1. Collective Action of Christians
What is collective action?
What is a collectivity of Christians?
What may they do collectively?

2. Collective Action of Christians
In order for Christians to fully realize their potential, they need to understand the principles of collective action.

3. Collective Action of Christians
Contrary to the thinking of many, the New Testament makes a clear distinction between individual and collective action of Christians.

4. Collective Action of Christians
Definition of terms
Elements of Collective Action
Types of Collective Action
Closing Observations

5. Definition of Terms
Collective – “Of or derived from a number of persons taken or acting together”
Collective Unit – “A number of persons taken or acting together”
Collective Action – The end result of “a number of persons…acting together”
The collective of link is chain. The collective of cow is herd. The collective of sheep is flock.

6. Definition of Terms
Ecclesia – The Greek word for “a number of persons taken or acting together”

7. Definition of Terms
Church – The English word which translates ecclesia when it refers to “a number of Christians taken or acting together”

8. Definition of Terms
Universal Church – All Christians “taken together” but never “acting together”
Local Church – All Christians in a given community “taken or acting together”
Just as surely as the collective of sheep is flock, the collective of Christian is church.

9. Elements of Collective Action
A number of persons to act together

10. Acts 2:41-42
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

11. Acts 2:46-47
So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

12. 1 Corinthians 12:14,27
For in fact the body is not one member but many…. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

13. Elements of Collective Action
A number of persons to act together
Agreement as to what is to be done

14. Amos 3:1-3
Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?

15. Elements of Collective Action
A number of persons to act together
Agreement as to what is to be done
Common oversight

16. Acts 20:17,28
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

17. 1 Peter 5:1-2
The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

18. 1 Peter 5:3-4
nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

19. Elements of Collective Action
A number of persons to act together
Agreement as to what is to be done
Common oversight
A pooling of resources and/or abilities

20. 1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

21. Ephesians 4:11-13
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

22. Ephesians 4:14-15
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

23. Ephesians 4:16
from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

24. Romans 12:6-8
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

25. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing

26. Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16
...speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

27. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing
2. Eating the Lord’s Supper

28. Acts 20:7
Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

29. 1 Corinthians 11:17-20
Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.

30. 1 Corinthians 11:21-22
For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

31. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

32. 1 Corinthians 11:26-28
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

33. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing
2. Eating the Lord’s Supper
3. Giving

34. Acts 2:43-45
Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

35. Acts 4:34-35
Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

36. Acts 4:36-37
And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

37. 1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

38. 2 Corinthians 9:6,7
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

39. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing
2. Eating the Lord’s Supper
3. Giving
4. Praying

40. Acts 2:42
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

41. Acts 12:12
So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.

42. Acts 16:25
But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

43. Acts 21:5
When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.

44. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing
2. Eating the Lord’s Supper
3. Giving
4. Praying
5. Studying God’s word

45. Acts 2:42; 17:11
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

46. 2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

47. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

48. Types of Collective Action
That which is to be done by all saints in an assembly
1. Singing
2. Eating the Lord’s Supper
3. Giving
4. Praying
5. Studying God’s word