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Bible reading and prayer are disciplines that can be exercised privately and they will certainly lead to spiritual growth. However, when the Bible speaks about them, it does not only do so in a personal context. They also have a place in the corporate life of the church where they can be developed more fully along with other sources of nourishment that are provided for our growth.
1. Read Acts 2:40-47. What happened to the 3000 who first believed and were baptized? (Acts 2:41). Was the same true of all subsequent new believers? (Acts 2:47)
2. To what did the new believers devote themselves? (Acts 2:42). Did they do these things on their own? (Acts 2:44-46)
3. Does it sound like this sense of community was part of what attracted others to the message of Christianity? (Acts 2:47)
4. While they would have had access to the Old Testament Scriptures, they also needed the teaching of the apostles. Read 2 Timothy 3:10-4:5. We looked at this passage in the context of personal Bible reading. But what does it also say about the importance of the apostles’ teaching, to which the early believers also devoted themselves?
5. Read Ephesians 4:11-16. Paul’s desire is for us to grow to maturity. What has God given to help us to get there? (Ephesians 4:11-13)
6. What are the dangers of being isolated from such input? (Ephesians 4:14)
7 Paul likens the church to a body that has many limbs and organs. What is necessary for growth to occur in such a picture? (Ephesians 4:16)
8. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, where Paul goes into more detail talking about the church as a body. What are the two important aspects of a body that he mentions? (1 Corinthians 12:12)
9. How many of us are included in this body? (1 Corinthians 12:13)
10. Paul says that we are all different, but all important. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20) What would Paul say to somebody who did not feel a need to be part of the church? (1 Corinthians 12:21)
11. Each part of the body has a unique function to fulfill. What would Paul say to the person who did not think he had anything worthwhile to offer to the church? (l Corinthians 12:22)
Begin to ask God to show you where he wants to add you into the church. The important questions to ask are these:
* Where will I be fed? - because the church is to provide nourishment fostering growth
* Where will I fit? - because the church is a body of people joined in living relationships
* Where will I function? - because the church is where God’s people learn to serve
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