The New Testament Church
The Essence of Fellowship Explanation and Overview
Why Study Community? As Christians, we were intended to live in fellowship with one another. Christian community is at its best when believers’ lives are connected in the common bond of Jesus Christ through a local church. In Community, students will study the story of the New Testament Church, its miraculous inception at Pentecost, and its spread throughout the world. Not only will students learn the history of the New Testament church, they will also learn their roles as members of the modern day Church.
Through looking at how the lives of the New Testament church members were intertwined and how they were used in amazing ways to fulfill God’s purposes, students will begin to realize that they are also called to Christian community. Rob Suggs describes this community in the following way:
Amazingly, the Creator of the universe chooses to approach us as Father and invites us to enter into relationship with him as his children. And as the Father adopts us into his household, he introduces us to a wonderful extended family of brothers and sisters. The members of this family, as little children, make mistakes from time to time. They have quarrels, dishonor the family and disappoint their Father. Yet at other times they perform miracles. Ultimately, they constitute the most wonderful family we can ever claim. This is Christian community.
What Will We Study in Community? Using the Book of Acts as its backbone, Community covers many moments in the life of the New Testament Church, including:
• The Holy Spirit’s coming at Pentecost,
• The true sense of community among the early Christians,
• Jew/Gentile controversies,
• Paul’s conversion, missionary journeys, imprisonment in Rome, and
epistles,
• Peter’s leadership and letters,
• John’s revelation on the island of Patmos.
Along the way, students will become familiar with such important figures as Timothy, Barnabas, Lydia, Priscilla, Aquilla, and many others.
How Will We Study Community? Your students will be exposed to the remarkable story of the New Testament Church in a variety of ways. As you journey throughout the year, your students will be challenged to learn with their heads, their hearts, and their hands.
Your students will constantly be challenged to learn about the early Church with their head—to learn what they need to know about the Church. This type of learning is all about a basic understanding of Scripture. But students will be challenged to go beyond simple understanding, moving to application of what they have learned. Some of the Learning Goals taken from actual lessons demonstrate this head knowledge about the New Testament Church’s story:
• Students will understand that God places His Holy Spirit in the lives of
believers today just as He did with the believers on the day of Pentecost.
• Students will understand how seriously God took the dishonesty of Ananias
and Sapphira.
• Students will understand how the Holy Spirit worked in the life of Philip.
• Students will understand the importance of Paul strengthening the faith of
the new churches and becoming a spiritual father to Timothy.
Your students will also be challenged to learn about the New Testament church with their hearts—to allow God to transform their feelings as they look at His Word. What your students know about the early Church members should affect them emotionally, not just mentally; they should learn to value the things of God. Here are some examples of heart learning taken from Learning Goals of actual lessons:
• Students will respond to difficult times with prayer and worship.
• Students will find comfort in the return of Christ and the glorification of His
Church.
• Students will be inclusive of all believers in their church.
• Students will honor Christ with their lives regardless of what joys or
difficulties come.
Occasionally, your students will be challenged to learn with their hands—to learn what they should be able to do as a result of their study of Community. Students will be able to apply a specific skill or discipline after studying the New Testament Church. Examples of hands learning from actual lessons include:
• Students will learn steps to experiencing a meaningful time of prayer.
• Students will learn steps to becoming a person with the spiritual character to
lead in the Church.
• Students will identify ways they can each be teachers of God’s Word.