The “E-Church”

 

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer....They were…praising God…And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” –Acts 2:42, 47 (NAS)

 

In our electronic age,“e” must feel like king of the alphabet! We have email for communicating, e-books for reading, e-Bay for shopping, e-Trade for investing, even e-Harmony for dating. But long before this recent phenomenon, God wanted us to have an “e-church”!

 

Using that tireless letter “e” and the example of the first church in Acts 2, let’s briefly consider God’s purposes for the local church—the major ways we carry out our main purpose of glorifying God. And since we, the people, are the church, these purposes for us corporately will also be the purposes for us as individuals and families.

Exalt the Lord – The new church was characterized by devotion to “prayer,” “the breaking of  bread” (likely the ordinance of communion, showing Christ’s centrality), and “praising God” (vv. 42d, 47). God’s people are worshipping people in as many ways as possible!

 

Edify and Educate Believers – The early band of believers “were continually  devoting  themselves  to  the  apostles’  teaching” (v.  42a).  God’s  people  are  immersed  in  God’s  Word,  plain and simple!

 

Expunge Sin from Our Lives – “Those who accepted [Peter’s Gospel]  message  were  baptized”  (v.  41),  a  picture  of  the cleansing of sin from our lives (e.g., Rom 6:1-14). God’s people are  holy people!

 

Equip and Enrich the Saints for Ministry – The early Christians in  Jerusalem  didn’t  waste  any  time  learning  to  minister sacrificially and joyfully (vv. 43-46). After all, God’s people are serving people!

 

Exchange our Lives in Fellowship – Their devotion to “fellowship”  (v.  42)  showed  up  in  many  remarkable  ways (read  vv.  44-46).  God’s  people  are  sharing  people,  even  at personal expense!

 

Evangelize the Lost – As a result of all this purposefulness, the church was “enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (v. 47). God’s people are witnessing people! Will you be a part of the “e-church?”

 

For Discussion: Discuss at least three ways that a larger and more functional facility will enable us to accomplish each of these purposes in greater quantity with greater quality and, therefore, greater glory for God.