HINTS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?

 Acts 2:41-47 [The Living Bible]

And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all! They joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles’ teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings.

A deep sense of awe was on them all, and the apostles did many miracles.

And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything with each other, selling their possessions and dividing with those in need. They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God. The whole city was favorable to them, and each day God added to them all who were being saved.

One of the authors of a book I’ve been reading over the last two weeks - Shane Claiborne - reminds us that there are over 36,000 Christian denominations! This clearly indicates how severely broken the "body of Christ" is, and yet none of these denominations appear to be searching for common ground!

He writes:

"Jesus' longest prayer in John’s gospel was that we would be one as God is one (17:22). With more than 36,000 Christian denominations, we have a long way to go.”

Back in June, Debbie and I attended the Harvest Conference’s Tri-Conference sessions in Dalton, Ohio, It was led by our area bishop, Kay Kolde, who reminded us that the number of FM churches in America have fallen from 1050 to 825 over the past fifteen years [a decline that is mirrored in most – if not all – Christian denominations in America].

To add to this drama, I know that in 2012, when we left for China, the number of Free Methodists in America was around 105,000.  It startled me recently to discover that our number has now declined to a little over 69,000 Free Methodists in America AND CANADA!

Yet the Free Methodist denomination is rapidly expanding around the globe through vigorous evangelistic efforts!  Currently we have 1.6 million Free Methodists globally with a mere 4% of those being in the United States!

Now, before you get discouraged, let me assure you that these trends are not exclusive to Free Methodism; they are reflected in every Christian denomination in America.

Observations:

·         The Pew and Gallup polls indicate that about 20% of Americans attend worship weekly at least three times a month. However, a Washington Post breakdown of America’s faith habits reports that as few as 5% of the population regularly attends religious services.

·         Many denominations are finding it difficult to find enough pastors to lead their churches.

·         It is estimated that 15,000 churches closed in 2025.

Why do churches close?  

Well, the answer is easy: it’s because they’re failing at their God-given mission!

When we examine churches that have closed – or are about to – we tend to find that they’re:

• not growing by convert growth.
• plateaued or declining in attendance.
• not invested in their community.
• or, they’re in a state of internal conflict.

It is not a pretty picture for the American Church and consequently for our culture. The WOKE agenda has clearly infiltrated the Church and is undermining its desire and passion for being spiritually fruitful! 

And, by the way, WHO is driving the WOKE agenda?

Our spiritual enemy! 

In reading through Job he doesn’t hesitate to name this enemy. Satan was hounding believers in Job’s day and he hasn’t stopped!  Jesus didn’t try to hide from this conflict. He openly addressed it! 

Consider Matthew 4, where Satan Himself came to Jesus while He was fasting and praying for forty days in the wilderness.  He came at Jesus’ weakest moment and tempted Him in areas where He was most vulnerable:

• The temptation to eat
• The temptation to test His Father’s love for Him, and
• The temptation to gain all the kingdoms of this world and all their glory

But each time, Jesus quoted scripture to rebuke His enemy!

The result?

1.    Satan left Him alone!

2.    Angels came and ministered to Him! 

I wrote recently in a blog article that I posted:

“I never want to be a part of a church that is not a threat to Satan and his kingdom! We’re not propping up an institution! We’re the living body of Christ! We are His representatives intended to influence those who are lost and distracted! Broken churches lose their sense of mission!  ‘Conflict passion’ replaces ‘evangelism passion’!”

Studying the New Testament Church in its earliest days is a good way to find out how on-track or off-track we are as a church in the twenty-first century. 

What were the characteristics of the church when it began?

We’re talking about the church that exploded into the streets after receiving the Holy Spirit in that upper room where 120 people had prayed for ten days!  That was the day that Peter preached in the streets and the other disciples discovered that they could suddenly speak in languages that they had never studied! The massive crowd gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, so people were present from many nations – and most of them heard the gospel that day! 

That day alone, 3,000 people became followers of Christ!  Then, Luke gives us a graphic description of how this church grew and operated in those early days!

1.    The first thing we need to notice is that the New Testament Church had NO BUILDINGS! So, in many cases, we have a HUGE advantage over the NT Church! Being generous with our building and property would send a pretty positive message that would likely draw people to us!

2.  Our second observation is that the New Testament Church studied and grew together in small groups! Since they didn’t have buildings, a lot of these gatherings probably took place in homes! 

Also, they didn’t have Bibles!  The New Testament was just coming together during that first century. If they were in the right place at the right time, they might have at least heard one of Paul’s letters being read.

What they did do, however, was to sit under the teachings of the apostles and their associates. 

3.    Our third observation is that they met together regularly for fellowship! All their activity was not spiritual in nature. They learned to love one another – as Christ had instructed them. This meant knowing one another and enjoying one another’s company!  Apparently they ate together a lot!  During some of these meals they even celebrated the Lord’s Supper as a part of their gathering!

This concept has almost been lost to the American Church! We only meet for church or an occasional Bible study. These believers became like extended family to one another! They enjoyed being together! They loved one another!

4.    Our fourth observation from this passage is that the New Testament had gatherings that were just for prayer!

Prayer aways has been and always will be the engine that drives the growth and outreach of the church!

5.    And finally, our passage mentions one last area  -  KOINONIA. In the New Testament, the Greek word κοινωνία (koinónia) is translated into English in several ways, depending on context. The most common include: fellowship, sharing, participation, communion, partnership, and community. It is a word for which we have no single replacement. Rather, it includes aspects of all of these we’ve just mentioned. 

But Luke – the writer of Acts – goes on to describe the implications of this word in verses 44-46:

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

These new followers of Christ were:

• together – apparently this means common ownership of some things
• sharing their possessions with one another based on need
• having contact with one another day by day
• eating together with some regularity
• praising God together in all of the above!

There’s a pretty big hint here as to why the Church in America doesn’t resemble the New Testament Church as described in its earliest days!

Today’s American followers of Christ:

• rarely, if ever, share possessions with one another
• rarely, if ever, see one another during the week
• almost never go into one another’s home
• almost never enjoy meals together
• only praise God together during our once-a-week meeting on Sunday morning

There is one more VERY IMPORTANT factor that characterized the New Testament Church, and that was the constant incorporating of new followers of Christ!

Based on church reports: An average American church of 85 people [which IS the average sized American church] tends to report one convert per year!

This statistic tells us that there is a very low demand for training and discipling new believers in most American churches, because they simply are not seeing many new believers! 

The American Church has VERY LITTLE in common with the New Testament Church described in the early chapters of Acts!

The Book of Acts records the rapid expansion of the early Church from Jerusalem to the ends of the known world, showing both numerical growth and spiritual vitality.

I can speak most authoritatively about my own denomination – Free Methodism. There are distinct reasons why the American Church is shrinking while Christianity around the globe is exploding!

Our missions’ department has divided the globe into five areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. According to our World Mission page, we have an active presence in 99 countries [WHICH IS AWESOME!!!!]!

The Asian area has set a goal to see a million new believers this year! We observed earlier: "Currently we have 1.6 million Free Methodists globally with a mere 4% of those being in the United States!"

Here’s our assignment:

1.    How can we open our buildings to others in a way that promotes our caring for this community?

2.    How can we generate prayer groups and Bible study groups that will help us to grow as well as get better acquainted with one another?

3.    How can we create times when we get together for fun and pleasure so that we can grow in our loving and caring for one another? How can we plan occasional meals together that allow us to mingle and get to know one another’s families better?  [Eating together lowers inhibitions!]

4.    How can we generate prayer gatherings that are not boring but ARE genuinely effective?

5.    How can we retrain our brains to be more outspoken about our faith?

Are we content to just be a gathering of Christian people, or do we want to be a threat to Satan’s kingdom?

I have great difficulty believing that God is pleased with the American Church – with some exceptions, of course! I believe with all my heart that God wants something of significance to happen here, and there are signs that it has begun! It will continue and flourish – IF WE PRAY AND INITIATE A NEW TESTAMENT ZEAL IN OUR CHURCHES!

UNDERSTANDING JOB

Having just completed reading the book of Job, I am once again deeply impressed with this ancient man’s testimony.           

There are only seven main characters in his report:

   o   Job [his wife plays a minor role]

o   God

o   Satan

Distant living friends of Job:

o  
Eliphaz from Teman  

o  
Bildad from Shuhah             

o   Zophar from Naamath

o   Elihu – Job’s angry younger friend

The key to understanding this narrative that probably took place around the time of Abram [in Genesis], is recognizing that Job was a righteous man who loved and served God so thoroughly that God bragged about Job when Satan showed up one day in Heaven’s court. 

This set in motion Satan’s abuse of this man and the terrible things that occurred in quick succession to thoroughly upset his life!

I suggest that understanding this book is dependent on realizing two key points:

FIRST, it is essential to observe that at the end of chapter two, it is clearly declared that “Not once through all of this did Job sin. He said nothing against God.” [2:10]  All quotes from ™ unless otherwise noted.

SECOND, Job was confused because he KNEW that he had not sinned. In his confusion and having faced phenomenal loss, he became depressed! But depression is NOT a sin!

For the next thirty-five chapters, Job’s four friends [named above] confront him essentially with the same argument: that Job had either willfully or negligently sinned and was therefore experiencing the corrective wrath of God! 

HOWEVER, we know this cannot be true! [See the box above!]

Finally, in chapters 38-41, God confronts Job gently but directly! God craftfully explains His sovereignty and rulership over all of creation!

In the midst of this God-monologue, He turns to Job and says:

“Now what do you have to say for yourself?

Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”

To which Job immediately answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe – words fail me.

I should never have opened my mouth!

I’ve talked too much, way too much.

I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

God then continues to make it clear to Job that He – and He alone runs this universe! ^{[see 41:11]}  In doing so, God references the awesomeness of His creation!

The final chapter reveals Job’s response to God:

“I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything.

Nothing and no one can upset Your plans.” [42:1]

Surprisingly, God then turns to Job’s friends and scolds them for their random babblings. He instructs them to go to Job for reconciliation so that they can be spiritually restored!  They did so!

Then God restored Job’s fortune – and doubled it!

I personally feel that these final verses of Job’s restoration are frequently exaggerated!  I will admit that there it can be cited as an example of God restoring what Satan has taken away from us. But to make this the major truth of the book is a travesty!

There is a final footnote that intrigues and delights me.  The author – who is unnamed – seems to want us to know in the final verses that Job had ten more children to match those he had lost earlier: seven sons and three daughters. But more important, we learn that Job treated his daughters as equal heirs with their brothers – providing the same inheritance. [42:15]  This stands in stark contrast to the limits placed on women as equals in many of our churches today! 

UNPACKING WORSHIP

Our Bible is a big book and there are lots of statements in it that need to be distilled in order to find out what we’re supposed to be doing as the church.  However, two statements by Jesus summarize it all:  the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

One day, Jesus was asked to identify the most important command.  He responded by saying, “Here is the entire Old Testament in a nutshell.  I’m going to give you the Cliff Notes summary of God’s Word.  All the Law and all the Prophets can be condensed into two tasks:  Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Later, in some of his last words to his disciples, Jesus gave the Great Commission to them and assigned them three more tasks:  Go make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything he had taught.

These two teachings by Jesus are core to everything we should be about. Rick Warren came up with a great slogan:  “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will grow a Great Church.”

So, we have these five things that Jesus says we’re supposed to be about:

1.           Love the Lord with all your heart.

2.           Love your neighbor as yourself.

3.           Go and make disciples.

4.           Baptize them.

5.           Teach them to obey.

These five purposes of the church can be further distilled into five key words:

1.           Worship

2.           Service

3.           Evangelism

4.           Fellowship

5.           Discipleship

For now, we’re going to briefly zero in on worship.

Worship is loving the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!  How do we love God?  By worshiping him!  It doesn’t matter if we’re by ourselves, with a small group, or with 100,000 people.  When we express our love to God, we’re worshiping.

The Bible says, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”  (Matthew 4:10).  Notice that worship comes before service.  Worshiping God is the church’s first purpose. 

Let’s look at some things worship is not:

• Worship is not exclusively singing! We can worship Him without singing.
• Worship does not require a crowd. It often does, but it can also be done alone.
• Worship is not restricted to a special place.
• Worship does not require a great deal of knowledge.
• Worship is affected by tradition but not limited by tradition.

The Book of Ecclesiastes says:  “God has set eternity in men’s hearts.”  Augustine is frequently quoted as having said:  “Thou hast made us for Thyself, and we are restless until we rest in Thee.”  Deep within us all there is a cry for God.  We need to respond to that craving within us and turn it toward God. 

How do we respond?  Interestingly, the OT biblical word for worship has as its root, “to bow down, or become low”.  Psalm 95:6 illustrates this:  O come, let us worship and bow down:  let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.”  The NT word is similar – its root means to kiss the ground.  Now does that mean that in order to worship we have to kneel down and kiss the ground?  Of course not!  These are pictures that communicate a basic principle; that principle includes reverence, respect, regard, submission.

So, our response is not so much an action as an attitude.  By worshiping, we acknowledge the enormity of God.  We recognize His authority over us.  We submit to His plans and to His sovereignty. 

Let’s be honest here. Because you attend worship doesn’t mean that you worshipped!  Putting your body in the seat at your church is NOT an indicator of worship! I suspect that MANY people attend worship regularly, but never worship!

Churches in our day make it easier and easier to attend worship without actually engaging! People sit in theater seating with the lights down low. The ‘performers’ are on the ‘stage’. We are in the dark! We enjoy the ‘show’ and leave when it’s over!

I attended a multi-site church in my area two years ago out of curiosity. The worship service was typical of what I had expected:

o   Parking was convenient.

o   I was greeted twice on the way in.

o   The seat was so comfortable – we were not crowded.

o   When the program began, the lights were dimmed significantly.

o   The music was great!

o   The sermon began with humor and was interesting.

When the service ended, I stayed at my seat to observe the crowd. Everyone exited the building and went directly to their cars! I saw absolutely no engaging with one another and concluded that these people did not know one another. BUT THEY ALL ATTENDED WORSHIP!

Jesus said, “the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.”  (John 4:23).  So, when we worship God it is a spiritual activity; our spirit engages with His Holy Spirit.  We are truthful with Him.  We are transparent before Him.  We confess to Him.  We are renewed by Him. 

Worship has the power to change us.  In Luke 9, we read concerning Jesus that “as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed.”  If worship did something for Jesus, shouldn’t we expect that it will also do something for us?  According to Chuck Swindol, “Worship changes my horizons, eclipses my fears, changes my perspective, refreshes my spirit, and enhances my work.” 

Now let’s review the simple things we’ve learned:

1.           God has made us in such a way that we need to worship!

2.           Worship involves an attitude of reverence for God.

3.           God desires (indeed, is looking for) genuine worshipers.

4.           Worship changes us!

According to Max Lucado,

“God invites us to see his face so he can change ours.  He uses our uncovered faces to display his glory.  The transformation isn’t easy.  The sculptor of Mount Rushmore faced a lesser challenge than does God.  But our Lord is up to the task.  He loves to change the faces of his children.  By his fingers, wrinkles of worry are rubbed away.  Shadows of shame and doubt become portraits of grace and trust.  He relaxes clenched jaws and smoothes furrowed brows.  His touch can remove the bags of exhaustion from beneath the eyes and turn tears of despair into tears of peace.

 

How?  Through worship.

 

We’d expect something more complicated, more demanding.  A forty-day fast or the memorization of Leviticus perhaps.  No.  God’s plan is simpler.  He changes our faces through worship.”  [from Just Like Jesus - Lucado, “Grace for the Moment”, p.206]

Now there’s a distinct problem with preaching or teaching about worship.  You could easily get the impression that this is something that you should be doing.  You could even become determined that as you leave, you’re going to be a better worshiper.  You might decide that you’re going to attend church more faithfully.  You might think of buying more Christian music to listen to.  You might pick up your Bible and read it more often.  All of these things are good things – however, these responses would be inappropriate. 

This teaching about worship is not so that you can add another “should” to your life.  Honestly!  It’s not even to remind you that you “ought” to be worshiping.  No!  Let’s get this straight before we move on:  we’re talking about a God who desires to have a RELATIONSHIP with you! 

God doesn’t want you to worship because His Word says that you should.

God doesn’t want you to worship Him because you’re afraid of Him.

God doesn’t want you to worship Him for what you can get out of it.

God doesn’t want you to worship Him out of a sense of obligation!

No!  God wants you to live a life of worship because you love Him and desire to please and serve Him!

William H. Willimon has written: “We do not worship God in order to become better people.  Christians worship God simply because we are God’s beloved ones.” 

 

YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD PERSON DOWN!

The opening line of the Old Testament book of Job states that Job was a man who…was honest inside and out, a man of his word, who was totally devoted to God and hated evil with a passion.  [All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted.]

A few verses later, listen to God brag about Job while talking with Satan:

“Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one quite like him – honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil.”  [Job 1:8]

After this meeting in Heaven, Satan departs with God’s permission to afflict Job – with one exception: Just don’t hurt him, [1:12] Satan then immediately causes:

·        Job’s oxen and donkeys to be stolen by the Sabeans; also killing all but one of his servants

·        Right after that, lightning struck and killed Job’s sheep and their shepherds – all except one

·        Next, Chaldeans raided Job’s camels and killed his camel-drivers – all except one

·        Then, finally, a messenger arrived reporting that a tornado struck the house where Job’s seven sons and three daughters were feasting. The house collapsed on the young people and they all died

Job’s response is not what we would expect!  Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped. His words were:

Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth.
God gives, God takes.
God’s name be ever blessed.  [1:21]

Most of us would find this response to be one of remarkable poise, faith and restraint!  The text continues with an almost shocking statement: Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God. [1:22]

The very next verse tells of God meeting again with the angels and again Satan attends the meeting. To our great surprise, God repeats his question to Satan:

Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one quite like him, is there – honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil? He still has a firm grip on his integrity! [2:3]

Satan argues that God has spoiled Job with special treatment and suggests that if he personally suffered, he would curse you to your face. [2:5]

God responded to Satan: “All right. Go ahead – you can do what you like to him. But mind you, don’t kill him.” [2:6]

Satan left GOD and struck Job with terrible sores. Job was ulcers and scabs from head to foot. They itched and oozed so badly that he took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself…[2:7-8]

Then, as a final blow, Job’s wife said: “Still holding on to your precious integrity, are you? Curse God and be done with it! [2:9]

Job answered her: “You’re talking like an empty-headed fool. We take the good days from God – why not also the bad days?” [2:10]

After the author reports that Job’s three foreign friends arrived to sit with him, a final note is included: Not once through all this did Job sin. He said nothing against God. [2:10]

However, after sitting with him in silence for seven days, Job broke the silence. 3:1

This godly man speaks out in an angry and depressed manner.  And then, much of the bulk of this book is an ongoing dialogue between Job and his friends - with God ultimately having the final word!

__________________________

Let’s lay out what we've learned from this passage as an evaluation tool for our own lives.

God had tremendous pride and confidence in Job! God was so certain of Job’s persistence and integrity that God nearly challenged Satan to come against him!

Leaving the complications of this ancient text behind for the scholars and theologians to debate, we must bring this message into the 21^st century.

1.    How convinced is God of YOUR devotion to Him?

Are you honest inside and out?

Are you a man or woman of your word?

Are you totally devoted to God?

Do you hate evil with a passion?

Do you have a firm grip on your integrity?

Why not schedule a time to meditate on these questions? Open them before God and allow Him to whisper into your heart and mind areas that He might like to touch and refine?

 2.    Do you EVER consider that some of the problems and obstacles that you face and deal with could be coming from Satan?

Does it EVER occur to you:

·        We have authority from Christ

“I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions… and over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19)

·        We have God’s armor to use in these skirmishes

Ephesians 6:10-13 teaches us to put on the whole armor of God — truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God as a sword.

·        In Matthew 4:1–11, Jesus used memorized scriptures in His battle with Satan.

·        Praise and worship discomfort and discourage our spiritual enemy.

As a personal testimony, I thrive on Christian music – both contemporary and traditional!

·        Prayer! Jesus tells His disciples to pray that you may not enter into temptation (Luke 22:40; Matthew 26:41) as a call to constant spiritual vigilance and reliance on God’s strength.

·        BE ALERT!

Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too. (I Peter 5:8-9)

3.    Depression is NOT sin!

Job chapter 3 is difficult to read as we hear Job saying things like:

o   Obliterate the day I was born. Blank out the night I was conceived. (v.1)

o   Why didn’t I die at birth, my first breath out of the womb my last? (v.11)

o   Why does God bother giving light to the miserable, why bother keeping miserable people alive, those who want in the worst way to die, and can’t, who can’t imagine anything better than death, who count the day of their death and burial the happiest day of their life? (vs.20-22)

But God doesn’t cut off communications with Job for this! There are many pictures of God’s leaders being angry or depressed!

o   Remember when Moses came down from the mountain and saw the golden calf? He threw down the Ten Commandments and broke them to pieces!

o   Remember when Queen Jezebel told Elijah that she would see him killed.

He fled from the area and cried out to God in fear and desperation!

o   King David wrote a psalm in which he said:

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? (Psalm 42:11)

o   The prophet Jeremiah sounds a great deal like Job:

Cursed be the day that I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me!

As one who has experienced chronic episodes of depression since my young adulthood, I know its pain. I have been – too many times – in a condition where I couldn’t make myself think a positive thought! But God never abandoned me! And He always delivered me. Many – even counselors I visited – suggested medications. But I chose to rely on spiritual resources that always led me out of the darkness. A few:

    > Accountability partners

    > Seeing professional counselors

    > Christian music

    > Pouring myself into God’s Word

    > My last resort was to begin reading the book SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION, by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones. I have never made it past chapter five without experiencing relief! [I suppose the rest of the book is equally good! Maybe someday I should finish it! 🤭]

 If you struggle with depression – remember:

BEING DEPRESSSED IS NOT A SIN!

Follow some of the suggestions above to find relief!

___________________________

God wants us to pursue Him,

follow Him,

obey Him,

speak with Him,

speak up for Him,

love Him,

worship Him,

sing to Him,

honor Him, and

live in His Word!

And like Job – He will restore us fully!