What Are The Essentials?

I thought it might be of interest to share what we discussed at "The Gathering" Sunday morning. For a "thought experiment", we asked what components of the contemporary church could be deleted in order to emphasize the essentials of authentic N.T. body life.

Here are the answers: buildings, audio-video , bulletins, worship bands, 501 [c] [3] status, high profile-platform centered ministers, segregated children and youth ministries. Yet, all of these things are given pride of place today as identity makers for what a genuine church is. When in actuality, they are "xtra biblical traditions" that are in fact "non essentials" for corporate life.


My point for this experiment wasn't to extol a "primitive paradigm" advocated by some nor to promote the "regulative principle" advanced by others. Rather, we unpacked Acts 2:42-46 to demonstrate that the specified practices of the early church were intentionally produced by the Holy Spirit in order to solidify and sustain the sacramental life of Christ within the covenant community.

Dr. Luke records four essential components: Doctrine, Fellowship, Eucharist and Prayers. These Spirit induced practices are divinely designed to be foundational priorities for the corporate identity of all God's Covenant People. The early church gave them such pride of place, that all the Christ followers pursued them together with zealous devotion.

Queing off the meaning of the word "fellowship",we looked at expressions that flowed from their intentional "sharing of life" that should be re-prioritized by the modern church.


>Sharing their heart affection for one another through their relational greetings. 1 Peter 5:14

>Sharing their material goods in order to meet one anothers needs. Acts 2:45-47

>Sharing a common meal together called a "love feast". Jude 12

>Sharing table fellowship together with Christ through the Eucharist. Acts 2: 42-47

These expressions are the core essentials that the early church devoted themselves to with zealous constancy. Each "koinonia" practice is wrapped in the language of caring, sharing and belonging. Now that is genuine relational covenant my friends. Whatever extra's we do,we should never be guilty of deleting any of these.

RGH