The Reason for Church

The Reason for Church

Elvis Iverson
http://www.elvisiverson.com

The two meanings for church are; ekklesia means an assembly of people not a place, the next meaning is the word kuriakon meaning belonging to the Lord. –(1 Cor. 1:2,9)

Many think the reason for church is to be feed the Word; yes apostles are to feed the lambs, tend the sheep, feed the sheep and follow Christ, if they love the Lord. However this is not the reason for church. –(Jn. 21:15-19)

Many think the reason for church is discipleship; yes we are to disciple newborns in Christ, and all those who come to the Lord are to go through the process of discipleship nevertheless, this is not the reason for church. –(Matt. 28:19-20)

Many think the reason for church is to win as many souls you can; yes we are to win souls, and we are to know how to win souls, and we are to support the gospel ministry to the lost, and the Lord adds to the church every day on the contrary, this is not the reason for church. –(MK. 16:15-18)

Many think the reason for church is the work of the ministry; yes believers are to do the work of the ministry, and the five-fold ministry are to equipped the saints for the work of the ministry by contrast, this is not the reason for church. –(Eph. 4:11-12)

Many think the reason for church is for spiritual care from spiritual leaders and elders; yes the Lord wants and appointed spiritual elders and spiritual leaders for the spiritual care for the sheep of the congregation unfortunately, this is not the reason for church. –(Heb. 13:7,17)

Furthermore, what is the reason for church then? The reason for church is community; the church meet in the home, the church in the home and expression of the priesthood is unfolded through community. We are to fellowship, build relationships, and practice community, community in the church in the home, and community in the city church. The community of the congregation is the church in the home. Above this we are to build community among the city church of the city where we live. –(Heb. 10:24-25)

Conclusion, It is by the Blood of Christ we come together for community in the church in the home, we are consider one another, not one person cares or ministers for all, it is the one another ministry, community ministry of the church in the home to stir up love, first is love then good works, we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together in community in the church in the home, and we are to exhort one another, minister to one another, not just a few, instead community, and we are to build relationships and fellowship with one another, and the center is for equipping and the church in the home is for relationship. –(Heb. 10:24-25)

Copyright © 2008 Elvis Iverson All Rights Reserved

New Testament Giving

New Testament Giving


Elvis Iverson
http://www.elvisiverson.com

Jesus and Money, Jesus in the Four Gospel give teaching and wisdom about how we handle money, and the motive of the heart toward money. –(LK. 21:1-4, 19:11-27)

In the Window’s Two Mites Jesus saw the rich giving offerings, then he saw the poor widow that give from her heart, see the Lord is looking at our heart when we give, He cares more about the motives of our heart then our giving. –(LK. 21:1-4)

In the Parable of the Minas, our Lord shares us the power of faithfulness, and then investing and handing money. The Lord cares more about how we handle money then our giving. –(LK. 19:11-27)

In James 2 the Apostle James the Elder talks about how the Rich believers are to relate to others those of other classes of society. The Lord wants to bring reconciliation between classes of society to bring spiritual and financial change to all of society. Apostle Paul gives wisdom to believers with wealth, how there wealth can be a ministry. –(Jam. 2:1-13, 1 Tim. 6:17-19)

In the early church in the Book of Acts talks about how they give in times of financial need for brothers and sisters in Christ, but these times were only a few times. And leading on in Acts there will be times to take an offering of compassion to help believers in need, these were only special times. But it is more blessed to give then to receive. –(Acts 2:40-47,4:32-37,5:1-11, 11:27-30,20:35)

There was another special time in order to minister to the hungry believers in Jerusalem, apostle Paul took up an offering from all the churches he overseen, and minister too. This was a special time of giving, believers don’t give all the time, and they only give at special times. –(1 Cor. 16:1-4, 2 Cor. 8,9)

Most of the ministers had a trade, and don’t receive financial support, but they sometimes were rewarded with gift of honor, these were only at special times and were not always, and was not the income of most church leaders. However, it was the itinerant apostolic workers that receive more financial support, and the believers were ask to support the itinerant apostolic workers, not the local church leaders. –(1 Cor. 9:1-18, Gal. 6:6, 1 Tim. 5:17-18, I Thess. 5:12-13, Heb. 13:7-17)

However, I believe as the church progress throughout time, and even in this new reformation there is a need to support full time ministers at the local level, although I believe half will have a trade, and most will have alternative financial support, but we are to fully support the itinerant apostolic workers. –(1 Tim. 5:17-18)

However, out of the Holy Scriptures in the New Testament we can see the principle and the reason to support and finance local church leaders. Those who minister the Word and our faithful, and care for the believers, and are of the office ministry should be taking care of financially. –(1 Tim. 5:17-18, Gal. 6:6, 1 Cor. 9:1-18)

Apart from that, Apostle Paul’s teaching on giving, for those special times, come the principles of grace giving, and that giving is a Christian Practice, and a Christian principle. –(2 Cor. 8, 9)

We are giving the application of giving, which is grace giving, from Paul’s teaching comes the teaching of grace giving, that we can apply to our giving, and to walk in the power of grace giving. –(2 Cor. 8,9)

Each believer is to set aside their giving; we are to give according to as we have prospered. Then we are to giving with a willing heart, and to give the amount what we are led to give. –(1 Cor. 16:1-2, 2 Cor. 9:7)

The practice of giving is a Christian practice, and believers are to be faithful in the practice of giving, to support those in office ministry, spiritual elders, apostolic ministry, mission work, compassion ministry, and caring for those among us. –(Acts 20:35)

The Lord wants us to move in the freedom of giving, that you give from your heart, give willing, and be open to hear the Lord, not to give in bondage, instead to give with grace, grace giving. –(2 Cor. 9:7, Gal. 5:1)

Copyright © 2008 Elvis Iverson All Rights Reserved