HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 58
page A56
Church continued
• 1 T H E S S A L O NI A NS 5 :11 | So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you
are already doing.
Good friends are a wonderful gift, but fellowship at church among other believers is unique
because the living God is in your midst. The church brings people together who have a
common perspective on life. Christian fellowship provides a place of honest sharing about
the things that really matter, encouragement to stay strong in the face of temptation and
persecution, and unique wisdom to deal with problems.
What kinds of things should the church do?
• MAT T H E W 2 8 :1 8 -2 0 | Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in
heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to
obey all the commands I have given you.”
• A C T S 1 3 :2 -3 | One day . . . the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the
special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid
their hands on them and sent them on their way.
Some of the primary jobs of the church are to bring the Good News of salvation to those
who haven’t heard it and help them become believers, baptize them, and teach them
God’s truth.
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• A C T S 2 :4 2 -4 4 | All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to
fellowship, and to sharing in meals. . . . And all the believers met together in one place and
shared everything they had.
Key functions of the church include teaching, fellowship, worship, and prayer.
HelpFinder
• 2 T I MOT H Y 4 :2 | Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or
not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
There is a special and unique role for the church to teach and preach—the public proclamation of God’s Word.
• 1 T I MOT H Y 5 :3 | Take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her.
• J A ME S 5 :1 4 | Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and
pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
The church should pray for its members who are facing adversity and take special care of
widows, orphans, and those in need.
How can we have hope for the church?
• MAT T H E W 1 6 :1 8 | “Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will
not conquer it.”
The church will not be overcome; Jesus promises that he will build his church. The Lord is
using the church as his divine instrument to overcome evil with good.
What if I don’t like the church I’m attending or the people in it?
• R O MA NS 1 2 :9 , 1 6 | Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. . . . Hold tightly
to what is good. . . . Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the
company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
It’s easy to like people who are likable. But you model God’s love when you serve those
who are annoying. You’ll never find a perfect church; you’ll never find a perfect group
of people—even among Christians! So don’t go looking for that. Instead, make sure
you are attending a church that is teaching right doctrine and has a place for you to
serve. Then take joy in reaching out to and loving those God has placed in your circle
of influence.
PROMISE FROM GOD
• MAT T H E W 1 6 :1 8 | “Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will
not conquer it.”