Forgotten Church

Forgotten Church Review!

–Nicene Creed

1) Worship and the Sacraments Q: What were the two main elements of a worship service in the Early Church on Sunday morning? (Hint: not baptism)

Baptism in the Life of the Church First- the church is a covenant community. We have been brought into a relationship with God that is established by him, and therefore into relationship with each other.

Baptism as a Pledge For those who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore have been brought into those relationships, Baptism acts as a pledge flowing out from a new, clean conscious A pledge to live the Christian life unto God (in repentance, in obedience, in community…)

Therefore, baptism acts much like a wedding ring does for married people. You can be married without a ring. You can be saved without baptism. The pledge helps you guard your commitment to live in the relationship that you have been brought into. Q: How can this be of practical help in your spiritual life? Baptism represents our death to sin and new life in Jesus Christ that came with our salvation. Because they viewed baptism as a public pledge, the Early Church expected some new converts to go through some level of teaching in basic beliefs. Q: Why? Was everyone always expected to take a class? Should we expect the same for all people?

Baptism in the life of the Church In light of all this, what does baptism provide for members of the local church?

Worship: The Word and the Lord’s Supper The Early Church celebrated the Lord’s Supper in response to the preaching of God’s word. In this covenant community, the Lord’s Supper was offered to those who had publicly pledged their commitment to the Christian life (and therefore identified themselves with the church). The Lord’s Supper acted as a way to renew that pledge. When the word of God convicted, the Lord’s Supper provided an oppurunity to repent. Q: How does having such an oppurunity to renew and repent help your spiritual life? What about the life of the whole church congregation?

The Lord’s Supper In Didache, we saw that the Lord’s Supper was also set in the midst of a celebration known as “Eucharist” (what did this mean?). Q: What attitude did this reflect for them? To what? What is the significance of celebrating the Supper on Sunday (according to Justin Martyr)? When the Word of God inspired, declared the love of God, and put forth his promises, this time gave an opportunity to respond in a very reflective yet thankful way.

The Lord’s Supper Q: So, how would regular communion aid in your spiritual life? How would the Lord’s Supper affect the life of the whole church congregation?

The Sacraments The sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, draw our minds and hearts back to Christ,to his death, to our commitment to him, to each other, reminding us to live in repentance and worship him as we hope and long for his promises. The Holy Spirit uses these activities to grow us in our Christian walk, to be more like Christ.

Leadership and the Church Q: What were the different offices established by the Apostles for leading local church congregations? Ignatius wrote to early churches instructing them on submitting to the bishop (head elder) of their church. Q: Why? (There were two specific problems)

Leadership in the Church Ignatius pointed to many examples of submissions to leadership for the Church, such as God the Son submitting to the Father, the Apostles submitting to Christ, etc. The elders (presbyters) were to be united to their own bishop (as strings to a lyre). The bishop was to be honored as God, just as the one who managed a house would be honored as the owner himself. Those who left the church (out of opposition or disunity) were doing so out of arrogance, not humility.

Leadership and the Church This idea of submitting to others who God has put over us doesn’t sit comfortably with our individual centered, rights focused culture. Q: Why do you need to be submissive to leaders in your life? Why are they there? Q: How does our view of leadership demonstrate our view of God?

One “catholic” church: Catholic (καθολικος)- all/according to all Irrenaus taught that there was a rule (measurement) of faith/truth for the Church. This measurement demonstrated what the true Church of Jesus Christ stood together on. It includes many essential areas of doctrine.

One “catholic” Church The truths that were taught by the rule transcended cultures and countries, being believed by all who were truly part of the Church. Whether being able to speak on these doctrines more or only understanding them simply, they could not be changed in their basic meaning.

One “catholic” Church Vincent of Lérins later asked the question how we could know who was rightly interpreting Scripture. While we believe that Scripture alone is our authority for truth, Vincent helps us realize that we can misconstrue it, and that we must learn from others how to correctly interpret.

“Everywhere, always, by all” One “catholic” Church Vincent shows us that proper understanding of essential bible truths must agree with what has been taught- “Everywhere, always, by all” Q: What were some of the scenarios of disagreement that he used this method for?

One “catholic” Church While having doctrinal opinions and teaching matters and can help you to grow, focusing on the main things that the church has always agreed upon, the core doctrines of the faith, unites us together. Q: How can understanding the core basics well help to enrich and protect your spiritual life? Q: How does knowing the core basics help in unity in the Global/catholic Church? How should it help with church accountability?

One “catholic” church Q: Let’s bring some of these ideas together- how does understanding the “catholic” faith believed everywhere always by all, affect our baptismal pledge to live the Christian life? Q: What are the “catholic” (practiced everywhere, always, by all) basics of church? We can often emphasize personal individual time in spiritual growth/reading Scripture, whereas other groups focus on only corporate spiritual disciplines and Scripture reading. Q: For those of us who have been taught to read the Bible for ourselves, how might Vincent’s definition of “catholic” caution us about only reading in isolation? So, what can you do? Q: For those who have not been taught to read Scripture for ourselves, how does his definition help warn us against falling prey to incorrect interpretation or added dogma?