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"Following the New Testament Pattern"

WHO ARE WE?

Allow us to introduce ourselves, we are the church of Christ at Altoona. We have chosen this name because we are patterning ourselves after the early church and this is one designation for the church. Rom 16:16...All the churches of Christ greet you. We are Christians...nothing more, nothing less. We are located in the heart of central Pennsylvania.

WHERE DO WE MEET?

God’s word teaches us that the church built by Jesus is a spiritual house. Not a “physical building”, but rather a house made up of living stones…1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house…1 Cor 3:9...for we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. We happen to meet Sunday evenings at 7:00 at a building called “The Lighthouse” but the church could meet anywhere. They often met in one another’s homes. Philemon 2… to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: In John 4:20-24 a Samaritan woman asked Jesus, "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ….. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

WHEN DO WE MEET?

We can see that the early church came together on the first day of the week, (Sunday) so we follow that pattern. Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. Also, 1 Cor 16:2 tells us they came together on the first day to lay something aside .…“On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper…”

WHY DO WE COME TOGETHER?

1. for the Lord’s supper - Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 1 Tim 3:15 I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Also Matt 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.

2. to preach/teach - Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. Acts 2:42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching

3. Collection - 1 Cor 16:1-2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper… 2 Cor 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

4. to sing - Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

5. to pray - Acts 2:42They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 1 Thes 5:17pray without ceasing.

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