Arranging Home Bible Studies
Greg Nelson

"And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said, 'Follow Me'" Mark 2:14. "And he left all, rose up, and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them" Luke 5:28-29. "And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him." Mark 2:15.

Jesus preached His message to the world in various settings. He frequented the synagogue, where He taught, healed, and engaged in debate with the Pharisees. Some of His most memorable discourses occurred out-doors, where great multitudes gathered to hear His words. Jesus also entered the house of Levi, a newly converted publican. This event established a precedent for a "home study."

This teaching session by Jesus was a resounding success. Not only did He have an audience with many of the sick, who needed a physician Luke 5:31,32, He was able to convert them into disciples. Might Jesus have converted these people at the synagogue? Probably not! Why? These people would not have been found there. The Pharisees did not eat with publicans and sinners, and certainly would not welcome them to the synagogues. The house of Levi, not a synagogue, was the place where the gospel went out that day to those who needed its message.

Today, the homes of believers are proving to be an important place for the spread of the gospel. Just as Levi believed and then assembled his unbelieving friends to hear Jesus, so many modern Christians carry out the commission to preach Christ to the world. We all know people whom we can invite to hear God's word. Many of these people will not come with us to worship services or gospel meetings, but a surprising number of them may come to our house or with us to someone else's house for a home Bible study.

What makes a home Bible study such a different place to introduce non-believers to the gospel? Think about Levi's house the day that Jesus came. Levi's friends were in surroundings fairly familiar to them. They were not in an environment that they perceived as hostile to their way of life. They were on equal terms with Jesus, "sitting together" with Him and His disciples, as He talked with them in an informal setting. They were listening to someone who their friend said had an important message.

But the most important ingredient in Levi's successful home bible study was Levi. He called his friends together. He provided a setting conducive for teaching unbelievers. He believed and followed Jesus. The Christian cannot conduct or attend a home Bible study and expect it to bear fruit unless a personal commitment is made. A commitment to saving lost souls. A commitment to exert influence over unbelieving friends and acquaintances. A commitment to repeatedly accept an answer of "no" in hopes of a "yes". A commitment to live a life which makes others wonder why this person is so different. Many people are looking for some formula to make converts. The formula is a committed Christian.

There are many good formats for conducting a home Bible study. In small group settings, reading of the book of Luke or Acts is a very good way to teach people about Christ. In larger groups, upbeat, topical studies can show unbelievers that the Bible is not some dry code book, but rather a rich source of information which helps us lead a happy, everyday life. Topics such as joy, peace, friendship, and Christian confidence are all well received by those who are not Christians. Business associates may be surprised to find that the Bible tells them about stress management, dealing with job problems, and how to happily make it home in the worst traffic jam.

The home Bible class is not a debating forum. There is no quicker way to chase off a visitor than to have ten people gang up on him or her. Remember, the ultimate goal of the home Bible class is to make Christians, not to prove points. There will necessarily come a time when the life and practices of the unbeliever will be challenged by God's word. There will also come a time when a visitor expresses something contrary to the teachings of the Bible. These discussions are best handled on a personal level where the non-Christian has a chance to talk and listen, not in a room full of people where the visitor feels in the minority. In such cases, a reply of "That's an interesting viewpoint, why don't we get together and study that idea" can avoid unnecessary conflict and open the door to an in-depth personal study with an unbeliever.

How can you start a Bible study, or bring visitors to a study? Time and effort. Find a group of Christians who are willing and able to set aside time each week to attend and actively participate in a study. Be committed to regularly attending, regardless of the difficulties this may present. But, most importantly, invite those who need the gospel to the study. Make a list of ten people you know. Invite them often. Make a list of ten more people. Invite them.

Invite people you never dreamed would come. Invite people who are visiting you at home or work. Invite your neighbors. Invite hair dressers, barbers, grocery store clerks, anyone you know or see regularly. You will be pleasantly surprised at who accepts your invitation. Offer a ride to the class. Bring the person home or go out to supper before the class. Remember, Levi invited his friends to a feast! Take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that coming to a Bible class in the middle of a busy week is convenient for the visitor, even if it is not for you.

There are no new techniques emerging in the field of making Christians. No new subject materials are being produced. The personal efforts of the Christian dedicated to spreading the gospel, coupled with the perfect message of God will bear fruit in all ages and all societies of men. Invite and teach your friends.

CHURCH HISTORY: A BIBLICAL VIEW
Part I No. 3 Compiled and written by Gary Eubanks

In order for a study of later church history to be of real profit a student must be familiar with the story of the church as it is presented in the Scriptures. Only as men learn where the church was originally moored can they see how far it has drifted on the sea of apostasy. Doctrinal digressions can only be seen as such against the background of the Scriptural record of the early church. Hence, this lesson will focus on the church in Jerusalem during its early years. Since the church in this city enjoyed the presence and direct supervision of the Lord's apostles for a number of years, it may certainly be expected that it was what the Lord would have wanted it to be. This is not to say, of course, that it had no problems, for it did, but when problems occurred they were immediately addressed and corrected.

A. Name. The English term "church" is supposed to be a derivative of the Greek term kuriakos, meaning "of or belonging to the Lord." It is used to translate the Greek term ekklesia, which occurs 115 times in the New Testament, with all but four occurrences (Acts 7:38; 19:32,39,41) referring to God's people of the new covenant. Ekklesia is a compound formed from the Greek preposition ek (meaning "out of'" and the Greek noun klesis (meaning "a calling"). Hence, the "church" is literally "that which is called out of the realm of sin and darkness into the light and kingdom of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:13; II Thess. 2:14).

It is noteworthy that Jesus used the term "church" only three times in two different passages, but His usage of the term illustrates the two basic senses in which it is used in the New Testament. When He said, "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18), He used the term in the universal sense, including all of His disciples throughout the world. When He said that differences between brethren should ultimately be taken to the church (Matt. 18:15-17), He used the term in the local sense, referring to a body of His disciples within a particular geographical area who band together for purposes of work and worship. Sometimes modifying phrases (I Cor. 1:2; Rom. 16:16), or different terms (I Cor. 3:16; Eph. 1:22,23; Col. 1:13), are used in reference to the church to emphasize different aspects of it.

B. Founder. Jesus Christ is the designer and builder of the church, for He said "I will build My church" (Matt. 16:18). For this reason it bears His name (Rom. 16:16). No church which was founded by men or bears the name of a man (as well as humanly devised names) can have been the church founded by Christ.

C. Foundation. The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ in His divine nature as the Son of God (Matt. 16:16; I Cor. 3:11). There is no stronger or surer foundation on which the church may be built, and any church which is established upon a different principle does not have that distinctive, essential feature which marks it as a true church of Christ.

D. Place. The city of Jerusalem is obviously the place where the church of Christ began. Old Testament prophecies pointed to Jerusalem as the place where God would establish His house, the church (Isa. 2:2,3). Jesus specified Jerusalem as the "beginning" place for the preaching of repentance (Lk. 24:47), and He told His apostles to remain there until the coming of the Holy Spirit (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4,5). It was in Jerusalem that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, the gospel was preached, and men were baptized and added to the church (Acts 2). As a matter of fact, for the first seven chapters of Acts the church is never mentioned as existing anywhere but in Jerusalem and its environs (Acts 2:47; 5:11).

E. Time. It is also quite evident that the church began on the first Pentecost following Jesus' ascension. Prior to Pentecost the church is spoken of as being in the future (Matt. 16:18), and after Pentecost it is spoken of as being then in existence (Acts 2:47; 5:11; 8:1). This agrees with the fact that the gospel, which saves men and obedience to which grants church membership, was first preached in its fullness on the day of Pentecost. Is it any wonder, then, that Peter later refers to the events of Pentecost as "the beginning" (Acts 11 :15)?

There is more information of a historical nature given concerning the church in Jerusalem than any other in the New Testament. Therefore, it is evident that the Lord intended to set forth this church as an example to other local churches throughout the ages. It was altogether fitting that the church should first be established in Jerusalem since it was the capital and leading city of the nation which gave the world its Savior and was the scene of the Lord's death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. As noted above, the church in Jerusalem had its beginning on the first Pentecost following Jesus' ascension. On that day the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles, enabling them to preach the gospel, and 3000 were baptized into the church. It is important to remember that for about the first ten years of its existence the church was comprised entirely of Jewish Christians or Gentiles who had been proselyted into Judaism previously. Later, Samaritans were added (Acts 8). It is obvious that Jewish Christians were slow in realizing that they were no longer obligated to obey the precepts of the Mosaic Law. Thirty years after the establishment of the church Jewish Christians were still very much zealous for the Law of Moses (Acts 21:20ff). This attitude created a great problem when the question of Gentile membership in the church later arose. The strengths of the Jerusalem church were (1) brotherly love and unity (Acts 2:43-46; 4:32-37 (2) immediate settlement of internal problems (Acts 5,6,15), (3) involvement of all of the members in the deliberations and resolutions of the problems that arose (Acts 6:1-6; 15:22), (4) courage and devotion which led them to continue teaching even in the face of persecution, and (5) an excellent program of teaching which edified the disciples and gave the church such great teachers as Stephen, Philip, Barnabas, and Silas. The weaknesses of the Jerusalem church were (1) poverty (Acts 2,4,11), (2) lying of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5), (3) neglect of widows (Acts 6), (4) persecution (Acts 4,5,7,8), and (5) false teaching (Acts 15).

The information provided concerning the Jerusalem church in the New Testament spans a period of twenty to thirty years. The church was established in 30 A.D., Gentiles entered the church in 40 A.D., the council on circumcision in Jerusalem was held in 50 A.D., and Paul was assaulted and imprisoned in Jerusalem in 58 A.D. 

Taking Advantage Of Personal Contacts
Jefferson David Tant

The day was hot, and they walked a long distance. They were passing through unfamiliar territory among people of a different culture, and some were possibly nervous. By now it was noon, and the sun was beating down. At last, a resting place ahead - a well. The group left their leader there and went into a nearby village seeking food. The leader rested, but had nothing with which to draw water.

Soon a local woman approached, and He asked her to draw water for Him. She was startled, for Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, especially women, and she voiced her surprise. With that, Jesus turned the conversation to spiritual things - living water. You know the story (John 4). What an example of how natural it is to use personal contacts to interest people in spiritual matters.

This did not happen just because Jesus was God, but because He recognized and took advantage of opportunities whenever and wherever they presented themselves. And this we can all do, regardless of age, sex, occupation or learning. Please permit a few examples from my own experiences. I do not feel I am an expert, yet I have made a conscious effort through the years to approach others and lead them into discussing things eternal.

As I was getting clothes from the cleaners on a September morn, I engaged the young clerk in conversation. After asking if she lived in the area, and where she went to school, I asked where she went to church. She looked sheepish, and I said, "You don't go, do you?" "No." "Why not?" "Well, you can't really believe the Bible. It's full of legends and fairy tales." "Really? Who told you?" She said that her Bible professor in her Methodist college so informed her.

Then I proceeded to tell her of the Bible's interesting evidences showing that man could not have written it unaided. "Would you like to study about this?" She would, and she did. Nancy was baptized in a few weeks. While in a store one day, I talked with the three teens who worked there, and then met their parents, the owners, In the conversation, I asked about their church affiliation, and learned they had none. They had become disillusioned, and had little interest in religion. I gave them a tract and invited them to visit with us. They said they would (you've heard that before!) We talked on occasion over the months, but no visit with us. But Roger didn't seem to shy away from our conversations.

Finally, I asked for an hour or so one evening to present a concept of simple, New Testament Christianity. (Later, he admitted he consented just to get the matter over with.) We had a good study, and Roger and Donna wanted to know more. After studying five or six weeks, Roger and Donna were baptized. They now teach Bible classes, and Roger preaches and leads singing.

Thinking back through the years, I recall so many people I have met in the common, everyday situations we all have. Some complain, "But I don't have any contacts." Are you a hermit? Consider some of those that have been baptized. My postman (then an elder in a denomination); a next-door neighbor; the bookkeeper (and owner's wife) of a local service station; two bank tellers I often talked with; the receptionist of a business I called on (who later married a gospel preacher); a drug-store clerk; a teacher in my son's grade school; two neighborhood teens who were my children's friends; a woman for whom my wife worked part-time; a hitch-hiker I picked up (carefully) one day; a young woman I met in the bus station during a bus delay; a young couple we took into our home who were out on the street with nowhere to go; and on ... Now, mind you, these did not come asking to be taught; they did not first visit our services; they were not related to Christians; nor were they referred to us. They were simply people whom we met in the normal, everyday affairs of life.

Brethren, we all know such people, and if they are receptive to the gospel in my town, it is likely there are such in your town. The only "skills" necessary are friendliness, an interest in people, talking to them, asking questions. I usually carry cards or tracts to hand out. As Sewell Hall has said, "It is our job to look for people who are looking" (See Matthew 9:37,38 and Ephesians 5:15,16).

"Satan is a fisherman, too. Deceit is his bait. Fools get caught."