I am more and more convinced that we should not be looking for anything new. Our attempts to do so were and continue to be devastating. I am more and more convinced that we have gotten spiritually lazy and intellectually prideful and that we must go back to what the original apostles thought. In that we will find the orthodoxy of the church; in that we will find the right believe and function of the church.

What Should Be the Church Focus?

         The church rest in one revelation, “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:15-16 (KJV) The focus is Christ! Paul said it this way, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” First Corinthians 1:18-24 (KJV) We must love one another[1] and lift up our Lord Jesus Christ[2] as keys to evangelism.

What Should Be Our Vision?

When the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matthew 28:16-20 (KJV)

         Our vision is found in the Great Commission. There is no other vision given to the church. Our vision is 1) to evangelize the world, 2) to teach all that Jesus command and 3) to teach how to abide in all that Jesus commands. Jesus gave us a summary of the whole law by telling us to love God above all things and love our neighbor as we love ourselves.[3] As we read through the red letters in the Bible we see how this summary looks like. The Church MUST focus it’s teaching on these things. As it refers to the part that speaks about how to abide in these commands, the church must come together as a family  to share each other’s lives for a practical application.

What is the Church Modus Operandi?

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42 (KJV)

         There is no other formula; there is no other way. A church must 1) remain faithfully in the teachings of the apostles. After teaching the commands of Jesus, the focus should be on the doctrine of the apostles. The doctrine of the apostles is not a new way; it flows directly out of the commands of Jesus. Jesus said it this way, “…If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 (KJV) Our freedom depends on remaining in God’s Word (LOGOS). Jesus also said, as he quoted the Old Testament, “…Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 (KJV). The word here is Rhema, the revelation of the Logos. Our lives depend on this. We can’t take His Word (Logo/Rhema) lightly. 2) A church MUST have true fellowship, not just a Sunday Service. True fellowship involves the breaking of bread together. As I said many times, if we do not eat in each other’s homes, we are playing church; it is not real! We are not called to have services, that is a man’s invention, we are called to have fellowship. 3) A Church MUST pray! Did Jesus not state that his house must be called a house of prayer?[4]

         Beloved, this is the church; this is the church’s focus, the vision and the modus operandi.

[1] John 13:35

[2] John 12:32

[3] Luke 10:27

[4] Matthew 21:13