If I Were Going to Start a Church


If I were going to start a church . . .

  1. I'd want to give it a proper name:
    1. My cousin just started a new company, one of the important things was what name to give the company.
    2. No matter what some might say- there IS something in a name:
      1. Do you prefer a bank to be named SouthTrust, First National, or State Bank & Trust- or do you prefer George's Bank?
      2. What about people? Names like Joshua, David, James, John, Mary, & Elizabeth are popular- but how many Judas, Ahab or Jezebel's do you know?
      3. Phil. 2:9 He was given a name above all names
      4. Heb 1:4 Jesus was given a more excellent name
    3. In the N.T., the church did not have a formal name- there was only one church, so when a person spoke of the church, everyone understood what he talking about. There are a number of references to the church- which is simply a group of Christians at a given location:
      1. In Acts it is called the church 2:47
      2. A group of churches were called the churches of Christ in Romans 16:16
      3. Called the church of God and saints in 1 Cor. 1:2
      4. Churches of Galatia in Galatians 1:2
      5. General assembly & church of the firstborn H 12:23
    4. Jesus said the church belongs to Him (Matt 16:18), so I would want the name of my church to reflect that.


  2. What shall the members of this church call themselves?
    1. Called disciples all through the book of Acts
    2. Called saints in 1 Corinthians 1:2
    3. Called saints and faithful brethren in Colossians 1:2
    4. Called Christians first at Antioch- Acts 11:26
    5. "Christian" = "one who belongs to Christ" as opposed to being identified with a man, method, or practice: Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, presbyterian


  3. I'd have strict, but consistent terms of membership:
    1. Jeremiah 31:34; Hebrews 8:11
    2. How did "Christians" and "disciples" get that name?
      1. Acts 2:41, 47 (cf. Matt. 28:18-20)
      2. Galatians 3:26-28
    3. I'd want some way to deal with unruly members -- 1 Thessalonians 5:14
      1. Titus 3:10-11
      2. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
      3. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15


  4. I'd want the worship to be acceptable to God: John 4:24
    1. Proper day:
      1. Acts 20:7
      2. Revelation 1:10
      3. John 20:19-26
      4. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
      5. Sabbath instituted
        1. no man is recorded as observing the sabbath until the wilderness journey- Exodus 16:22
        2. purpose- Ex. 20:8-11; Deut. 5:12-15
      6. Sabbath nullified- Colossians 2:13-17
    2. Proper acts
      1. Bible preaching:
        1. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
        2. 1 Peter 4:11
        3. Romans 1:16
      2. Singing just like the Lord likes it:
        1. Ephesians 5:19
        2. Colossians 3:16
      3. Observe the Lord's supper every week
        1. Acts 20:7
        2. 1 Corinthians 11:18-20
      4. Give as prospered every Sunday-
        1. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
        2. give generously and cheerfully- 2 Cor. 9:7
      5. Pray to the Father through the Son:
        1. Matthew 6- the model prayer
        2. 1 Timothy 2:5


  5. I'd want it to have the proper organization:
    1. The charge of the N.T. church was given to a plurality of men known as: Elders, Bishops, or Pastors
      1. Elder- presbuteros: Used to designate one holding the office of an elder- 1 Timothy 5:19; 1 Peter 5:1
      2. Bishop- episkopos: "one charged with seeing that things are done correctly, a curator, guardian, or superintendent." also translated "overseer"
      3. Elder used parallel with "overseers"- Acts 20:17, 28 thus, all three terms may be used interchangeably.
      4. Pastor- "poimane": Ephesians 4:11 refers to the function and nature of the office.
        1. Translated "feed" Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2
        2. Translated "shepherd" 7 times in John 10 and in 1 Peter 2:25
        3. Jesus is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls- 1 Peter 2:25 poimane and episkopos
        4. "Flock" is a derivative of "poimane": Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2
        5. Shepherding is done w/I the local flock- 1 P 5:2
    2. Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:5
    3. Many churches now operating under what they call the "Pastor system" are not doing that at all, as they are misusing the term pastor.
    4. Even if the one-man-rule system were scriptural, would it be wise?
      1. I recently heard of a church under this system that was growing by leaps and bounds, but the leader skipped town and left the church deep in debt.
      2. There is no system of checks and balances.
      3. Even Christ left the teaching of the word to the 12 and not to just one (Matt. 16:18 & 18:18)
      4. Paul was later called the apostle to the Gentiles- Gal. 2:8; Eph. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11, 4:7


There is no need to build a new church; the Lord built one just the way He wanted it. We need to make sure we are replicating the pattern given to us by the Lord.