Discussing Church 21
Most of this church’s ministry happens on Saturday. The Sunday service is for those they meet during their Wednesday evening street ministry.
Consider these four discussion questions about Church #21:
1. We turn to Hebrews 6, but as the pastor begins her message, the Holy Spirit sends her to Ephesians 4. We never make it back to Hebrews.
How much do you depend on the Holy Spirit to lead your meetings? How willingly do you follow?
2. Later, we discuss how the message applies to us. This mutual interaction is helpful, building community in the process.
What can you do to allow for more interaction to occur during church?
3. Ninety minutes later we move into worship. The first song lasts twenty minutes. I kneel in reverence and then bow in awe of God.
How often does worship cause you to bow in reverence and awe? What’s missing?
4. If you view church in a traditional manner, then we didn’t go today. If you understand church as two or more people gathered in the presence of God, then today offered much.
What are the essential elements for church to take place?
Overall, this was a great experience, and I wish more churches operated like this one.
[See the prior set of questions, the next set of questions, or start at the beginning.]
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Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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One reply on “A New Kind of Church”
Hi Peter. In response to your question regarding the essential elements to constitute church, I’d like to make some comments. First of all, I believe that Scripture lists them in Acts 2:42: They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. I interpret this to mean that they made disciples, loved on another with Christ-like love, celebrated the Eucharist and earnestly prayed together. Scripture also states that they continued to meet daily in the temple courts, in other words, they continued to worship according to their Jewish culture. I believe this “new” kind of church is actually a return to a more organic as opposed to our inherited institutional form of church.