VISION: OVERVIEW

The vision of our network is to start, strengthen, and multiply churches—building up the church in four categories: (1) in homes, (2) in cities, (3) in regions, and (4) throughout the world.

Why those four categories? The authors of the New Testament use the word church (using the singular form of the Greek word ekklesia) to describe four assemblies or groupings of Christians. It can refer to:

• Category 1 of the Church: Christians who meet in homes (Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Philem. 2)

• Category 2 of the Church: Christians throughout a city (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:1)

  The historic marks of the church (per, for example, Luther and Calvin) are (1) the right teaching of the Word of God and (2) the administration of the sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper). These two marks signal that a gathering of believers constitutes a local church—both in homes and in citywide gatherings.

• Category 3 of the Church: Christians in a region (Acts 9:31)

• Category 4 of the Church: all the people of God in heaven and/or on earth, for whom Jesus died (Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 5:25) (See Grudem, Systematic Theology, 1,051–1,052)

The following verses highlight the public and private dynamic of the first-century gatherings:

• “Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts.” (Acts 2:46)

• “Every day in the temple, and in various homes, they continued teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.” (Acts 5:42)

• “You know that I did not hesitate to proclaim anything to you that was profitable and to teach you publicly and from house to house.” (Acts 20:20)

Not public gatherings of the church OR private gatherings of the church, but public gatherings of the church AND private gatherings of the church. Both are essential for the body of Christ.

VISION: DETAILED EXPLANATION

This holistic vision for the church is not new. Jesus led his apostles and the rest of the first-century church to start, strengthen, and multiply churches throughout the world. However, the church’s priorities and practices unfolded over decades.

The first-century churches began simply. From the beginning of the church, Christians met in house churches AND in citywide, public gatherings (Acts 2:46; 5:42; Acts 20:20; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 1:2).

Over time, these churches developed into complex networks—with churches like the ones in Jerusalem, Antioch, and Ephesus serving entire regions for the purposes of starting and strengthening churches.[1]

With these categories in mind, we utilize the following terms to clarify and organize our network’s activities: (1) House Churches, (2) Citywide Churches, and (3) Regional Churches. God’s people meet in both public and private settings to study God’s Word, pray, minister to one another, and to sing. And both settings are essential, as each context provides unique advantages.

1. House Churches

House churches are the places where God’s people experience community more intimately. Homes are ideal, for example, for taking the Lord’s supper in the context of meals, and applying God’s Word in ways that are more attuned to individuals’ needs. At their best, house churches serve as the primary mechanisms for evangelizing and discipling those in the surrounding community. These churches naturally gather in clusters based on geography or other factors.

2. Citywide Churches

Citywide gatherings of Christians also have unique advantages. In larger, public meetings, leaders can more efficiently cast vision, organize people, and teach God’s Word. Also, nothing symbolizes the unity of the body of Christ better than when God’s people gather together in public settings to hear God’s Word, to pray, and to sing.

With these first two categories in mind, we think it wise to gather on Sunday mornings (or other days and times) to equip men and women to lead in house churches. And we gather in homes on Sunday evenings to take the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal, study the Word, pray to God, minister to others, and sing to God—which are all held together by our fellowship with God and one another. Like the churches of the first-century, every church that follows this model is a (citywide) church of (house) churches.

3. Regional Churches

Regional churches are themselves citywide churches, but they lead other citywide churches throughout their region and the world. They do not necessarily lead through their positional authority. Instead, they lead primarily through their ability to cast vision and provide resources (whether financial, educational, or otherwise) for other citywide churches and house churches. That is precisely the way the first-century churches in Jerusalem and Rome, for example, functioned: those churches consisted of multiple house churches (category #1), in their respective cities (category #2), with significant influence in their regions (category #3) and the world (category #4).

The Practices of Church Networks

What activities create, strengthen, and multiply churches? They include:

• strengthening individual churches through teaching the Word of God, praying to God, and striving for personal and corporate holiness

• identifying regions, cities, and neighborhoods that need new churches

• equipping and sending men and women to proclaim and explain the gospel (for example, through neighborhood Bible studies)

• gathering new believers into house churches for their edification

• bringing together multiple house churches in citywide gatherings for the purposes of equipping leaders, encouragement, and prayer

• leveraging the giftedness and resources of regional churches to start and strengthen citywide churches

• developing and appointing elders to lead new and existing churches

• partnering between regional, citywide, and house churches (in varying combinations) with similar visions. This could take the form of shared training sessions, gathering together for prayer, and co-financing new church plants.

Until Jesus returns, those priorities remain for his church. And that includes networking with like-minded leaders to advance Jesus’s mission for the church.

Again, the unifying vision of our network is to start, strengthen, and multiply churches—building up the church in four categories: (1) in homes, (2) in cities, (3) in regions, and (4) throughout the world. We partner together to pursue that global vision—for the love of the world, the edification of God’s people, and the glory of God.

[1] See Jeff Reed’s chapter “The Churches of the First Century: From Simple Churches to Complex Networks” in The Encyclicals: A Global Return to “The Way of Christ and His Apostles.”

MISSION: OVERVIEW

Jesus issued his Great Commission to his disciples (and therefore to all Christians) in no less than seven main passages of Scripture: Matthew 28:18–20; Mark 13:10; 14:9; Luke 24:44–49; John 20:21–23; Acts 1:8; 26:16–18. How can we summarize and integrate these passages?

The Old Testament Scriptures pointed to and were fulfilled in Jesus (Luke 24:44–45). God the Father sent Jesus into the world and gave Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18; John 20:21). Based on these great truths, Jesus commissioned the church to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), which is the heart of the Great Commission.

By the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; John 20:22; Acts 1:8), we must:

• go into all the world, to all nations (Matt. 28:19; John 20:21; Acts 26:17);

• proclaim Jesus’s death and resurrection, which is the gospel (Mark 13:10; 14:9; Luke 24:46, 48; Acts 1:8, 26:16);

• proclaim repentance (turning from sins), trust, and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’s name (Luke 24:47; John 20:23; Acts 26:18);

• baptize new believers in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19); and

• teach all believers to obey Jesus’s commands (Matt. 28:20).

Viewed collectively, that is the mission of the church—what Jesus sends us to do. Jesus is present with us to guide and empower us as we pursue his mission, until the end of the age (Matt. 28:20).

MISSION: DETAILED EXPLANATION

There are not multiple commissions from Jesus. There is one commission from Jesus, which he revealed to his disciples at different times, at different places, and with different emphases.

A mission is a task or objective, or something we are sent to do. Jesus’s mission for the church is what he sends us into the world to do—to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). How wonderful it would be if all Christians embraced that mission for their lives! As we will see, there is much to say about making disciples of Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, who received universal authority from his Father, we do not have the freedom to determine the mission for our lives. Instead, we must align ourselves with his mission for his people, not to ask him to bless us in our self-centered pursuits.

We organize and discuss the Great Commission passages below based on the books of the Bible in which they appear: (1) Matthew, (2) Mark, (3) Luke, (4) John, and (5) Acts. The goal of this lesson is not to study each passage in detail. Instead, our goal is to gain a comprehensive overview of Jesus’s mission. With that in mind, we conclude this lesson by summarizing the mission of the church.

1. Matthew: Make Disciples of All Nations

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18–20)

The resurrected Jesus revealed to his disciples his universal authority, which he received from God the Father (v. 18). The central command in this passage is to make disciples [followers of Jesus] of all nations (v. 19). Going into the world (v. 19), baptizing new believers (v. 19), and teaching all believers everything Jesus commanded (v. 20) are necessary parts of the process.

2. Mark: Proclaim the Gospel to all Nations

• “And it is necessary that the gospel be preached to all nations.” (Mark 13:10)

• “Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done [anointing Jesus with perfume] will also be told in memory of her.” (Mark 14:9)

In broadest terms, the gospel is the good news that God has intervened to save his people (Isa. 40:9–11; 52:7–10; 61:1–3). That is the banner that flies across his pursuit of sinful humanity. More narrowly, the gospel is the good news that God has intervened to save his people through Jesus Christ (Mark 1:1). At the beginning of Jesus’s earthly ministry, he said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). But when Jesus spoke the words recorded in Mark 13:10 and 14:9, his disciples did not understand “the gospel” as it would unfold. Soon enough, they came to understand the blazing center of the gospel: the good news that God intervened to save sinners through Jesus’s death and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1–4). That is the good news we proclaim in all the world.

3. Luke: Proclaim Jesus’s Death and Resurrection, Repentance, and Forgiveness

44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, 47 and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high.” (Luke 24:44–49)

Jesus appeared to his disciples to prove his resurrection (Luke 24:36–43). The Old Testament pointed to and was fulfilled in Jesus, which he enabled his disciples to understand (vv. 44–45). Scripture predicted that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day (v. 46). Scripture also predicted the proclamation of “repentance for forgiveness of sins” in Jesus’s name to all nations (vv. 47–48)—all by the power of the promised Holy Spirit (v. 49).

4. John: Sent by Jesus, Empowered by the Spirit, Granting Forgiveness

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:21–23)

The resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples and greeted them with peace. Just as God the Father sent Jesus into the world, so Jesus sends his disciples into the world (v. 21; 17:18; see Matt. 28:19). At this point, the (partial) gift of the Spirit and Jesus’s teaching about forgiveness foreshadowed and clarified how the mission would proceed—by the power of the Spirit and with a view toward granting forgiveness (vv. 22–23; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).

5. Acts: Serve and Witness to Jesus by the Holy Spirit

• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

• “16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16–18)

Before Jesus ascended to the Father, he predicted the coming of the Spirit, who would empower the disciples to witness to Jesus’s death and resurrection—witnessing from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). After Jesus ascended, he appeared to Saul (later known as the apostle Paul) to appoint him “as a servant and a witness” of what he had seen and would see of Jesus (26:16). Jesus was sending him to the Jews and the gentiles “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (vv. 17–18).

GOALS: OVERVIEW

The Apostolic Cycle is a framework that summarizes how the resurrected and reigning Jesus led his apostles and the rest of the church during the first thirty years of the New Testament church. Therefore, it helps us align ourselves to Jesus’s leadership in our day. More specifically, it summarizes the apostles’ core commitments, goals, and activities in the book of Acts.

At least seven core commitments (or priorities) undergirded and saturated every part of the apostolic cycle—such their commitments to the Word of God and prayer. These core commitments translated into concrete activities that were never compartmentalized in the life of the first-century church. For example, prayer was not merely a part of the process of commissioning leaders; it was related to each part of the Apostolic Cycle.

Based on Jesus’s supernatural authority, presence, and guidance, he led his apostles and the rest of the church to pursue three main goals to advance his mission: (1) to reach non-Christians with the gospel, (2) to strengthen Christians in community, and (3) to develop leaders to start and strengthen churches. These ongoing, mutually reinforcing goals are most evident in the book of Acts, as we observe the apostles’ words and actions over three decades of ministry.

GOALS: DETAILED EXPLANATION

See here for a more detailed diagram and description of The Apostolic Cycle.

1. Core Commitments: The early Christians were committed to the triune God of the Bible—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and they seek to honor each person of the Trinity as outlined in Scripture.[1] In light of God’s supreme worth and authority, Christians commit themselves to the Word of God, prayer and fasting, the mission of Jesus Christ (which is to make disciples of all nations), personal holiness, using our spiritual gifts for the strengthening of the church, and praise and thanksgiving.

These core commitments translated into concrete activities that were never compartmentalized in the life of the first-century church. For example, prayer was not merely a part of the process of commissioning leaders; it was related to each part of the Apostolic Cycle. The apostles led the church to engage in no less than five activities for each of the three goals.

2. Based on Jesus’s supernatural authority, presence, and guidance, he led his apostles and the rest of the church to pursue three main goals to advance his mission: (1) to reach non-Christians with the gospel, (2) to strengthen Christians in community, and (3) to develop leaders to start and strengthen churches. These ongoing, mutually reinforcing goals are most evident in the book of Acts, as we observe the apostles’ words and actions over three decades of ministry. For example, the apostle Paul followed this general pattern of ministry that reflected his underlying goals:

• he proclaimed the gospel in new regions (particularly urban centers),

• he gathered new believers into Christian communities,

• he appointed elders to lead these communities, and

• he strengthened the communities through his personal visits, by writing them letters (such as Romans and 1 Corinthians), and by sending them his ministry partners.

As these communities became established in the faith, they birthed new leaders, new initiatives, and new churches—thereby moving the cycle forward.[2]

3. The apostles led the church to engage in no less than five activities for each of the three goals.

In order to reach non-Christians with the gospel, the church (1) contacted target audiences in a wide variety of settings (such as synagogues, marketplaces, and homes), (2) proclaimed God’s work in and through Jesus (focusing on Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and exaltation to the right hand of God as Lord, Christ, and Savior), (3) called for people to repent and trust in Jesus, (4) baptized new believers, and (5) incorporated new believers into Christian communities (local churches in private and public settings).[3]

In order to strengthen Christians in community, the church (1) took the Lord’s Supper (in the context of an extended fellowship meal), (2) studied the apostles’ teaching (first their oral teaching and later their written letters), (3) prayed together regularly, (4) ministered to others (including addressing physical needs, encouraging others, bearing one another’s burdens, and, when necessary, exercising church discipline), and (5) sang to God.[4]

In order to develop leaders to start and strengthen churches, the church (1) identified emerging leaders (those who were faithful and teachable), (2) trained leaders (through formal instruction and on-the-job training), (3) commissioned leaders (including elders, deacons, and missionaries), (4) supported leaders (through financial giving, encouragement, and prayer), and (5) reconvened leaders (to report and reflect on their ministry activities, and to plan their next set of actions).[5]

These are not the only activities of the church, but the fifteen activities listed above reflect most of the ongoing, cyclical functions of the church.

4. The Apostolic Cycle is directly transferable across cultures and across time. Why? These commitments, goals, and activities are (1) repeated in the book of Acts, (2) presented in a positive light, and (3) affirmed in other portions of Scripture.

Based on Jesus’s authority and commands as recorded in Scripture:

• We adopt the apostles’ commission from Jesus (to make disciples of all nations).

• We adopt the apostles’ core commitments (such as the Word of God, prayer, and thanksgiving to God).

• We adopt the apostles’ goals (saturating regions with the gospel, strengthening Christians in community, and developing leaders to start and strengthen churches).

• We adopt the apostles’ activities (such as baptizing new believers and commissioning leaders).

• We adopt the apostles’ evangelistic message (that Jesus died to atone for sins, was raised from the dead, now reigns at the right hand of God, and will return in judgment).

• We adopt the apostles’ teachings to define the nature of Christian maturity.

In each of these areas, churches must pattern their ministries after the apostles’ ministries.

5. However, ministry methods will vary. A method is a particular way of accomplishing a task. As it relates to the Apostolic Cycle, knowing which methods to use requires the wise application of biblical truths in unique settings and with unique people. There are different methods for accomplishing clear, biblical mandates in Scripture, and these methods (or unique approaches) include:

• How we make initial contact with target audiences (such as serving others within our neighborhoods or addressing university students in public forums).

• Which resources we use explain the gospel to non-Christians, to establish new believers in the faith, and to train leaders.

• What songs we sing, which are set to certain types of music.

Our theology must drive and shape our ministry methods, and therefore not all ministry methods are equally valid or effective. For example, many training materials poorly represent the apostles’ teaching on the nature of the gospel or life in Christian community, and many worship songs are superficial at best and distorted at worst. Additionally, not every method is well-suited for a given target audience or context, and therefore our methods must be flexible. For example, while the core truths of the Bible never change, the way we approach sharing them with an orthodox Jew or a postmodern atheist will almost certainly have unique emphases. What is critical to recognize is that the Bible directs us to certain tasks (including prayer, teaching the Word, and proclaiming the one, true gospel) that find unique expressions among God’s people.[6]

6. The Apostolic Cycle provides a framework for discussion among church leaders:

For each of the core commitments, how do we want it to be expressed in our churches?

• The Triune God of the Bible (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)

• The Word of God

• Prayer and Fasting

• The Mission of the Church: To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ

• Personal Holiness

• Spiritual Gifts

• Praise and Thanksgiving

For each of the activities that contribute to saturating our region with the gospel, how can we implement it (including reaching our congregants’ family members and friends)?

• Contact Target Audiences

• Proclaim the Gospel

• Call People to Repent and Trust in Jesus

• Baptize New Believers

• Incorporate New Believers in Communities

For each of the activities that contribute to strengthening Christians in community, how can we implement it in our churches?

• Take the Lord’s Supper (ideally in the context of fellowship meals)

• Study the Word

• Pray Together

• Minister to Others

• Sing to God

For each of the activities that contribute to developing leaders to start and strengthen churches, how can we implement it in our churches?

• Identify Emerging Leaders

• Train Leaders

• Commission Leaders

• Support Leaders

• Reconvene Leaders

How can we partner with like-minded churches to multiply and strengthen our churches?

Once leaders make decisions in each of these areas, the process of implementing, assessing, and evaluating their decisions begins—leading them to modify existing plans and/or create new plans.

[1] For an excellent introduction to the theology of the book of Acts see Patrick Schreiner’s The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts.

[2] For more information on the apostles’ goals, see Reed, Acts: Keys to the Establishment and Expansion of the First-Century Church; ibid., Leaders and the Early Church; Schnabel, Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies, and Methods, 209–255; Ott and Wilson, Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication, 153–301.

[3] For more information on evangelism in the first-century church, see Green, Evangelism in the Early Church; Keown, Discovering the New Testament: An Introduction to Its Background, Theology, and Themes (Volume II, The Pauline Letters), 454–506; Reed, “Kerygmatic Communities” in The Encyclicals: A Global Return to “The Way of Christ and His Apostles”; ibid., “Church-based Missions: Creating a New Paradigm” in The Paradigm Papers: New Paradigms for the Postmodern Church; Schnabel, Acts, 127–129; ibid.; Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies, and Methods, 155–208, 256–373.

[4] For more information on strengthening Christians in community, see Bock, A Theology of Luke and Acts: God’s Promised Program, Realized for All Nations, 303–332; Ferguson, The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today; Peterson, “The Worship of the New Community” in Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts.; Reed, Pauline Epistles: Strategies for Establishing Churches; ibid., Understanding the Essentials of Sound Doctrine; ibid., “The Churches of the First Century” in The Encyclicals: A Global Return to “The Way of Christ and His Apostles.”

[5] For more information on developing leaders, see Hesselgrave, Planting Churches Cross-Culturally; Reed, “Church-based Leadership Training: A Proposal,” “Church-based Theological Education: Creating a New Paradigm,” and “Church-based Leadership: Creating a New Paradigm” in The Paradigm Papers: New Paradigms for the Postmodern Church.

[6] For more information on ministry methods, see Dever & Alexander, How to Build a Healthy Church: A Practical Guide for Deliberate Leadership; Terry & Payne, Developing a Strategy for Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Cultural Introduction.

The book of Acts records eight missionary sermons—five to Jews and three to Gentiles (Acts 2:14–36, 38–40; 3:12–26; 4:8–12, 19–20; 5:29–32; 10:28–29, 34–43, 47; 13:16–41, 46–47; 14:15–17; 17:22–31).[1]

Studying these sermons is one of the most effective ways to clarify and preserve the message we proclaim to non-Christians, so they can be reconciled to God. But the apostles also taught these truths to strengthen Christians, and therefore Christ-centered preaching must always remain central in the life of the church (Rom. 1:15; 1 Cor. 2:2; 1 Thess. 2:2; 1 Pet. 1:18–21; Rev. 1:5).

The following statements summarize the main themes in the apostles’ missionary sermons.

1. God is the Creator, Lord, Provider, Lawgiver, and Judge of all people and things (Acts 10:28, 34–35; 14:15–17; 17:24–31; see Matt. 19:4; Luke 1:46–47; John 1:17; Rom. 1:20, 25; 2:2–11; Heb. 11:3; James 1:17; 4:12; 1 John 5:2–3; Rev. 4:11).[2]

2. God fulfilled his promises in the Old Testament in Jesus’s arrival on earth, ministry, death, resurrection, and exaltation, and, after Jesus’s ascension to God, in the arrival and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Son of Abraham, the Son of Moses, the Son of David, and, most profoundly, the Son of God (Acts 2:16­–21, 25–31, 33–35; 3:18, 21–26; 4:11; 10:43; 13:17–26, 32–37, 40–41, 47; see Matt. 5:17; Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:46; Rom. 1:1–2; 3:21; Heb. 1:1–2; 1 Pet. 1:10–12).

3. God performed miracles through Jesus that attested to Jesus’s divine identity (Acts 2:22; 3:12–13, 16; 4:9–10; 10:37–39; see Matt. 8:8–9, 16–17; John 3:2; Heb. 2:4).

4. According to God’s plan and foreknowledge, he delivered up Jesus to be killed on a cross by sinful men to atone for sins, and God raised him from the dead to vindicate him (Acts 2:23–24, 32, 36; 3:13–15, 17, 26; 4:10, 19–20; 5:30, 32; 10:36, 39–41; 13:27–31; 17:31; see Matt. 26:39; John 3:14; Rom. 3:21–26; 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:1–4; 1 Pet. 1:18–20; 1 John 2:1–2).

5. God exalted Jesus to his right hand as Lord, Christ, and Savior (Acts 2:33, 36; 3:20; 5:31; 10:36; see Matt. 22:41–46; 26:64; John 6:61–62; 20:17; Eph. 1:20–23; Phil. 2:9–11; Heb. 1:3).

6. God will send Jesus back to earth to judge all people, at which time all things will be restored (Acts 3:20–21; 10:42, 17:31; see Matt. 25:31–34; John 5:27; 14:1–3; 2 Thess. 1:5–10; Rev. 19:11–16).

7. Those who hear must repent (turn away from sin) and trust in Jesus in order to receive God’s gifts of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit. New believers are baptized to express their faith in Jesus (Acts 2:38–40; 3:16, 19–20, 26; 4:12; 5:31–32; 10:43, 47; 13:38–39; 14:15; 17:30; see Mark 1:15; John 3:16; 20:31; Gal. 2:16; 1 Thess. 1:9).

See “Evangelism Training” below for more information.

[1] See Schnabel, Acts, 127–129; idem., Paul the Missionary, 155–208; Schreiner, Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters, 12–15, 23–25, 26–28, 33–35.

[2] When addressing groups of people who lacked a basic knowledge of the Bible (including the Bible’s teaching about creation, humanity’s sin, and judgment), the apostle Paul began by proclaiming truths about God the Father—such as God as the Creator, the Lord, and the Provider. Without categories like these in place, truths about Jesus Christ (including his death, resurrection, and ascension to God) make little sense. However, when speaking to Jews or God-fearing Gentiles (such as Cornelius in Acts 10), the apostles moved quickly to how God fulfilled his promises in the Old Testament in the life and ministries of Jesus.

DOCTRINE: OVERVIEW

The New Testament uses diverse language to communicate that there is an identifiable body of truth that God wants his people to know, love, and obey.[1]

For example:

• In Matthew 28:20, Jesus commissioned his disciples to teach believers to obey “everything I have commanded you.”

• In Acts 2:42, the early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”—first their oral teaching and later their written letters.

• In 2 Tim. 1:14, the apostle Paul charged Timothy: “Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

• In 2 Tim. 2:2, Paul taught: “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

• In Titus 2:1, Paul instructed Titus “to proclaim things consistent with sound doctrine [or sound teaching].”

• In Heb. 5:12, the author refers to “the basic principles of the oracles of God.”

• In Jude 3, Jude appeals to his readers “to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.”

While these verses have unique contexts and emphases, this much is clear: in the Scriptures God has revealed what he expects of us. And, as part of our obedience, we must pass on these truths both to our current generation and to the next.

DOCTRINE: DETAILED EXPLANATION

What is this body of teaching that we are supposed to receive, embrace, obey, and pass on to others? What is sound doctrine?

First, sound doctrine emerges from the Bible—from specific words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and larger sections of Scripture. We read individual passages in light of the Bible’s entire storyline, and we read the Bible’s entire storyline in light of individual passages. Down through the ages, that is how the people of God spiral in on his truth. And that is why, for example, our curriculum focuses on studying individual passages of Scripture—to teach the people of God how to interpret and apply the Bible as God revealed it to us.

Second, sound doctrine includes teaching about topics like these: the Bible, God the Father, humanity, sin and judgment, Jesus Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, the future, and the nature of righteous living before God. We resist the tendency to minimize any of the central doctrines of the Christian faith.

Third, sound doctrine, by the grace of God, informs and transforms every part of our being—our desires, values, thoughts, commitments, behaviors, words, and emotions. Right thinking about God is the starting point for transformed living, but right thinking is never enough.

Fourth, sound doctrine must be lived out in the contexts in which we live:

• our inner life / character

• church

• family

• neighborhood

• work

• broader society

In other words, sound doctrine should move with us into the practical aspects of daily living.

Additionally, God also has much to say specifically to men (both older and younger), women (both older and younger), and children about his expectations for their lives, particularly for their lives within families (Eph. 5:22–6:4; Col. 3:18–4:1; 1 Tim. 2:8–15; Titus 2:1–15; 1 Pet. 3:1–7). We help both men and women to discern God’s unique calling—to live faithfully where God has placed them.

But we must be careful not to drive a wedge between the parts of the Bible. All sixty-six books of the Bible are inspired by God, and therefore they are useful for our lives, such as when we minister to others (2 Tim. 3:16–17). But the individual sections and books of the Bible make unique contributions. In brief:

• the entire Old Testament pointed forward to and was fulfilled in Christ;

• the four gospels, among many other things, outlined Jesus’s teaching on earth, death, and resurrection (all for the purposes of evangelizing non-Christians and strengthening Christians in their faith);

• the book of Acts details how the resurrected Jesus led the apostles and the rest of the church during the first thirty years of the New Testament church; and

• the remaining letters in New Testament (from Romans to Revelation) focus on teaching Christians how to be strengthened and established in the core teachings of the faith, with a particular focus on the person, work, and will of Jesus Christ. When the apostles taught (whether in oral or written form), they brought all of God’s revelation in the Bible to bear in the lives of Christians.

The core truths of the church’s teaching included:

1. God has revealed himself, his works, and his will in the Bible—particularly that he is the Creator, Lord, Provider, Law Giver, and Judge over all humanity.

2. Throughout human history, God has ruled over and communed with his people through covenants—with creation (reaffirmed with Noah), with Abraham, with Moses and the Israelites, with David, and, ultimately, with the New Testament church in The New Covenant.

3. Although God created people in his image, and therefore possess great dignity and worth, all people (apart from Jesus) rebel against God by disobeying his laws—choosing to value people and things more than him. The primary consequences of humanity’s disobedience are alienation from God and condemnation, both in this life and in the life to come.

4. God’s supreme revelation to humanity arrived in the person, works, and will of Jesus Christ. Jesus became a human, lived a perfect life, died on a cross to satisfy God’s justice and wrath, was raised from the dead, ascended to God, now reigns at God’s right hand, intercedes to God for his people, and will return in judgment.

5. God the Father and Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit into the world to convict God’s people of sin, bring them to life, guide them, and empower them to honor God—particularly as they seek to obey Jesus’s Great Commission.

6. In order to enter a personal, reconciled relationship with God, people must repent (turn from sins) and trust in Jesus. Repentance and trust are the means of entering a relationship with God, not the ground of a relationship with God (which is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus).

7. The church of Jesus Christ is central to the administration of God’s plan in the world. The church is God’s people, consisting of both Jews and gentiles alike, who through faith in Christ have become one body, one church, one assembly in the presence of God.

8. The mission of the church is to make disciples of all nations.

9. God expects that his people will grow in their character—putting off the characteristics of the old man (Adam) and putting on the characteristics of the new man (Jesus).

10. God has outlined the conduct that he requires of his people in various contexts—including our families, churches, and neighborhoods.

With these categories in mind and in an attempt to educate Christians how to align their lives to God’s will, we created The Discipleship Series.

[1] A truth I learned from Jeff Reed, a pastor, missiologist, and educator.

GOSPEL: OVERVIEW

The Center and Most Important Truth of the Gospel: Jesus’s Death and Resurrection

The heart of the apostolic message both to non-Christians and Christians was the gospel, which deserves our most careful attention and faithful proclamation. Put differently, it was central to both The Apostles’ Missionary Proclamation to Non-Christians and The Teaching of the Church for Christians. The gospel must never be assumed, distorted, or compartmentalized. Without it, reconciliation with God is impossible, our faith is useless, and our hope of eternal life disappears (1 Cor. 15:13–19).

While we will explore the gospel in much more detail below (in five relatively distinct categories), we don’t want anyone to lose sight of the very heart of the gospel. In the words of the apostle Paul:

“1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you…3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:1, 3–4)

The gospel is the good news that Jesus died and rose from the dead to save sinners. The truth of the gospel, in Paul’s words, is “of first importance” (v. 3). If we miss this central piece of the Christian faith, we miss everything, and we have little to offer those to whom we minister. Why? Because Jesus’s death and resurrection created the only bridge to God the Father (Acts 2:23–24; Rom. 3:21–26; 4:25; 1 Pet. 1:18–20; 1 John 2:1–2)—a bridge we cross by turning from our sins and trusting in Jesus (Acts 3:19; 20:21; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9). And, as we will see, the gospel is also the means by which Christians are transformed into the likeness of Jesus (Rom. 6:1–11; Gal. 2:20). So, for the rest of your life, commit yourself to being someone who cherishes, is transformed by, proclaims, explains, applies, and suffers for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL: DETAILED EXPLANATION

The Gospel: From the Mind of God to Eternity with God

In Greek, the noun gospel means “good news,” while the verbal forms mean “to proclaim or herald good news.” While this brief document will focus on specific gospel words, we must always remember that the gospel is also a concept. For example, in Romans 4:25, we read that Jesus “was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” Just because the word gospel does not appear in that verse, the concept of the gospel could not be more clear. We must constantly remind ourselves that the gospel is one of the most important and repeated truths in the Bible, whether the focus in a particular passage is on Jesus’s death, his resurrection, or both (Matt. 26:39; John 3:14; Acts 2:23–24, 32, 36; 3:13–15, 17, 26; 4:10, 19–20; 5:30, 32; 10:36, 39–41; 13:27–31; 17:31; Rom. 3:21–26; 4:25; 6:3–4; 1 Cor. 15:1–4; 1 Pet. 1:18–20; 1 John 2:1–2). For that reason, the gospel (both the word and the concept) should saturate our thinking and be one of the defining hallmarks of our ministries—to the extent that others notice our joyful and repetitive teaching about the gospel.

The gospel existed in God’s mind before he created the world. The book of Revelation teaches that Jesus is “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world” (Rev. 13:8; see 1 Pet. 1:19–20). We know, at least implicitly, that Jesus’s resurrection was also in God’s eternal view, for God never intended to leave the slain Lamb, his Son, in the grave (Acts 2:27–32).

As we will see, most of the Bible’s gospel language is bound up with God’s saving activity on behalf of his people. Before the creation of the world, the gospel had obviously not been announced to humanity. But God unveiled the gospel in stages throughout human history.

By way of a metaphor, the gospel is a tower of light that pierces through the darkness of human sin and God’s judgment.[1] God the Father’s voice is the first one we hear: “I declare good news: I have intervened, I am intervening, and I will intervene to save my people!” For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, that is God’s sweeping summary of his gospel. But there are more details to come: from left to right in redemptive history, we see five shafts of light.

Shaft of Light #1: The Good News of God’s Salvation in the Old Testament

The Old Testament announced the salvation of God on behalf of his people (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 40:9–11; 52:7–10 (see Rom. 10:15); 60:6; 61:1–3; Nah. 1:15; Gal. 3:8).[2] Isaiah proclaims, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns”” (52:7). Here, Isaiah celebrates a herald of good news who announces God’s intervention to bring peace, happiness, salvation, and his reign to the center of his people. This announcement of God’s intervention to save is given glorious expression in Isaiah 52:13–53:12—one of the greatest atonement passages in the Old Testament. For example, in that passage we read:

“5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds. 6 We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished him for the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5–6)

A glorious passage indeed, but one whose truth would not be clear until it was fulfilled in Jesus’s death on a cross (see Shaft of Light #3 below).

Shaft of Light #2: The Good News of Jesus’s Appearance—including His Arrival on Earth, His Inauguration of God’s Kingdom, and His Ministry before the Cross

As we look one shaft of light to the right, we see the good news of God’s saving intervention into the world in person, words, and works of Jesus. He declared, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:15). These words marked the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry, well before his death and resurrection. Jesus called his listeners to believe the good news of God’s saving intervention—Jesus himself! More broadly, Jesus’s arrival, the approach of the kingdom of God, and Jesus’s ministry on earth were all good news for the world (Luke 2:10; 4:18, 43). When Jesus arrived on earth, God’s saving intervention on the plane of history escalated intensely; the light of the gospel got much brighter.

Shaft of Light #3: The Good News of Jesus’s Death and Resurrection

We arrive at the blazing center of the tower of light—the very heart of God’s intervention into the world to save. In the apostle Paul’s words:

“1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” (1 Cor. 15:1–4)

Jesus’s death and resurrection is essential to our understanding and faithful proclamation of the gospel. Now that Jesus has been exalted to God’s right hand and has sent the Holy Spirit into the world, any proclamation of “good news” that subtracts from or adds to the death and resurrection of Jesus is no gospel at all. Such false gospels merit eternal condemnation for all who preach and receive their distorted messages—sobering words from God that should drive us back to God’s Word to study the gospel with greater urgency and intensity (Gal. 1:8; 3:10). The stakes of correctly understanding and proclaiming the good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection could not be higher.

Shaft of Light #4: The Good News of Jesus’s Ascension and Reign at the Right Hand of God

The good news of Jesus’s death and resurrection (viewed together) flows seamlessly into his ascension and reign at the right hand of God. Each of those events are tightly connected in the unfolding plan of God. Jesus’s reign in heaven is good news for the people of God, not least of which because he is the head of the church; he is our Lord and Savior (Acts 8:12; 10:36; Eph. 1:20–23). Jesus said, “This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). The good news of God’s saving intervention in and mediatorial reign through Christ—a reign inaugurated through Jesus’s death and resurrection—must be proclaimed until Jesus returns.

Shaft of Light #5: The Good News of Jesus’s Final Salvation of His People and Eternal Life with God

“God intervenes to save; God intervenes to save; God intervenes to save”—surely that is one of the most prominent drumbeats throughout the Bible. And that drumbeat continues to the very end of history as we know it. While there may be no explicit reference to the “good news” of Jesus’s return using that Greek noun, in Revelation 14:6–7 we hear about an “eternal gospel” (a final offer and declaration of salvation) until the very hour of God’s judgment. The apostle Paul outlines what will happen at the end of history:

“24 Then comes the end, when he [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father, when he abolishes all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he puts all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be abolished is death.” (1 Cor. 15:24–26)

When Jesus returns to earth, he will vindicate his people, destroy God’s enemies, and renew all of creation, thereby completing the work God gave him to do (Rev. 19–22). All of that is good news indeed for the people of God. Salvation accomplished and kingdom secured.

Then, for all eternity, we will join the angels in worship as we celebrate Jesus for what he accomplished at the cross:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:12)

To summarize, it is useful to view the gospel of God as a series of points—beginning in the mind of God before the creation of the world (Rev. 13:8), predicted and partially fulfilled in the Old Testament (Isa. 52:7), dawning in the arrival and ministry of Jesus before the cross (Mark 1:15), rising to full brightness in Jesus’s death and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1–4), and then continuing to shine brightly in this age and the age to come (Matt. 24:14).

The Gospel: Saving and Transforming Lives

Any discussion about the Christian gospel would be incomplete without addressing how the gospel saves and transforms people.

1. The gospel is the power of God for salvation. It is not merely a set of historical facts, and the gospel does not merely make it possible for people to know God. It is power from God that accomplishes the salvation of his people (Rom. 1:16; Gal. 3:13; Rev. 5:9). The death and resurrection of Jesus brings into existence what God intended: the salvation of his people.

2. The gospel calls for a response. In Romans 10:16, we learn that all people are called to obey the gospel, though not all do. “To obey” the gospel means to receive its saving benefits by turning from our sins and trusting in Jesus (Mark 1:15; Rom. 10:16).

3. The gospel is the heart of Christian proclamation and teaching, both to non-Christians and Christians. According to God’s plan and foreknowledge, he delivered up Jesus to be killed on a cross by sinful men to atone for sins, and God raised him from the dead to vindicate him (Matt. 26:39; John 3:14; Acts 2:23–24, 32, 36; 3:13–15, 17, 26; 4:10, 19–20; Rom. 3:21–26; 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:1–4; 1 Pet. 1:18–20; 1 John 2:1–2). It is hard to imagine a more prominent theme in the New Testament.

4. The gospel is the means by which we live and mature as Christians. The gospel enables us to come to God initially, and it is also the foundational reality that allows us to stay in relationship to God. We receive it (Gal. 1:9), are entrusted with it (1 Thess. 2:4), are strengthened by it (Rom. 16:25), proclaim it (Eph. 6:19), and suffer for it (2 Tim. 1:8). Ultimately, the gospel leads to holistic life change—in our hearts, words, and actions. Because of the gospel, we die to sin and live for God, walking in the newness of life, all by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:1–11; 8:10–11; Col. 2:12).

What is the Gospel? What isn’t it?

We conclude with five critically important truths that help us as we proclaim and explain the gospel, whether to non-Christians or Christians:

• God the Father is not the gospel (which, in the most narrow sense of the word, is the death and resurrection of Jesus), but he is the great architect and source of the gospel.

• Sin and judgment are not the gospel, but they necessitate the gospel if we are to be saved.

• God’s intervention in the world to save his people is the gospel—expressed most spectacularly in Jesus's death and resurrection.

• Repentance (turning from sins) and trust in Jesus are not the gospel, but they are the necessary responses to the gospel in order to receive its saving benefits.

• Internal transformation and good works are not the gospel, but they are the fruit of the gospel as it transforms the lives of Christians.[3]

God help us, we pray, to cherish the gospel and live in its light—both now and throughout eternity.

[1] Here I am indebted to Doug Moo’s insight that the apostle Paul’s gospel can be usefully viewed as a series of concentric circles, with Jesus’s death and resurrection at the center (Moo, The Letter to the Romans, 58).

[2] Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, 24–25; Moo, Galatians, 78.

[3] l learned these truths from D.A. Carson’s preaching, teaching, and writing ministry about the gospel. See, for example, Carson’s book Prophetic from the Center and his chapter “What Is the Gospel?—Revisited” in For the Fame of God’s Name: Essays in Honor of John Piper (edited by Storms and Taylor). Essential reading for younger and older pastors alike.

THE LORD’S SUPPER: OVERVIEW

The Lord’s Supper centers on remembering Jesus’s death on our behalf, which Jesus instituted as part of a Passover meal:

14 When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he [Jesus] said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22:14–20)

The Lord Jesus commanded his people to take bread and wine to remember his death—his sacrificial, sin-atoning death that both established the new covenant and accomplished the salvation of his people. Jesus knew how easy it is to forget, even those things we claim to be of central importance in our lives. Like the first-century Christians, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the context of meals.

THE LORD’S SUPPER: DETAILED EXPLANATION

What follows are seven statements that outline the meaning and practice of the Lord’s Supper. For many Christians, points 1, 3, and 4 below will be the most useful for rethinking how we practice the Lord’s Supper within Christian community.

1. “The Lord’s Supper” is just one way the Bible refers to this Christian ritual.

The Bible uses different terms for the Lord’s Supper, each of which shapes how we view and observe Jesus’s command to remember his death.[1]

The Breaking of Bread (and the Cup of Blessing / the Cup of the Lord)

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts.” (Acts 2:46)

“On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight.” (Acts 20:7)

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16)

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” (1 Cor. 10:21)

These expressions almost certainly refer to the Lord’s Supper, particularly since they are embedded in such theologically-rich contexts. For example, the early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (Acts 2:42); in such a list, it seems unlikely that “the breaking of bread” there can be reduced to merely eating food. Also, it is instructive that they “broke break from house to house” AND they also “ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46)—which means, in that context, that “breaking bread” and “eating food” had different meanings.

The Eucharist

“And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.” (Luke 22:17)

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”” (Luke 22:19)

“23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”” (1 Cor. 11:23–24)

The Greek word eucharisteo is a verb and often means “I am thankful” or “I give thanks”—a word used to express Jesus’s gratitude to God before he distributed the cup of wine and broke the bread. (The Greek word eucharistia is a noun that means “thankfulness” or “thanksgiving.”) These verses teach us an essential truth regarding how we should take the Lord’s Supper—with thanksgiving for God’s gracious provision. Yes, we are thankful to God for the food and drink we receive. But how much more should we be grateful for Jesus’s death on our behalf!

The Participation (or Sharing / Communion / Fellowship)

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:16)

The Greek word koinonia points to our individual and collective participation in Christ’s death on our behalf. In 1 Corinthians 10:16, the word can be variously translated in English as participation, sharing, communion, or fellowship. As Christians, we are integrated vertically into the life of the triune God through Jesus’s death and resurrection, and therefore we are integrated horizontally into the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3–4; 1 Cor. 10:16; 12:12–26).

The Lord’s Table

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. (1 Cor. 10:21)

Here “the Lord’s table” is contrasted with “the table of demons.” Both parts of the term are important: it is the Lord’s table (which emphasizes Jesus’s rightful position as the Lord of the universe and the Lord of his table!), and it is the Lord’s table (which prompts us to remember that the Lord’s Supper was part of a fellowship meal).

The Lord’s Supper

When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. (1 Cor. 11:20)

The Corinthians may have thought they were eating the Lord’s Supper, but their sinful hearts and practices had perverted it beyond recognition. May God help us to take the Lord’s Supper correctly.

2. The Lord’s Supper is both an ordinance and a sacrament.

Oftentimes, Christians have a strong preference for referring to the Lord’s Supper as either an ordinance or a sacrament. Both are acceptable terms, because both accurately describe the ritual.

The word ordinance emphasizes that Jesus ordained this ritual in and for the church. He commanded that we do it.

The word sacrament emphasizes that the Lord’s Supper is a divine work of God that helps us to grow in personal holiness—but only to the extent that we participate in faith. The Lord’s Supper conveys NO benefits to someone who is either (a) unable to understand the meaning of the ritual (such as a baby or young child) or (b) unwilling to take the Lord’s Supper with a heart of faith and gratitude. However, the Lord’s Supper is one way that Jesus conveys grace to his people, including the experience of intimacy with Jesus, the assurance of forgiveness through Jesus’s death on the cross, and the joy of fellowship with other Christians. The same could be said for baptism: God conveys grace through that ordinance. But, again, we only receive grace in baptism and the Lord’s Supper if we participate by faith.

3. The Lord’s Supper was instituted and taken in the context of a meal.

Jesus instituted and the first-century church consistently took the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal (Matt. 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–23; Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16–17; 11:17–34). For example:

• Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as part of the Passover meal (Ex. 12; Deut. 16:1–8; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7–8).

• In Mark 14:22, we read: “As they were eating, he [Jesus] took bread…and said, “Take; this is my body.”” And two times we read that Jesus took the cup “after supper” (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25), signaling that he used the cup as a bookend to his meal with the disciples.

• The interrelated language that refers to the Lord’s Supper points to its celebration in the context of a meal (see point #1 above): “breaking bread” and “eating food” in such close proximity (Acts 2:46), “the Lord’s table” (1 Cor. 10:21), and “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20).

• When the apostle Paul instructed and corrected the Corinthian church, the only way his corrections and exhortations make sense is if the Lord’s Supper (as they saw it) was being celebrated over the context of hours, not a few minutes (1 Cor. 11:17–34).

4. The Lord’s Supper should be placed at the center of gatherings of Christians in homes or similar settings.

It is one thing to agree that Jesus and the first-century Christians took the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal (see the previous point), but it is possible to argue that their practice was merely descriptive, but not prescriptive (something we should do) for Christians today. For example, someone might appeal to Acts 1:26 where the apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas. Surely that practice was merely descriptive and not a prescription (something we ought to do) for us today, right?

True, but God expresses his expectations for us in a variety of ways in Scripture. In historical narratives (like the four Gospels and Acts), when a practice is consistently repeated and presented in a positive light, it begins to take on more prescriptive force. So if we see a consistent pattern of the first-century Christians taking the Lord’s Supper in the context of meals, perhaps something more than mere description is going on.

Moreover, if Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal, if the first-century Christians in Jerusalem took the Lord’s Supper as part of a meal, and if Paul’s instructions and corrections to the Corinthians included both his teaching about the Lord’s Supper AND how they should celebrate it in the context of a meal, then what are the reasons for taking the Lord’s Supper out of the context of a fellowship meal with other Christians? In other words, if Jesus and his early followers embedded the bread and the wine in the context of a meal, why do we pull the elements out of that context?

One reason might be that many churches are not structured or presently equipped to decentralize the taking of the Lord’s Supper. While that is a legitimate concern, we do not believe that is a sufficient, long-term justification to separate what Jesus and his early followers kept together.

So, is it possible to take the Lord’s Supper in three to five minutes in a large auditorium or sanctuary? Yes. But we do not believe a three to five minute ceremony fully reflects Jesus’s intention for and the early church’s practice of the Lord’s Supper.

5. The Lord’s Supper is rich and multifaceted in meaning.

Dr. John Hammett identifies five meanings of the Lord’s Supper:

Remembrance

24 And when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24–25)

Communion (or Participation / Sharing / Fellowship)

16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:16)

Proclamation

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26)

Eschatological (End Time / Future) Anticipation

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26)

Thanksgiving

24 And when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24) [2]

6. The Lord’s Supper calls us to look in multiple directions as we remember Jesus’s death.

Drawing out principles from 1 Corinthians 10 and 11, Dr. Andy Naselli outlines six directions a Christian should look when celebrating the Lord’s Supper:

• Look Within: Examine Whether You Have Sinful Relational Tensions with a Fellow Church Member (11:27–32)

• Look Back: Remember Jesus’ Cross-Work, and Exult in What He Accomplished (11:23–26)

• Look Up: Celebrate Your Union with Christ (10:16)

• Look Around: Celebrate Your Union with Each Other as One Body (11:33–34)

• Look Outward: Proclaim the Gospel to Unbelievers Who Are Present (11:26)

• Look Forward: Anticipate that Jesus is Coming Back (11:26) [3]

7. The Lord’s Supper’s is reserved for believers.

With all of the previous points in mind, it is clear that the Lord’s Supper must be reserved for those who are Christians. When we take part in this ordinance, we remember not only that Jesus died, but that he died for us. Embedded within the Lord’s Supper is a call to genuinely reflect on our lives before God and (where necessary) to repent, to celebrate what Jesus did for us at the cross, and to celebrate that we are one body with fellow believers. Non-Christians cannot or will not do those things.

And yet we must always remember that the Lord’s Supper includes the proclamation of the gospel, for both Christians and non-Christians to hear:

[Jesus said] “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Co. 11:26)

A simple statement like this clarifies for Christians and non-Christians the significance of the Lord’s Supper:

“We are at this table to remember and to proclaim that Jesus died for us. His death and resurrection created the only way to know God personally; that is the gospel. If you have turned away from your sins and trusted in Jesus, then please take the bread and the cup to remember what Jesus accomplished for you. If you have not done those things, then do not partake, but please reflect on the significance of what this Christian ritual represents and how you want to respond to it.”

A statement like that encourages everyone to consider the significance of the moment and to determine if they should participate.

[1] Hammett, 40 Questions about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, 184–187.

[2] Ibid., 205–210.

[3] Naselli, “1 Corinthians,” in the ESV Expository Commentary (Romans–Galatians), 326–328.