From Acts 2:42-47, a living a church is a:


1. Learning Church
The early Christians devoted them to the apostles teaching

2. Fellowshipping Church
The early Christians shared things in common, gathered day by day, informally and formally.

3. Worshipping Church
They also "broke bread" referring to the Lord's Supper and fellowship centered upon Jesus Christ.

4. Evangelizing Church
The Lord added to their number day by day. It was the Lord Jesus Christ that was working through his people. Stott writes, "We simply do not share the gospel if we do not declare God's love in the gift of his Son to live our life, to die for our sins and to rise again, together with his offer through Jesus Christ, to all who repent and believe, of a new life of forgiveness and freedom, and of membership in his new society" (Living Church, 63).

5. A Holy Church
"If our life contradicts our message, our evangelism will lack all credibility. Indeed, the greatest hindrance to evangelism is lack of integrity in the evangelist" (66). Furthermore, "Worship without holiness was hateful to God" (45).

6. A Visible Church
God is seen through Creation (Psalm 19, Rom. 1:19-20), His Son (John 1:18), Our Love for one another through the local body (John 13:34-35).

7. A Sending Church
Stott observes, "Some zealous churches organize an overfull program of church-based activities. Something is arranged for every night of the week. On Monday night the committees meet, and on Tuesday night the fellowship groups. On Wednesday night the Bible study takes place, and on Thursday night the prayer meeting. Even on Friday and Saturday evenings other good causes occupy people's time and energy. Such churches give the impression that their main goal is to keep their members out of mischief! Certainly they have neither time nor opportunity to get into mischief since they are busily engaged in the church every single night of the week." (Living Church, 56) The Church must learn to avoid the two extremes of coming to church activities alone and going to people without worshiping the living God. The Church must come (Worship) and go (Evangelism) to be healthy.

Important Questions to consider in Evangelism:

1. What sorts of people live in our area? Ethnic origin, nationality, religion, culture, media preference, and work? Single parents? Families? Housing Situation?

2. Has the local area any centers of education, whether schools, colleges, adult education centers, or reading groups?

3. What places of business are found in it? Unemployment?

4. Where do people live? Do they occupy houses or flats? Own or rent?

5. Where do people congregate when they want to relax? Mall? Recreation Centers? Parks? Concert halls? Cafe? Starbucks?

6. Has the community change in the last ten years? If so, what can be forecasted in the following years?

7. What public services have their headquarters locally? Police? City Hall? Library? Other Social Services

The priority of the Church is worship. Worship (come) then becomes Mission (Go). All Christians are to partake in worshiping the living God through Jesus Christ and to be sent into the world as Christ's ambassadors. In other words, God calls out a people for himself (1 Peter 2:9-10) and sends out a people to declare his excellencies. The church must be holy (not of the world), but also engaging in the world.


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