A Visit to a

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A Visit to a Church of Christ
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A Visit to a Church of Christ

• May see things we had not expected
• May see things that raise questions

3
A Visit to a Church of Christ

• May see cultural differences
• May see unscriptural practices

4
A Visit to a Church of Christ

• To find people who
• Recognize and respect Scriptural authority
• Worship according to the Bible pattern
• Believe in restoring the New-Testament church

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A Visit to a Church of Christ

• To find people who
• Are zealous about teaching what they believe
• Love God, His word, and one another
• Are interested in them!!

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Recognize and Respect Scriptural
Authority

• People who
• Settle things by what the Scriptures say--NOT by
  what is liked, wanted, or popular in the
  communitys view !

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Recognize and Respect Scriptural
Authority

• People who
• Strive to do only what is authorized in the New
  Testament. Colossians 317
  1 Corinthians 46 1 John 34 2 John
  19

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Recognize and Respect Scriptural
Authority

• People who
• Do not add to their faith one element for which
  there is no book, chapter, and verse
• Do not bind on others anything for which there is
  no Scriptural authority

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Recognize and Respect Scriptural
Authority

• People who
• Are not concerned with church of Christ
  doctrine, but with what the Bible says

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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament

• When we respect Gods authority, we will worship
  according to His directives.
• The question is what does God want in worship,
  not what we want or like!!

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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament

• Our worship MUST be according to truth and in
  sincerity.
• Leviticus 101-2 Hebrews 85
  John 424

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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament
Singing

• singing and making melody in your heart to the
  Lord. (Ephesians 519)
• I will sing with the spirit, and I will also
  sing with the understanding. (1 Corinthians
  1415)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament
Singing

• Raised their voice to God with one accord
  (Acts 424-31)
• Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant
  prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
  (Acts 125)

Praying
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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament
Singing

• Do this in remembrance of Me." (Luke 2219)
• Now on the first day of the week, when the
  disciples came together to break bread, (Acts
  207)

Praying
Communion
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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament

• So let each one give as he purposes in his
  heart, not grudgingly or of necessity for God
  loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 97)
• Upon the first day of the week let every one of
  you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered
  him, (1 Corinthians 162)

Singing
Praying
Communion
Giving
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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament
Singing

• Let all things be done for edification.
  (1 Corinthians 1426)
• Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.
  (1 Timothy 415-16)
• Preach the word! (2 Timothy
  42)
• Feed the flock (Acts 2028)

Praying
Communion
Giving
Teaching
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What Should Visitors Expect?
Worship That Is Patterned After the New Testament
Singing
Praying
Communion
Giving
Teaching
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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• A plea to return to the Bible
• To do Bible things in Bible ways
• To forsake man-made religions to be a part of the
  New-Testament church.

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church
Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall
enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me
in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not, and done
many wonders in Your name? And then I will
declare to them, 'I never knew you depart from
Me, you who practice lawlessness. (Matthew
721-23)
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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to
you concerning our common salvation, I found it
necessary to write to you exhorting you to
contend earnestly for the faith which was once
for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)
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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• The Organization of the Church
• Jesus as the head of the church (Ephesians
  122-23)
• Elders overseeing the flock that is among them (1
  Peter 52)
• Deacons serving (1 Timothy 310)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• The Names of the Church
• Church of Christ (Romans 1616)
• Church of God (1
  Corinthians 12)
• Church of the Firstborn (Hebrews
  1223)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• The Mission of the Church
• Evangelism (1 Timothy
  315)
• Edification (Ephesians
  416)
• Benevolence for needy saints (Acts 1129,30)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• The Mission of the Church
• Recreation (????????)
• Entertainment
  (?????????)
• Politics (?????????)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Believe in Restoring the New-Testament
Church

• The Terms of Admission
• Hear (Romans 1017)
• Believe (John 824)
• Repent (Acts 1730)
• Confess (Romans 109,10)
• Be baptized (Acts 238)
• Remain faithful (1 Corinthians 1558)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Are zealous About Teaching What They
Believe

• Zeal to love and proclaim His word (Acts 84)
• No wishy-washy half service (Matthew 633)
• Standing against error (Ephesians 511)
• An influence for good (Matthew 516)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Love God and One Another

• Our love for God is manifested in our love for
  His truth!
• Love for truthproduces love for one another. (1
  Peter 122 John 1334,35 Matthew 1230,31)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Love God and One Another

• Our love should be manifested so that it is
  visible

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Love God and One Another
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working
through love For you, brethren, have been called
to liberty only do not use liberty as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve
one another. (Galatians 56,13)
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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Love God and One Another
But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his
brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him? My little
children, let us not love in word or in tongue,
but in deed and in truth. (1 John 317,18)
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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Love God and One Another

• Jesus demonstrated His love
• He went about doing good. (Acts 1038)
• He cared for the sick. (Matthew
  1414-21)
• He showed compassion to others. (Matthew
  1532-38)
• He forgave even His enemies (Luke 2334)

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Care About Them!

• If you are a visitor WE CARE about your
  spiritual well-being!
• We are willing to answer ANY questions you may
  have and study the Bible with you!

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What Should Visitors Expect?
People Who Care About Them!

• We want you to examine what we teach and
  practice, comparing it with the Bible.
• We are genuinely concerned and have a desire to
  help you get to heaven.

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A Visit to a Church of Christ

• To find people who
• Recognize and respect Scriptural authority
• Worship according to the Bible pattern
• Believe in restoring the New-Testament church

35
A Visit to a Church of Christ

• To find people who
• Are zealous about teaching what they believe
• Love God, His word, and one another
• Are interested In them!!

36
What Should Visitors Expect?
An Invitation to Those Who Need to Obey the Gospel

• Non-Christians are invited to become Christians.
  (Mark 1616 Galatians 326,27)
• Christians in sin are encouraged to repent,
  confess, and pray (Acts 818-24 1 John 19)