SPC

First Century First Century Christianity In the Christianity In the

Twenty-First Twenty-First CenturyCentury

The Work Of The Church In Evangelism

The Basis Of Authority

➡ The Need For Authority

➡ Lack Of Authority Is Punishable

➡ Source Of Authority: Heaven or Men?

How To Establish Bible Authority

➡ Direct Commands - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:15,16; Col 3:16; Eph 5:19

➡ Approved Apostolic Examples - 1 Cor 11:1; Acts 20:7

➡ Necessary Inferences - Jn 3:2; Mt 21:31,32

Evangelism Defined

➡ The term evangelize means “to bring a message...announce good news”

The Importance Of Evangelism

➡ The great problem of sin has ruined everyone’s life and leaves them in a state of hopelessness - Rom 3:23; Eph 2:1-4

➡ Salvation from sins and hope in Christ Jesus is the message we are to take to others - Rom 6:23; 2 Tim 1:8-11

➡ The gospel is the power to save - Rom 1:16

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ In the New Testament the local churches were the medium for accomplishing the work of evangelism.

➡ This is the only authorized medium of evangelism.

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ The churches of Macedonia - 2 Cor 11:8,9

➡ The church at Thessalonica - 1 Thess 1:2-8

➡ The church at Philippi - Phil 1:3-5

➡ The church at Antioch - Acts 13:1-3; 14:27-28

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ Paul desired to go to Spain and take the gospel to Europe - Rom 15:22-24

➡ He was going to accomplish this by the support of the church in Rome - Rom 1:13

The Missionary Society

➡ The work of evangelism was not accomplished through other entities and separate organizations that were greater than the local church.

The Missionary Society

InstitutioInstitutional Boardnal Board

Work To Work To Be Be

DoneDone

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ “The chief positive cause of the rapid spread and ultimate triumph of Christianity is to be found in its own absolute intrinsic worth, as the universal religion of salvation, and in the perfect teaching and example of its divine-human Founder, who proves himself to every believing heart a Saviour from sin and giver of eternal life.” (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol 2, pg 16)

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ “There is now heard from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, a general, if not universal call for a more efficient organization of our churches...our current system is comparatively inefficient and inadequate to the exigencies of the times...” (Alexander Campbell, Millennial Harbinger, February 1849)

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ “There were no missionary societies, no missionary institutions, no organized efforts in the ante-Nicene age; and yet in less than 300 years from the death of St. John the whole population of the Roman empire which then represented the civilized world was nominally Christianized...Christianity once established was its own best missionary. It grew naturally from within..” (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol 2, pg 20)

The Medium Of Evangelism

➡ Disciples of Christ (Missionary Societies) - 1,905,835 members

➡ Christian Chruch (Missionary Societies) - 750,000 members

➡ Churches of Christ (non-Missionary Societies) 2,025,000 members; 16,500 churches in every state of the union

The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

SponsoriSponsoring ng

Church/ElChurch/Eldershipdership

Work To Work To Be Be

DoneDone

The Biblical Arrangement

ChurchChurch//

EldersEldershiphip

Work To Work To Be Be

DoneDoneNeedNeed

The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

➡ What The Issue Is NOT:

➡ Whether or not evangelism ought to be done.

➡ Whether or not churches may cooperate.

The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

➡ What The Issue IS:

➡ Where is the Bible authority for churches to cooperate under such an arrangement?

➡ Where is the Scriptural authority for another organization to replace the church in its efforts of evangelism?

The Herald Of Truth

Highland Highland Church - Church - Abilene, Abilene,

TXTX

Radio/Radio/TelevisiTelevisi

onon

The One Nation Under God Campaign

SycamorSycamore Church e Church

- - CookevillCookevill

e, TNe, TN

Work To Work To Be Be

DoneDone

The Sponsoring Church Arrangement

➡ The Broadway Church in Lubbock, TX in evangelizing Germany.

➡ The Union Avenue Church in Memphis in evangelizing Japan.

➡ “In Search Of The Lord’s Way” television program in Edmond, OK

Common Arguments

➡ The End Justifies The Means

The End Justifies The Means

➡ “Look at all the good it does.”

➡ This attitude is condemned in Scripture - Rom 3:8

➡ David tried to move the ark back to Jerusalem using an unauthorized method - 2 Sam 6

Common Arguments

➡ The End Justifies The Means

➡ The Expediency Argument

The Laws Of Expediency

➡ The expedient must be lawful - 1 Cor 10:23

➡ The expedient cannot be specified

➡ The expedient must edify - 1 Cor 10:23; 14:26

➡ The expedient must not cause a brother to stumble - 1 Cor 10:32; 8:7-13

➡ An expedient cannot change a command

The Argument For Expediency

“Before arguing the ‘law of expediency’ for putting colleges in the budgets of the churches, let the authority be cited for the church to support human organizations and institutions, working through man-made boards, showing such to be lawful, and it will then be time to discuss whether it is expedient or not.”

Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Torch, August 1950

The Work Of Evangelism

➡ The local church is to support the preaching of the gospel - 2 Cor 11:9

➡ The obligation is to take the gospel into all the world - Mk 16:15

➡ The gospel is the power to save - Rom 1:16

Conclusion

• The local church is the medium by which we are to take the gospel into the world for the salvation of all mankind.

• Next Lesson: we will study the work of the church in benevolence