A Church like the early Church

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ralphinal

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The claim has been made by many people that they belong to the church that is like the first Christians had. I have seen some claim that they are like them in faith and fellowship, worship and community. I have a question for any who make this claim.

Do you live together and hold everything in common, supporting widows and orphans as in Act 2:42-47? If so, how is this working and if not, did you ever try it? If not why not?

p.s. I know that this may seem like a anti-protestant fireball that I am tossing out there, but it is not. Catholics don’t do this as a group anymore, either. The religious communities still do, however, so it is still a part of the faith for some.
 
Do you celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in the synagogue on the Sabbath [Saturday] followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day [Sunday]?

Do you hear the Word of God proclaimed or a “Sermon”?

Do you receive the “Cup of Blessing that we Bless” that will cause sickness or death if “received unworthily” or do you receive a “Symbolic Communion”?

Was your pastor commissioned by a person who was commissioned by a person who was commissioned by a perso who …all the way back to the original alostles? In other words …Does your church leadership have ‘apostolic succession’?

Does you church hold to the Christian beliefs as articuated in the writtings of the early christians [some refers to them as the early church fathers]?

Does your church recognize that the first chirstians did not have a New Testament?

If so, it would really be a church like the early church!
 
A church like the early Church is one that is being persecuted.
 
Now that liturgy and persecution have been covered in the early church … here is another aspect:

Church financial support:

If you held back assets from the church; the leadership did not just ask you if you used your envelopes … you could be struck dead like Annanias and his wife [who sold their property and held back some of the proceeds from the chruch for themselves] Annanias dod not tell Peter that he [Peter] had no right to know the amount of his support to the church. Annaniaas did not say that it was “Between him and God and not any of Peter’s business”!
 
If you held back assets from the church; the leadership did not just ask you if you used your envelopes … you could be struck dead like Annanias and his wife [who sold their property and held back some of the proceeds from the chruch for themselves] Annanias dod not tell Peter that he [Peter] had no right to know the amount of his support to the church. Annaniaas did not say that it was “Between him and God and not any of Peter’s business”!
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It was not that Ananias and Saphira didn’t give all the proceeds from the sale of their property, it was that they didn’t give all the proaceeds yet claimed they had. They lied to Peter and, according to Peter, the Holy Spirit as well.
 
Ok, guys. I was looking for one thing only. Does anyone live in a commune sharing all they have together.
 
I live in a apartment and we all share food and such…thats closest I have come.😛

Just because society changes doesn’t mean Christ’s Church no longer exists.
 
My husband and I live with my daughter’s family [husband and three kids]. We bought the house together 50/50 share food, utility costs etc… That is ‘communal’ We share with our church family … our parish is over 2000 families … it would take a very large ‘commune’ in which to co-exist …

What about the ‘catholic’ Florida city that the founder of Dominos is building? Would that be a modern version of sharing all things in common … ?
 
It is so funny that so many people throw the “We are just like the early Church” and ignore this part. I know that the world has changed, but if you are really just like they were, there should be some componant of this in your church
 
The churches St Paul visits seem to be more like modern day churches though, so it looks like both options existed
 
a Church like the early Church —ooooh, you must mean a Baptist Church 👍 :clapping:
 
JMBNH said:
The churches St Paul visits seem to be more like modern day churches though, so it looks like both options existed
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You know I have always thought when reading Paul that it sounds A LOT like Pentecostal churches or heck…Publisher…a little like your church too 😉
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God. 29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32
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JMBNH said:
The churches St Paul visits seem to be more like modern day churches though, so it looks like both options existed
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Yeah, I see the similarities. The Corinthians were dealing with homosexuality, and other such vices; the Galatians were foolish (forgetting their faith); others were lacking in maturity and substance; John warned of those who were not in the Light; Ephesus abandoned its First Love; those at Pergamum clung to false teachings (among other things); Laodicea was luke-warm in her relationship toward the L-RD… and the list goes on…

I think I’d be careful of comparing my place of worship/ my lifestyle, etc. to the early church. 😉

******That which has been is that which will be,
******And that which has been done is that which will be done.
******So there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9
 
I think that one of the closest to this form might be the Hutterites who live in comunal colonies.
 
ralphinal said:
The claim has been made by many people that they belong to the church that is like the first Christians had. I have seen some claim that they are like them in faith and fellowship, worship and community. I have a question for any who make this claim.

Do you live together and hold everything in common, supporting widows and orphans as in Act 2:42-47? If so, how is this working and if not, did you ever try it? If not why not?

p.s. I know that this may seem like a anti-protestant fireball that I am tossing out there, but it is not. Catholics don’t do this as a group anymore, either. The religious communities still do, however, so it is still a part of the faith for some.
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No anti-Protestant fireball…it’s an honest question and a fair one (just like my “Do Protestants ejaculate when they pray?” question 😃 ).

I’d like to know too how biblical literalists live today…“if” they live exactly word for word how the Bible states the original community of Christians lived.

The only ones I’ve seen living like this have been the Christian extremists cults like Jim Jones and David Koresh.

I use similar tactics to force them to concede that what they criticize Catholics for doing, they’ve done as well (which is simply to admite that we all evolved spiritually so just because Catholics do things that “aren’t” in The Bible, it doesn’t make those things neccessarily secluar or unChristian).
 
:clapping:
YADA said:
Do you celebrate the Liturgy of the Word in the synagogue on the Sabbath [Saturday] followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day [Sunday]?

Do you hear the Word of God proclaimed or a “Sermon”?

Do you receive the “Cup of Blessing that we Bless” that will cause sickness or death if “received unworthily” or do you receive a “Symbolic Communion”?

Was your pastor commissioned by a person who was commissioned by a person who was commissioned by a perso who …all the way back to the original alostles? In other words …Does your church leadership have ‘apostolic succession’?

Does you church hold to the Christian beliefs as articuated in the writtings of the early christians [some refers to them as the early church fathers]?

Does your church recognize that the first chirstians did not have a New Testament?

If so, it would really be a church like the early church!
Click to expand...
 
allischalmers said:
a Church like the early Church —ooooh, you must mean a Baptist Church 👍 :clapping:
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Really?

I never remember reading The Primitive Christian Church having “podiums” as opposed to “altars” or eating crackers and drinking Welches as opposed to unleavened bread and wine.

Did they have “bands” in church back in the first century?

:confused:
 
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