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Here are the completed notes from the evening service July 12, 2015

The History, Growth, and Character of the Various New Testament Churches

The Church in Jerusalem

1. Began at Pentecost (Acts 2:47) with at least 120 (Acts 2:41)
2. Was pastored by James, the half-brother of Christ (Acts 15:13)
3. Performed many wonders and signs (Acts 2:43, 5:12-16)
4. Had all things in common (Acts 2:44, 45, 4:32-35)
5. Was in one accord (Acts 2:46)
6. Spent a good deal of time in prayer (Acts 2:42, 3:1, 4:24, 12:5-17)
7. Witnessed at every opportunity (Acts 3:12, 4:5, 5:42, 4:33)
8. Radiated Jesus (Acts 4:13, 6:15)
9. Was kept pure by God [had standards] (Acts 5:1-11, 8:18-24)
10. Grew constantly (Acts 2:47, 5:14, 4:4, 12:24)
11. Endured persecution (Acts 4:1-3, 4:21, 5:17-41, 7:54-60, 8:1-3, 12:1-4)
12. Appointed deacons (Acts 6:1-7)
13. Practiced baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:41, 46)
14. Sent forth missionaries (Acts 8:5, 14, 11:22)
15. Held the important meeting on circumcision (Acts 15)
16. Was Spirit led (Acts 2:1-18, 4:31, 13:2-4, 15:28)
17. Preached the Word (Acts 2:16-36, 3:13-26, 5:42, 6:4, 7:1-53)
18. Contended for the faith (Acts 15:1-21)

The Church in Antioch of Syria

1. Was founded during that persecution period which followed the martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 11:19)
2. Experienced a great ingathering of souls (Acts 11:21)
3. The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to “check it out” (Acts 11:22)
4. Added many to the church at this time (Acts 11:24)
5. Was where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26)

The Church in Antioch of Pisidia

1. Was begun by Paul during his first missionary trip (Acts 13:14)

The Church in Lystra

1. Was begun by Paul during his first missionary trip (Acts 14:6)

The Church in Derbe (Acts 14:21, Acts 22)

The Church in Iconium

1. Paul let many to Christ here during his first trip (Acts 14:2)

The Church in Philippi

1. Paul organized a church in the home of a woman convert named Lydia (Acts 16:15, 40)
2. A demon-possessed girl was his next convert (Acts 16:18)
3. She was followed by the Philippian jailor (Acts 16:33)
4. Paul later wrote a letter to this church (Phil 1:1)
5. Timothy ministered to this church (Phil 2:19)
6. Helped to supply the material needs of Paul (Phil 4:15, 18)

The Church in Thessalonica

1. Was founded during Paul’s second missionary trip (Acts 17:1)
2. Witnessed a great harvest of souls (Acts 17:4)
3. Paul is accused of turning the world upside down (Acts 17:6)
4. In spite of their zeal, they were not good Bible students (Acts 17:6)
5. Later Paul wrote two letters to this church (I Thess 1:1, 2 Thess 1:1)
6. The believers had a reputation for witnessing (I Thess 1:8)
7. Timothy ministered to this church (I Thess 3:1, 2)
8. Had some lazy members (2 Thess 3:10)
9. Had some busybodies (2 Thess 3:11)
10. Had some disobedient members (2 Thess 3:14, 15)

The Church in Berea

1. This church was commended for its knowledge of and love for the Word of God (Acts 17:11)

The Church in Athens

1. It is not certain whether a local assembly came into being after Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill, but if so, a convert named Dionysius probably led it (Acts 17:34)

The Church in Corinth

1. Was founded during Paul’s second trip (Acts 18:1)
2. Aquila and Priscilla aided in this (Acts 18:2)
3. Paul stayed eighteen months (Acts 18:11)
4. Paul wrote several letters to this church (I Cor 5:9, 2 Cor 10:9, 10), two of which are included in the New Testament canon (I Cor 1:2, 2 Cor 1:1)
5. Experienced almost total confusion in matters relating to:
   1. Baptism (I Cor 1:12-17)
   2. Earthly wisdom (I Cor 1:26)
   3. Carnality and strife (I Cor 3:1-3)
   4. Judging others unfairly (I Cor 4:7)
   5. Immorality (I Cor 5:1)
   6. Taking other believers to court (I Cor 6:1-4)
   7. Marriage (I Cor 7:1)
   8. Christian Liberty (I Cor 8-9)
   9. The Lord’s Table (I Cor 11:17-34)
   10. Spiritual Gifts (I Cor 12-14)
   11. The doctrine of the resurrection (I Cor 15)
   12. Giving (I Cor 16)

The Church in Troas

1. Here Paul raised up Eutychus, a believer who had gone asleep during Paul’s sermon and had fallen down from the third loft of the building (Acts 20:7-12)

The Church in Rome

1. The origin and founder of this church is unknown
2. Priscilla and Aquila labored there and a local church met in their home (Rom 16:3-5)
3. Had a ringing testimony throughout all the land (Rom 1:8)

The Church in Galatia

1. Various local churches in Galatia were organized by Paul during his first trip.
2. All had apparently fallen victim to the legalistic Judaizers, who would continually plague Paul’s gospel of grace (Gal 1:6-9)

The Church in Colosse

1. Was founded by Epaphras during Paul’s third trip (Col 2:1, 1:7, 12, 13)
2. Philemon and Onesimus attended this church (Col 4:9, Philemon 1:1, 2)

The Church in Babylon (I Peter 5:13)

1. Was filled with suffering believers (I Peter 1:6)
2. Some of this suffering was due to sin (I Peter 4:15-17)

The Seven Churches of Asia Minor

Scripture:  Revelation Chapters 2 and 3

Ephesus (Rev 2:1-7) 7 Verses

1. Dealing with being in a rut in your Christian life
2. Was founded during Paul’s second trip (Acts 18:19)
3. May have been pastored by Apollos, Timothy, and the Apostle John.
4. Paul wrought many miracles there and saw much fruit (Acts 19:11-41)
5. Wicked books are burned
6. The false goddess Diana is challenged
7. Paul went soul-winning door-to-door (Acts 20:17-21)
8. Was the only Christian church ever to receive letters from two New Testament writers
9. According to John’s letter, this church:
   1. Worked hard and possessed patience
   2. Had high church standards
   3. Suffered for Christ
   4. Had left their first love
   5. Needed to remember, repent, and return to Christ, else their candlestick be removed
   6. Hated the deeds of licentious Nicolatians

Smyrna (Rev 2:8-11) 4 Verses

1. The suffering church
2. Had suffered much for Christ
3. Had been slandered by those from the synagogue of satan
4. Satan had imprisoned some of them

Pergamos (Rev 2:12-17) 6 Verses

1. The compromising church
2. Was located in the very center of satanic worship
3. Had nevertheless remained loyal to Christ in spite of martyrdom
4. Members were, however, tolerating some in the church who were guilty of sexual sins
5. They were also tolerating those who held the doctrine of the Nicolatians

Thyatira (Rev 2:18-29) 12 Verses

1. The tolerant church

Sardis (Rev 3:1-6) 6 Verses

1. Appearances can fool you!

Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13) 7 Verses

1. The faithful church

Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) 9 Verses

1. The tragedy of lukewarmness

 

*Some contents adapted from Dr. Harold Willmington’s notes on the church