Mt. Airy church of Christ
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What to Expect
    • Web Links
    • Local Preacher
    • Privacy Policy
  • Directions
  • Words of the Week
    • Words of the Week 2023
    • Words of the Week 2022
    • Words of the Week 2021
    • Words of the Week 2020
    • Words of the Week 2018
    • Words of the Week 2017
    • Words of the Week 2016
    • Words of the Week 2015
    • Words of the Week 2014
    • Words of the Week 2013
    • Words of the Week 2012
    • Words of the Week 2011
    • Words of the Week 2010
    • Words of the Week 2009
    • Words of the Week 2019
    • Words of the Week 2007
    • Words of the Week 2008
    • Words of the Week 2006
    • Words of the Week 2005
    • Words of the Week 2004
    • Words of the Week 2003
    • Words of the Week 2002
    • Words of the Week 2001
  • Monthly Musings
    • Monthly Musings 2023
    • Monthly Musings 2022
    • Monthly Musings 2020-2021
    • Monthly Musings 2013-2019
    • Monthly Musings 2007-2012
  • Five Minutes
    • Five Minutes 2023
    • Five Minutes 2022
    • Five Minutes 2021
    • Five Minutes 2020
    • Five Minutes 2019
    • Five Minutes-2018
  • From a Woman to Women
    • From a Woman to Women 2023
    • From a Woman to Women 2020-2022
  • Sermons

What to Expect

1/1/2010

 
If you’re thinking about working and worshiping with us, you have the right, indeed, the obligation, to know where we stand as a congregation. You should seek a group of disciples of the Lord with whom you may worship and work (Acts 2:41-42; 9:26-28). But you must be careful not to become part of a group that disregards the doctrine of Christ (Ephesians 5:11).

Likewise, the congregation needs to know something about you before we can properly accept you into our fellowship (Acts 9:26-28; 2 Corinthians 3:1). So what should we expect of one another?

What to Expect of UsYou have the right to expect that we are simply a local group of Christians not affiliated with any denomination or sect (Acts 11:26; 1 Corinthians 1:2,10-13). As Christians, we must believe in the one true God revealed in the Bible (1 Corinthians 8:4), in the Bible as His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and in Jesus Christ as His Son (John 20:30-31).

You should expect us to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ in everything (Colossians 3:17). Thus, we must follow His divine pattern, the New Testament, in all aspects of our lives (2 Timothy 1:13).

You have the right to expect that each member of this congregation has come to Christ by believing He is the Son of God (Romans 5:1-2), repenting of his sins (Acts 3:19), confessing his faith in Christ (Romans 10:8-10), and being immersed in water for (in order to) the remission of his sins (Romans 6:3-4; Acts 2:38).

You ought to demand that we be serious about living godly lives (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5:19-25; 1 Peter 1:13-16) and that we withdraw from members who live in sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-5).
You should expect us to preach and teach the Word of God rather than human opinions (2 Timothy 4:1-2; 1 Peter 4:11).

You have the right to expect us to worship God in spirit and truth (John 4:19-24). Thus, our worship must consist of singing spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:18-19), praying (Acts 2:42), preaching and teaching the Bible (2 Timothy 4:1-2), taking the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), and taking a collection on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

Since each congregation must be independent and self governing under Christ (1 Peter 5:1-2), you should expect the congregation to be independent of any organizational ties to associations of congregations or organizations built by human authority. You ought to expect the men to take the leadership roles in the church (1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:11-12). The congregation should have its own, qualified elders to rule and shepherd and deacons to serve (Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 5:17; 1 Peter 5:1-2) or be working toward having them (Titus 1:5).
You should expect the congregation to be diligently at work (1 Corinthians 1:1-4). But, since the church is a spiritual relationship (Ephesians 1:3,22-23) and is more limited in what it is authorized to do than are its members individually (1 Timothy 5:16), you have the right to expect the congregation to limit its work to those spiritual activities in which the Lord directs it to engage: evangelism (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8), edification (building each other up spiritually, Ephesians 4:11-16), and benevolence toward needy Christians, an expression of fellowship in Christ (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).

You have the right to expect us to be united in faith and love (Ephesians 4:1-6), mutually working together and caring for one another (Romans 12:4-13; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:1-2).
What We Expect of YouWe have the right, indeed, obligation to be sure that those whom we accept into our fellowship are really disciples of Christ (Acts 9:26-28). Thus, if you want to share in the work and worship of this local church as a member, we expect you to have come to the Lord just as we have, to be living a righteous life (1 Corinthians 5:11), to be submissive to the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17), and to be willing to do your part to help the congregation to be successful in glorifying the Lord (Ephesians 3:20-21) by helping to reach the lost, to edify one another, and to help needy members. We expect you to assemble faithfully with the church when we come together (Hebrews 10:24-25) and to show love and concern for all the members of the congregation (Romans 12:10,16).
​
ConclusionBy working and worshiping together as a congregation we help each other go to heaven. And that is really what being a Christian is all about. If you are a Christian and not a member of a faithful congregation, we invite you to talk to us about joining this congregation. If you are not a Christian, let us tell you why you ought to be one and how you can become one.

​~Keith Sharp

Comments are closed.

    Archives

    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    January 2009
    December 2008
    November 2008
    October 2008
    July 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007

    RSS Feed

Mt. Airy church of Christ
7222 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19119
Phone 215.248.2026

James Baker, Preacher
Website by Darin Kennedy
©2018 Mt. Airy church of Christ
Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • About Us
    • What to Expect
    • Web Links
    • Local Preacher
    • Privacy Policy
  • Directions
  • Words of the Week
    • Words of the Week 2023
    • Words of the Week 2022
    • Words of the Week 2021
    • Words of the Week 2020
    • Words of the Week 2018
    • Words of the Week 2017
    • Words of the Week 2016
    • Words of the Week 2015
    • Words of the Week 2014
    • Words of the Week 2013
    • Words of the Week 2012
    • Words of the Week 2011
    • Words of the Week 2010
    • Words of the Week 2009
    • Words of the Week 2019
    • Words of the Week 2007
    • Words of the Week 2008
    • Words of the Week 2006
    • Words of the Week 2005
    • Words of the Week 2004
    • Words of the Week 2003
    • Words of the Week 2002
    • Words of the Week 2001
  • Monthly Musings
    • Monthly Musings 2023
    • Monthly Musings 2022
    • Monthly Musings 2020-2021
    • Monthly Musings 2013-2019
    • Monthly Musings 2007-2012
  • Five Minutes
    • Five Minutes 2023
    • Five Minutes 2022
    • Five Minutes 2021
    • Five Minutes 2020
    • Five Minutes 2019
    • Five Minutes-2018
  • From a Woman to Women
    • From a Woman to Women 2023
    • From a Woman to Women 2020-2022
  • Sermons