
and ability. As a one man leader, if he falls or leaves the church will scatter due to it being built
around one person.
H. The Issue Church – The Church is built on issues. The issue is the thing that draws and keeps the
church together. As long as the issue is to the forefront the people have a common rally point. Issues
can be anything from Politics, Home Schooling, Abortion, etc.
I. In light of these various ideas present when it comes to Church we need to look at the picture of what the Church looked like in the New Testament and build after that pattern.
II. THE EXPERIENCE OF THE EARLY CHURCH
This was the Church that “turned the world upside down”. Acts 17:6. They made a great impact in the
earth. This is in great contrast to society’s view of the Church today as boring, irrelevant, impersonal,
and full of hypocrites.
Quote from “Restoration In The Church”
A. The Church of Pentecost.
Acts 2:36-47; 4:31-33; 5:42
Authentic Christianity “Coming under the loving Lordship of Jesus, and being joined to a company
of imperfect people who are learning to live a new life in a new way.”
B. One of the hallmarks was that they were devoted to fellowship. Acts 2:42.
Fellowship - Gk Koinonia - a having in common, partnership, a shared life, or a common life. It is
where we get our word “community”.
Fellowship/community was their __________.
Their view of Church was not a building, a meeting, or an organization. They saw it as a joined
together group of people (people in relationship with God and each other) relating and working
together on a regular basis to extend the Kingdom of God.
A “Sunday Morning Christian” was no more in their way of thinking than a “Sunday Morning Church”. They were radically devoted to God and to one another.
Biblical Fellowship was more than a two or three times a week meeting for five minutes of “fellowship.” It was a lifestyle in which they shared a common life together.
B. Examples of the life of fellowship in the Early Church’s experience.
1. They prayed, broke bread, and received teaching together. Acts 2:43
2. They were together and held things in common. Acts 2:44
3. They shared material possessions as any had need. Acts 2:45, 4:32
4. They walked together living their lives on a daily basis. Acts 2:46
5. They ate meals together in their homes. Acts 2:46
6. They praised God together. Acts 2:47, 4:24
7. They met in the Temple and from house to house. Acts 2:46
8. They were united in purpose, one heart one soul. Acts 4:32 (They had a common destiny in
God together).
9. There wasn’t a needy one among them due to their benevolence. Acts 4:32
III. RELATIONSHIPS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
A. The New Testament was written to Local Churches (groups of believers in geographic areas who were joined together in relationships) and it is only in the context of Local Churches that it can be understood.
Billy Graham in book “Approaching Hoof beats” - “He (the apostle John, in Revelation) wrote to
individual Churches, small clusters of believers, leaders and followers together. At the heart of
these letters is God’s assumption that we belong together at work, and at worship in a Local
Church. I am convinced that the cluster of believers of which you are a part, those brothers and
sisters in Christ with whom you join to pray, study, give, and witness, is the basic unit through
which God is working to redeem the world.”
B. The New Testament gives us very clear guidelines on how we are to walk in relationships
together as a Local Church.
1. Be devoted to and prefer one another. Rom 2:10
2. Be of the same mind and live in harmony. Rom 12:16
3. Love one another. Rom 13:8
4. Don’t judge one another. Rom 14:13
5. Pursue harmony and build up one another. Rom 14:19
6. Be like-minded and sympathetic to one another. Rom 15:5
7. Accept one another, like Christ accepted you. Rom 15:7
8. Admonish, council or instruct one another. Rom 15:14
9. Care for one another. 1Cor 12:25
10. Serve one another. Gal 5:13
11. Bear each other’s burdens. Col 6:2
12. Bear with each other. Eph 4:2, Col 3:12
13. Be kind and helpful to one another, and forgive each other. Eph 4:32
14. Be accountable to one another. Eph 5:21
15. Be honest, don’t lie to one another. Col 3:9
16. Teach and admonish one another. Col 3:16
17. Increase in love for one another. 1Thes 3:12
18 .Comfort and cheer up one another. 1Thes 4:18
19. Exhort and encourage each other daily. Heb 3:13
20. Stimulate and provoke others to love and good works. Heb 19:24
21. Don’t speak evil about each other. Jas 4:11
22. Don’t complain about each other. Jas 5:9
23. Love one another. 1Pet 1:22; 1Jn 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11; 4:12; 2Jn 5
24. Be hospitable towards one another. 1Pet 4:9
25. Be submitted to and humble towards one another. 1Pet 5:5
It is obvious that in order to walk in these instructions for fellowship it will take more than just a
corporate meeting one or two times a week. It is to be a way of life.
C. At the heart of the purpose of God for Local Churches is the need to walk together in right
relationships.
There is a need for unity among the Local Churches in order to accurately grow and express the
Kingdom of God.
Romans 15:5-7 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; 6 that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. (NASB)
Philippians 2:1-21 If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. (NASB)
Colossians 2:1-2 1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf, and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, (NASB)
1 Corinthians 1:10 10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. (NASB)
Ephesians 3:17-18 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (NASB)