1. Church Fellowship - Brug - Lesson 6 By Professor John F. Brug

2. The Practice of Fellowship I Guidelines and Basic Applications
Church Fellowship
The Practice of Fellowship I
Guidelines and Basic Applications

3. Goals Briefly review the principles of church fellowship.
Study guidelines for applying church fellowship principles in an evangelical way.
Examine some basic applications of church fellowship principles.

4. Opening Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for teaching us the principles of church fellowship from your Word. Thanks also for faithful confessors who practiced these principles throughout history. Grant us wisdom and love to apply your Word-principles to our lives as individuals and as a church. Amen.

5. Review of church fellowship principles
What do we mean by church fellowship?
Every activity in which Christians give expression to a common faith and confession.

6. Review of church fellowship principles
How do we decide with whom we may practice church fellowship?
Compare confession with all Scripture teachings .
Agreement  practice.
No agreement  no fellowship with individual or group.

7. Review of church fellowship principles
In what two ways must church fellowship be seen as a unit?
Churches, individuals must agree in all doctrines of Scripture to practice church fellowship.
Complete agreement in doctrine is required for all expressions of church fellowship.

8. Guidelines for applying church fellowship principles
Why study Scriptural principles before discussing situations?
Practices need to be Word-based, not emotional, or societal.
A clear understanding of general principles and goals is needed to evaluate specific cases.

9. Guidelines for applying church fellowship principles
Why not rely on church rules, common practices or precedents?
Circumstances, situations change.
Impression given by some practices may change.
We do not want to put human judgment above God’s principles.

10. Guidelines for applying church fellowship principles
What is a case of casuistry?
Two equally valid principles may apply.

11. Guidelines for applying church fellowship principles
Why must we be careful in judging cases of casuistry?
Sanctified human judgment is needed for each situation.
We should be careful about condemning others who reach a difference conclusion.

12. Guidelines for applying church fellowship principles
How do we face a difficult case?
Study the principles and pray.
Seek the advice of wise and respected fellow Christians.
Explain our actions.
Don’t let exceptions determine practice or undermine principles.

13. What two responsibilities do we need to keep in balance?
Patient admonition of the weak
Prompt separation from persistent errorists

14. What attitudes are needed for this dual responsibility?
Patience with the weak
Humility re. own weaknesses
A loving, evangelical spirit

15. What attitudes are needed for this dual responsibility?
Openness about our efforts
Willing action: prompt, firm

16. More attitudes needed:
Spirit of prayer for courage and decisiveness.
Ezekiel 2:3-7; 3:3-9

17. More attitudes needed:
Indignation against Word- twisters and false teachers.
Psalm 119:

18. Comfort and Assurance It’s God’s doctrine, not ours.
“Hallowed by Thy name.”
We thankfully obey the Second Commandment.

20. Basic Applications
What is wrong with terms like “altar fellowship” and “pulpit fellowship”?
“Altar fellowship” – Christians worshiping, communing together
“Pulpit…” – exchanging pastors
 Such terms may be used to divide the unit concept of “fellowship.”

21. Why is giving money expressing church fellowship?
Scripture positively says so :
Philippians 1:5; 4:15

22. But giving money to false teachers?
Sharing in “wicked work”:
2 John 11

23. Basic Applications
Why not work together on doctrinal projects (e.g., videos, Bible studies) with heterodox churches?
Writers who disagree on doctrine cannot produce clear materials on Scripture.
Compromise causes confusion.

24. Basic Applications What is one exception to this?
Doctrinal meetings with false teachers when we are trying to resolve differences with Scripture.

25. Basic Applications
Why can’t we agree to divide mission fields with false teachers?
This would endanger new Christians by exposing them to false teaching.

26. Why not send greetings and congratulations to false, i. e
Why not send greetings and congratulations to false, i.e., heterodox churches?
accomplices in error
wrong impression as if error okay
congratulate doing wrong?
When may we attend their meetings?
to observe, testify against error

27. Joint Christian charity outside our fellowship?
Christian charity is an act of praising God by expressing our Christian love.
2 Corinthians 9:12f

28. Why does joint prayer always require agreement in doctrine?
Prayer is always worship.
Worship requires doctrinal agreement.
Romans 16:17
“Keep away from” false teachers cannot mean “pray with them.”

29. What is the difference between prayer for someone and prayer with someone?
1 Timothy 2:1f
We should pray for everyone in and out of our fellowship.
To join in prayer with someone, however, is to express agreement, i.e. fellowship.

30. Summary
We reviewed guidelines for applying scriptural principles of church fellowship.
We studied some applications
easily decided by NT principles
with close NT parallel applications

31. Closing Prayer
Lord of the Church, graciously grant us the knowledge and wisdom to understand the principles of church fellowship, the love and patience to apply them evangelically, and the courage to apply them firmly and without compromise. Amen.