What is a New Testament Church?
by Richard Greene, Elder
The New Testament Church is designed by God and is the perfect and the only suitable vehicle for transporting us through this life and into the next. Just as Noah of old needed a ship designed by God to save him, his family, and the animals from the flood, we need the New Testament Church to save us. Noah didn’t know what kind of ship he needed, but God knew he didn’t need a submarine, a battleship, a raft, or a sailboat. God furnished him with the only design that would work (Genesis 6:13-16). We, as mortal, sinful humans, do not of ourselves know or can create by ourselves what we need to get to Heaven.
Thankfully, God working through His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, revealed the design of that needed vehicle, the New Testament Church, to the Apostles and others in the First Century A.D. Furthermore, God made it possible to replicate the design of the New Testament Church and to reconstruct it in any age and at any place. Jesus and the Holy Spirit did that by guiding the Apostles and other inspired men in writing the New Testament. There, in the New Testament, the design of the Church is recorded and divinely preserved. Just as any boat would not have worked for Noah, a corrupted, humanly modified church will not work for us. We must follow the New Testament pattern without addition or subtraction.
Jesus promised to build the New Testament Church (Matthew 16:18) “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom - the Church (Matthew 16:19), and was allowed to preach the first Gospel sermon as stated in Acts Chapter 2. Jesus said much about the New Testament Church, but it was not actually established until fifty days after His crucifixion. It began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts chapter 2. People began to be added to the Church by the Lord on that day (Acts 2:36-47).
A careful study of the New Testament will reveal many other wonderful, important, and significant things about the New Testament Church. Some of which are as follows:
The Church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Their worship consisted of these five activities:
Many other things about the New Testament Church, beyond the scope of this brief article, can be gleaned from a thorough study of God’s Word. We encourage you to visit our congregation where such spiritual matters are studied and discussed at each assembly.
For more information about the Churches of Christ, go here. To speak with someone about these details, go here.
The New Testament Church is designed by God and is the perfect and the only suitable vehicle for transporting us through this life and into the next. Just as Noah of old needed a ship designed by God to save him, his family, and the animals from the flood, we need the New Testament Church to save us. Noah didn’t know what kind of ship he needed, but God knew he didn’t need a submarine, a battleship, a raft, or a sailboat. God furnished him with the only design that would work (Genesis 6:13-16). We, as mortal, sinful humans, do not of ourselves know or can create by ourselves what we need to get to Heaven.
Thankfully, God working through His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, revealed the design of that needed vehicle, the New Testament Church, to the Apostles and others in the First Century A.D. Furthermore, God made it possible to replicate the design of the New Testament Church and to reconstruct it in any age and at any place. Jesus and the Holy Spirit did that by guiding the Apostles and other inspired men in writing the New Testament. There, in the New Testament, the design of the Church is recorded and divinely preserved. Just as any boat would not have worked for Noah, a corrupted, humanly modified church will not work for us. We must follow the New Testament pattern without addition or subtraction.
Jesus promised to build the New Testament Church (Matthew 16:18) “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it." Peter was given the keys to the Kingdom - the Church (Matthew 16:19), and was allowed to preach the first Gospel sermon as stated in Acts Chapter 2. Jesus said much about the New Testament Church, but it was not actually established until fifty days after His crucifixion. It began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts chapter 2. People began to be added to the Church by the Lord on that day (Acts 2:36-47).
A careful study of the New Testament will reveal many other wonderful, important, and significant things about the New Testament Church. Some of which are as follows:
The Church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23)
- There is but one body - the Church (Ephesians 4:4-6)
- Baptism (immersion in water) unites us with Christ (engrafts us into Christ/ into the Church) (Romans 6:35; Galatians 3:26-28).
- All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3)
- Salvation is in Christ (II Timothy 2:10)
- The organization of the Church - Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22)
- Elders are to oversee the Church (Acts 20:17-28)
- Deacons are to serve the Church (Acts 6:1-6; I Timothy 3:8-13)
- No central governing body is mentioned in New Testament. Each congregation was autonomous, governed by the Gospel, God’s Word (II Timothy 3:16-17)
- The worship and work of the New Testament Church: They assembled on the first day of every week to give of their means (I Corinthians 16:1-2; II Corinthians 8 and 9), and to remember Christ in the observance of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7)
- They were evangelistic; they went everywhere preaching the Word (Acts 8:4)
Their worship consisted of these five activities:
- Singing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16)
- Praying (I Thessalonians 5:17-18)
- Partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7; Matthew 26:26-28; I Corinthians 11:23-26)
- Preaching (Acts 20:7)
- Giving of their means (I Corinthians 16:1-2)
Many other things about the New Testament Church, beyond the scope of this brief article, can be gleaned from a thorough study of God’s Word. We encourage you to visit our congregation where such spiritual matters are studied and discussed at each assembly.
For more information about the Churches of Christ, go here. To speak with someone about these details, go here.