Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

This is something quite interesting.
http://lfix.co.uk/oliver/christian/biblical_church.html

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

That article not sound in every point.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

I agree with some while others I do not. No need in expounding on which...

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

I agree with some of the things. Excellent point about "paid Pastors". I agree concerning Eldership that it should be plural whenever possible and should be male. Also on segergating children and spending money on expensive buildings.

I think above all a New Testament Church must have right foundation doctrine. It must be Oneness. They must believe Acts 2:38 is the full plan of salvation. They must teach Biblical discipleship. They must teach the commands of Jesus. How about the gifts? Certainly a mark of a real Christian group.

Any New Testament Church should teach the post tribulation rapture. Also that the dead are dead apart from the resurrection at the last day and that the wicked will be cast into the Lake of Fire and suffer the wages of sin even death.

Real New Testament Churches will also teach the headcovering/vail for Women who pray or prophesy in the Church.

The end goal of the Church is to present everyone perfect in Christ so any Church who teaches it not should not be taken seriously.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

We might be surpized...if we really went back into time...lol...

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

Yes, these are excellent points, I agree too.

Can you elaborate on what you mean by biblical discipleship?
Can you elaborate on what you mean by “teach the commands of Jesus?

LOL. Prophecy is speculatory.

Bah, legalistic banter. The point was modesty in worship, not a law. Lol

Can you elaborate on what you mean by “perfect in Christ”?

I ask these questions because my church is a network of house churches. I find people’s thoughts on this very interesting in light of experience in this area.

Thanks,

GBY!

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

Being a house Church in itself does not make a group a New Testament Church. I have been mainly in them all my Christian walk. Unless they walk in truth all they have to offer is they are smaller.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

I didn't agree with every point myself,but alot of this is valid.
Most of the Protestant church world has a post Reformation institutional mindset from that varies from the New Testament practice.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

The first thing Jesus commanded the Apostles to do after baptism was to teach his commandments to the convert.

28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matt. 28:18-20

Biblical discipleship is the walking out of these commands.

Sure. Paul put it this way.

4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Col. 4:12

Its being perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

While there are believers who are called to Oversight Giftings in the body of Christ,there is no rank structure in the church.The Five-fold ministry does not outrank the saints.
There is no clergy laity division taught in the word.
A presbytery in the bible was a group of Elders in a congregation.
Not state officials who out ranked pastors.

Re: Characteristics Of A Biblical Church.
 

I agree. We should not be quoting and citing the "church fathers" to prove Biblical points. That always leads to error.

I believe there is a justified place for some form of "hierarchy" in the church.

Small meetings that fit in a home

I would have liked for them to have provided scripture for this. I don't think they could though since there isn't any. The fact that a church that was being persecuted with death met in homes during it's beginnings doesn't suggest that church buildings are "unbiblical". That's insane. There are home churches in China too, why? Because they are persecuted. There is no particular scripture in the Bible that suggests christians should only meet in their homes, nor that meeting in a building is a bad thing. People who claim this are delusional. There's nothing more spiritual about a saint's house then a church building or a storefront. People need to get over themselves, the true church wasn't known by it's location or where they worshipped, whether it be in a storefront, a home, or a field with a tent. They were known by their APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE and the preaching of the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST.

I believe even then they had head elders. They may not have been as high regarded as they are now, but I do believe that there was one of the elders that held the majority of the responsability.

I do agree.

I agree, when home-grown leadership is available they should lead. There are times however when this may not be possible because there is no one qualified to lead. I believe insuring that those who are qualified lead is more important then picking someone who is "home grown". I also don't consider this point that important when talking about "the true church".

Male leadership only

I agree to an extent.

I do believe women can preach. I have my reservations about women pastors. I personally wouldn't sit under one, BUT that's not a salvation issue.

Agreed.

Agreed.

We cannot negate that God does have an authority structure and is a God of order.

This does not mean we cannot have a choir or praise leaders. That's stretching a concept that's not even really Biblical.

I agree.

Of course.

Yes.

Indeed.

Yes.

Yes.

Not sure. The apostolic church was young and fragmented and also persecuted, so I wonder had the persecution not been going on what it would've looked like.

Yes.

Don't see a problem with that.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

To an extent.