IS the Early Church Really The Best Example?

[Joseph_Botwinick]

Originally posted by JRG39402:
What I guess I am saying is should we have to limit ourselves to just what the church of the Bible did? Can't we do things as long as it isn't unbiblical?

Perhaps a more detailed list of what you want to do would be in line. When I talk about using the early Church as an example for our Churches today, I generally point to the revival that was started by God in Acts 2.

Joseph Botwinick

 

[standingfirminChrist]

Depends on how early yer talking. The church's roots go all the way back to around 25 AD when Jesus began calling His disciples.

Even then, there was unrest amongst the disciples.

 

[mima]

Oh that today's church could be like the one spoken of in Revelation 17:6. Surely the church today is different than the early church. Different but not better, different but not as dedicated, different but with less affect. The affects of the early church is to be preferred over today's church.

 

[JRG39402]

The church of biblical times was relevent to their time so they were effective. We must be relevent as well, while not being unbiblical. I think we would all do well from learning from the way of the master ministry (www.wayofthemaster.com)

 

[MRCoon]

I do get tired of all the misc garbage that clutters a discuss. We obviously are not talking about microphones or air conditioning in comparing to the New Testament Church, but the actions, spirit and attitude of these first churches. I think we see a lot of the first churches in our modern times who struggle with the different issues whether it is the worldly influence as in Corinth or the loving mission minded church of Philipi.

But I personally consider myself as a follower of the NT Church example...in giving, church leadership, sending out and supporting of missionaries, the taking care of widows and orphans, evanglism, etc... I believe that the early church had to sell all the goods not neccessarily out of goodwill but out of neccessity (and God's foresight) due to persecution and the scattering of the church. Ananais and Sapphira were not required to sell all nor were punished because they did not sell all but because they lied and this showed selfishness and hypocripsy!

The early church should still be our example and as Revelations shows us we will be "judged" as these churches are judged (and yes I take it literally and figuratively).

 

[william s. correa]

yes

 

[bapmom]

I was thinking about this subject lately, and I never saw it in February for some reason.....


But wasn't the early church still learning how to do things? Weren't they trying to work out exactly what their purpose was on earth, and how they were supposed to best accomplish it? That's why all the Epistles were written, to teach them just what they were supposed to be doing.

I mean, I hear these conversations about "house churches".....it's said that that's how the NT church met, and so why do we have buildings today? Well, if you think about it, most of our churches start out as house churches, too. We just grow out of the house and get a church building eventually. How do we know that the early church didn't do the same thing? Well they did. They found rooms that would hold them all.......

I would never say to do anything the Bible says is wrong, and I'd never say go against any Bible principles. But things like where they met, or even how many elders they had, and what they called their elders, and how big their congregations grew.....I don't think any of that was set as a command. Alot of it is the development of a church that at first thought Christ was coming back any minute and they wouldn't be here long, then later realized they had better start planning for the long-term while looking for a "short-term return" of Christ.