Relevant Life

I have been fortunate to travel all over the world. In my travels, I have seen different expressions of church operations but all of them had the same foundation. Every church would sing songs some are fast and some are slow. Every church would  have some type of message or sermon. Some were 20 minutes in length and some were hours in length. Every church had some type of prayer time and praying for others. Each church had similar ways of taking up tithes and offerings. Please understand, I have been to many countries and most every church I visited had a similar setting. How should church life be conducted? Does every church around the world have to act the same way or follow the same process?

Church Life:

1. The Church should gather together.

  a. Act 2:1 GW  When Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Passover, came, all the believers were together in one place.

  b. Right after Jesus’ resurrection, the church was actively hanging out together. In fact, if you read the book of Acts, the church did not just meet on Saturdays or Sundays. They met very often throughout the week. Church was not a function or an act. It was and should be a lifestyle for all believers. When we meet the power of Christ is present.

  c. The church met in homes, converted synagogues, outdoors, on root tops, in rented spaces, and where ever believers could come together. It was not a place but a gathering of like-minded people.

2. The Church should intercede together.

  a. Act 4:23-31 GW  When Peter and John were released, they went to the other apostles and told them everything the chief priests and leaders had said.  (24)  When the apostles heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God, \”Master, you made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them.  (25)  You said through the Holy Spirit, who spoke through your servant David (our ancestor), \’Why do the nations act arrogantly? Why do their people devise useless plots?  (26)  Kings take their stand. Rulers make plans together against the Lord and against his Messiah.\’  (27)  \”In this city Herod and Pontius Pilate made plans together with non-Jewish people and the people of Israel. They made their plans against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.  (28)  Through your will and power, they did everything that you had already decided should be done.  (29)  \”Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly.  (30)  Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus.\”  (31)  When the apostles had finished praying, their meeting place shook. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God boldly.

  b. The body of Christ should spend time in prayer together as they meet. It is vital that the prayer time is not human led but Holy Spirit led. When Holy Spirit leads the prayer time; the whole place shakes with God’s power.

3. The Church experience the Lord’s supper together.

  a. I Corinthians 11

  b. The church kept the tradition of having the Lord’s supper together. This process was what Jesus shared with the Apostles. The Apostles set up the process for all believers to follow. The partaking of the supper was taken seriously. The whole supper was meant to remind the church of Christ’s sacrifice for the world. When the supper was properly followed then the power of God would come and perform miracles.

4. The Church was steered by multiple leaders.

a. Romans 16

b. The Church was steered by elders and deacons. The church was never meant to have just one leader or follow the same hierarchy leadership that the world followers. Church leadership is an upside down process of leadership. Leadership is meant to steer, empower, engage, and enable the body of Christ to do the work of Christ.

5. The church had healings and miracles.

  a. Act 8:4-8 GW  The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word.  (5)  Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah.  (6)  The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed.  (7)  Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured.  (8)  As a result, that city was extremely happy.

  b. God is a loving father and desires to bless his people. Part of those blessings come in the form of healings and miracles. God’s power and majesty should be present within every church gather. His healings and miracles draw people to his presence and unites his people.

6. The church operated in the gifts of Holy Spirit.

  a. I Corinthians 12:1-11

  b. The gifts of the Holy Spirit must be allowed to operate within the gathering of the saints. The operation of the gifts helps the church become more like Jesus and draws them closer to unity. The gifts are used to reach the world by the demonstration of God’s power. A church meeting without the operation of the gifts is simply a funeral service.

7. The church was Jesus to the world.

  a. Acts 11:19-30

   b. The church in Antioch shows the world how a church gathering should be. They demonstrated to the people in their corner of the world who Jesus was. It was in Antioch where the believers were first called Christians.