1. Welcome! www.SunsetChurchofChrist.net
Bibles and copies of sermons are available Please silence your cell phones
Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM

2. Acts 15
Letter to the church in Antioch The division between Paul and Barnabas

3. Welcome! www.SunsetChurchofChrist.net
Bibles and copies of sermons are available Please silence your cell phones
Sunday Bible Classes 9:30 AM Worship 10:30 AM 5:30 PM Wednesday Bible Classes 7:00 PM

4. Hymns - Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another
In psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord
Ephesians 5:18b-19
Hymns
Invitation
Red Songbook -
Supplemental

5. Purpose of the Church - Offer pleasing worship
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection

6. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Eph 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

7. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Eph 4:11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

8. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Acts 2:42
Ac 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

9. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Acts 2:42
1 Timothy 3
Ac 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you……..”

10. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Acts 2:42
1 Timothy 3
Matthew 18:15-17
Mt 18:17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

11. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Acts 2:42
1 Timothy 3
Matthew 18:15-17
2 Timothy 3:16-17

12. The Church is Adequate:
- Equipping saints for service
- Offer pleasing worship
- Organizing according to the pattern
- Membership discipline
- Doctrinal purity
- Familial affection
Ephesians 4:11
Acts 2:42
1 Timothy 3
Matthew 18:15-17
Heb 13:1 ¶ Let love of the brethren continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 13:1-2

13. What is Institutionalism?
Using “devices” to accomplish church purposes - Church structure - Worship - Doctrinal purity - Spiritual family bonding - Benevolence - Edification - Evangelism
Instrument – lie detector

14. What is Institutionalism?
Using “devices” to accomplish church purposes - Church structure …………… popes and church councils - Worship ……………………………………musical instruments - Doctrinal purity……………………..creeds and catechisms - Spiritual family bonding …………………..social programs - Benevolence ………………….orphanages and rest homes - Edification ……………….…church schools and magazines - Evangelism .....…………………………...missionary societies
Discipline – inquisition and heretic hunting

15. as we generically refer to it:
Using “devices” to accomplish church purposes - Church structure …………… popes and church councils - Worship ……………………………………musical instruments - Doctrinal purity……………………..creeds and catechisms - Spiritual family bonding …………………..social programs - Benevolence ………………….orphanages and rest homes - Edification .……..……….…church schools and magazines - Evangelism .....…………………………...missionary societies
Institutionalism
as we generically refer to it:
Instrument – lie detector

16. History of Institutionalism
1880s-1900: Division on institutions - Missionary society and instrumental music - Creation of the Christian Church denomination

17. History of Institutionalism
1909 – Creation of the Tennessee Children’s Home - Created for three orphans - Purpose: Benevolence
In 1909, Tennessee Orphan Home began in Columbia, Tennessee, to meet the needs of the three Scotten children who were tragically orphaned
The Louisville Baptist Orphan’s Home (also known as the Home for Helpless Children) was the first Baptist orphanage in the United States and is the oldest continuously operating children’s home in the south. The home was founded to address the needs of a community left orphaned and impoverished by the Civil War.  The home was established in 1869 in Louisville, Kentucky

18. History of Institutionalism
1909 – Creation of the Tennessee Children’s Home 1891 – Creation of Lipscomb College - Hardeman & Abilene College 1906/7 - Purpose: Edification
In 1909, Tennessee Orphan Home began in Columbia, Tennessee, to meet the needs of the three Scotten children who were tragically orphaned
The Louisville Baptist Orphan’s Home (also known as the Home for Helpless Children) was the first Baptist orphanage in the United States and is the oldest continuously operating children’s home in the south. The home was founded to address the needs of a community left orphaned and impoverished by the Civil War.  The home was established in 1869 in Louisville, Kentucky

19. History of Institutionalism
1909 – Creation of the Tennessee Children’s Home 1891 – Creation of Lipscomb College 1930s – Church “magazines” begin advocating church support of schools and orphanages – Gospel Advocate calls for a “yellow tag of quarantine” to any church NOT supporting institutions - Creation of the “anti” title
The list goes on: "no anti need apply" in solicitations for preachers: "the closest thing to an anti church in the New Testament was "Anti-och"; fertilizer bags waved from the pulpit; "James 1:27" and/or "Galatians 6:10" printed in church ads and painted on church signs dotting the landscape. Lawsuits over property disputes, paraded across the pages of daily metropolitan newspapers for all the unbelieving world to see, while not commonplace, were not unknown.(3) Instances of fisticuffs and scuffles in the lobby were not uncommon. Carnality and ugliness abounded.

20. Point: Error of Division
This division caused devastation to churches The debate parallels modern debates: - Creation of false nicknames - Appeals based only on emotion - Refusal to permit disagreement History repeats itself because of an evil pattern
Point – most of us do not appreciate why brethren in the 70s and 80s were so forceful in preaching on this. But they had just witnessed an enormous collapse of the church

21. Genesis 3:1-6
Step 1 – Lessen the Sinfulness of Sin with a Lie This sin is not as bad as it seems Step 2 – Word Switch Call it “knowledge” instead of Sin Step 3 – Malign the Righteous God does not want you to know Step 4 – Get You to Live With It

22. The church alone cannot do this work
Genesis 3:1-6
Step 1 – Lessen the Sinfulness of Sin with a Lie This sin is not as bad as it seems Step 2 – Word Switch Call it “knowledge” instead of Sin Step 3 – Malign the Righteous God does not want you to know Step 4 – Get You to Live With It
The church alone cannot do this work

23. Genesis 3:1-6 The church alone cannot do this work
Step 1 – Lessen the Sinfulness of Sin with a Lie This sin is not as bad as it seems Step 2 – Word Switch Call it “knowledge” instead of Sin Step 3 – Malign the Righteous God does not want you to know Step 4 – Get You to Live With It
The church alone cannot do this work
Fellowship Halls, Benevolence Funds

24. Genesis 3:1-6 The church alone cannot do this work
Step 1 – Lessen the Sinfulness of Sin with a Lie This sin is not as bad as it seems Step 2 – Word Switch Call it “knowledge” instead of Sin Step 3 – Malign the Righteous God does not want you to know Step 4 – Get You to Live With It
The church alone cannot do this work
Fellowship Halls, Benevolence Funds
“Antis” hate orphans & spreading the Gospel

25. Genesis 3:1-6 The church alone cannot do this work
Step 1 – Lessen the Sinfulness of Sin with a Lie This sin is not as bad as it seems Step 2 – Word Switch Call it “knowledge” instead of Sin Step 3 – Malign the Righteous God does not want you to know Step 4 – Get You to Live With It
The church alone cannot do this work
Fellowship Halls, Benevolence Funds
“Antis” hate orphans & spreading the Gospel
Extreme liberalism causes a softening to error

26. History Repeats Itself
Today we still struggle with institutionalism - Churches supporting organizations - Churches turning to alternate ways to work - Churches creating “conservative” organizations ALL by churches who identify as “non-institutional”
Examples:
Churches having social engagements on facebook
Churches support groups who do evangelism (In Search of the Lord’s Way) and
Churches using paypal for website donations
Churches creating preaching schools

27. How Can We Stand Firm?
By believing that we are thoroughly equipped 2 Timothy 3:16-17 By examining all changes to the patterns Hebrews 13:8 By acknowledging that truth is always a minority Matthew 7:13-14