1. Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Saturday, March 21, 2009 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Bethel Hill Baptist Church Roxboro, NC

2. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology 8:30 9:30 10:15 10:30 11:15 11:30 Breakfast Session 1 Break Session 2 Break Panel Discussion Schedule

3. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Do we really believe and follow Scripture? The first step in answering this question is recognizing how much tradition has shaped our beliefs and practices. One simple example: Prayer

4. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology What does Scripture say about Tradition? First, we should recognize that the core understanding of the Christian faith was handing down as tradition – from one generation of disciples to the next. (1 Cor. 11:23; Jude 3) This tradition included specific information about how to live and act as the church. (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Cor. 7:17; 1 Cor. 11:16)

5. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology What does Scripture say about Tradition? However, Jesus warned against letting our traditions replace the commands of God. (Matt. 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13) In those passages, Jesus said that our traditions should never contradict God’s commands, nor should we teach our traditions as if they are God’s commands. We should make a distinction between traditions and God’s commands.

6. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology When we develop our ecclesiology – our way of thinking about the church – we have two choices: 1.Begin with our current beliefs and practices and justify those beliefs and practices from Scripture. 2.Begin with Scripture and build our beliefs and practices from Scripture.

7. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 1: Meeting on Sunday Usually, the church meets on Sunday. We can justify that practice from Scripture: On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together… (Acts 20:7 ESV) The church in Troas met together on the first day of the week (Sunday), so we are justified in meeting on the first day of the week. (By the way, in Scripture this is the only church meeting that specifically happens on Sunday.)

8. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 1: Meeting on Sunday What happens when we examine the passage in context? On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7 ESV) The church in Troas did meet on the first day of the week. But they met specifically “to break bread”, that is, to eat together. Why do require only part of this verse?

9. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 1: Meeting on Sunday Is it wrong then for the church to meet on Sunday? Of course not! But, we should recognize that Luke did not write this passage to command a certain meeting date for the church. If this is not a command of God, then we should not teach it as a command of God, but a tradition of man.

10. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 2: We must attend “church”. We usually teach that believers must attend “church”, meaning they must meet with the church at a predetermined time. We justify this teaching from the following verse: … not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some… (Hebrews 10:25 ESV) We should not neglect our meetings. But, what is this passage about? What is the purpose for this short phrase?

11. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 2: We must attend “church”. When we read this phrase in context, we see it is not about attendance: And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another… (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV) The command is that we should think about one another, specifically how we can help one another live a life that demonstrates love and good works.

12. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 2: We must attend “church”. Should we meet together? Absolutely! But, notice that the author’s purpose is not to encourage attendance, but to promote mutual encouragement. We can’t encourage one another toward love and good works if we fail to meet together. But, we can meet together without encouraging one another toward love and good works.

13. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 3: Only the pastor can speak. When we meet together, only the pastor speaks (preaches/teaches) because we want to have an orderly meeting: But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV) This is certainly a command. But, have we understood decency and order as Paul intended?

14. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology Example 3: Only the pastor can speak. Look at this command in context: When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (14:26) If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. (14:27) Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. (14:29) Regardless of what we think about “tongues” and “prophecy”, we can’t say that “decency and order” means only the pastor speaks.

15. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology We should not desire to justify what we already believe or already do by searching Scripture. Instead, we should seek to have our lives conformed to the patterns and commands that we find in Scripture. If the church in Scripture does not look like or act like our church, then we need to be conformed more. The Spirit desires to conform us all into the image of Jesus Christ… but he only conforms us when we allow him to. It is possible to justify almost any belief or practice from Scripture.

16. ► Developing a Biblical Ecclesiology