1. SPC

2. First Century Christianity In the Twenty-First Century The Work Of The Church In Edification

3. The Basis Of Authority The Need For Authority Lack Of Authority Is Punishable Source Of Authority: Heaven or Men?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Fellowship Defined Fellowship, communion, participation, sharing (Mounces Expository Dictionary) Communion, fellowship, sharing in common...partnership...a partaker or partner (Vines Expository Dictionary)

8. Fellowship Defined A sharer, associate, companion, partaker, partner (Strongs Concordance) A partner, associate, comrade, companion...community, communion, joint participation (Thayers Lexicon)

9. The Causes Of Edification The worship is to be organized, orderly and done in decency - 1 Cor 14:40 Instruction from Gods word - 1 Cor 14:1-4 Praying together - 1 Cor 14:13-15

10. The Causes Of Edification Singing together - 1 Cor 14:15 Partaking the Lords Supper - 1 Cor 10:16,17 Giving of our means - 1 Cor 16:2

11. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? What The Issue Is NOT: Can I eat in the church building? Whether the building is sacred or not.

12. 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?

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

14. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? Many have left looking for the experiential aspect of religion…Baby boomers lives are so filled with worry about economics and relationships that they want a place where they can flat out have some fun ( Boomers Demand Own Spiritual Paths: Prodigal Sons, Daughters Want Changes If and When They Return to the Fold, The Tennessean, 11 April 993, 14 A).

15. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? We have a society filled with people who want what they want when they want it. They are into their own lifestyle, recreation, and entertainment. They want comfort, happiness, and success. When churches appeal to those selfish desires, they only fuel fires that hinder true godliness. (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church Becomes Like The World, pg 85)

16. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? Now evangelicals everywhere are frantically seeking new techniques and new forms of entertainment to attract people. Whether a method is biblical or not scarcely seems to matter to the average church leader today. Does it work? That is the test of legitimacy. And so raw pragmatism has become the driving force in much of the professing church. (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church Becomes Like The World, pg 71)

17. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? If you get bored in church, may I suggest to you that its not a commentary on the sermon – its a commentary on your heart! Even if the sermon isnt particularly worth listening to, the chance to pick up some truths about God that come through, should be the most exhilarating time of your life. If youre uninterested or indifferent, its not a commentary on the sermon, its a commentary on you. (True Worship, MacArthurs Bible Studies Series, Chicago: Moody Press, 1982, pg 89) (Ashamed of The Gospel, When The Church Becomes Like The World, pg 71)

18. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? A number of Baptist bloggers who opposed Floyd linked to articles by the Associated Baptist Press about the churchs 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 churchs children worship area which includes…

19. 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 childrens 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).

20. 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 Pauls statements (Gospel Advocate, B.C. Goodpasture, August, 1935).

21. 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).

22. 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."

23. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? The Church Is Commanded To: Assemble - Heb 10:24,25 Observe the Lords Supper - Acts 20:7 Sing - Eph 5:19

24. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? The Church Is Commanded To: Pray - Acts 12:12 Preach - Acts 20:7 Contribute - 1 Cor 16:2

25. Fellowship Halls And Kitchens? The Church Is Commanded To: Support the preaching of the gospel Provide for destitute saints - Acts 11:26-30

26. 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

27. The Results Of Edification Edification produces peace - 1 Cor 14:33 Edification produces unity - 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:16

28. 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