1. Ecclesiology

2.  Prime importance of doctrine (Ac 2.42) Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Purpose: to build up believers (Ac 2.42, 11.26; 1 Cor 14.26; 2 Thess 2.5; 2 Tim 4.2)  Purpose: evangelism (Ac 4.2, 13.5, 17.2)  Participants – Men only (1 Cor 14.26-33; 1 Tim 2.12; Titus 2.3-5) The Word Prayer Singing Giving Fellowship 2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. Acts 13:5 When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. 1 Timothy 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet

3.  Prayer practiced individually  Prayer practiced corporately  Prayer led by men  Public prayer participated in by women (possibly may not have led men) The Word Prayer Singing Giving Fellowship 1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, … 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. 1 Corinthians 11:5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.

4. Both public and private singing  When cheerful (Jas 5.13)  When in prison (Ac 16.25)  As a solo in public (1 Cor 14.26)  As a congregational song (Col 3.16) The Word Prayer Singing Giving Fellowship James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Acts 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 1 Corinthians 14:26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

5.  The New Testament says more about giving than about any other single aspect of church life. (Ryrie, p. 498)  Demonstrates love for God (Jas 2.15-17; 1 Jn 3.17-18)  Represents a life given to him (2 Cor 8.5)  Should be voluntary (2 Cor 8.11- 12; 9.5),  liberal (2 Cor 8.12)  and cheerful (2 Cor 9.7)  According to one’s prosperity (1 Cor 16.2)  Cooperation between churches (Ac 11.27-30; 2 Cor 8-9) The Word Prayer Singing Giving Fellowship James 2:15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 1 John 3:17 But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 2 Corinthians 8:5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 8:11 But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. 12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. Acts 11:27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius. 29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. 30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.

6.  The early church continued in fellowship (Acts 2:42).  Common doctrinal allegiance  Willingness to share material things  The experience of Communion in the Lord’s Supper  The experience of public prayers.  In other words, all the aspects of worship constitute fellowship.  Based on 1 Corinthians 12, it may be called body life.  Based on Ephesians 2, it may just as well be called household life.  The goal is to increase the health, strength, commitment, and numbers of the body or household (Eph. 4:12–17). The Word Prayer Singing Giving Fellowship