What About The Church?
Part of Alpha
February 24, 2021

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Summarize what you have learned and experienced on Alpha.

2. What would you like to do after Alpha as a group?

3. Is anything you would like prayer for?

4. What comes to mind when you hear the words ‘church’ or ‘Christian’?

5. Think back to the start of Alpha. Has your view changed?

6. Looking forwards, in what way (if any) do you plan to continue what you’ve started on Alpha?

WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH?

What is the church?

  • Popular misconceptions:
    • Church = services
    • Church = buildings

1. FRIENDS (John 15:15)

  • Friends with Jesus
  • Friends with one another (Hebrews 10:25)
  • Greek word koinonia = fellowship

2. FAMILY (1 John 5:1)

  • God as our Father (John 1:12)
  • Brothers and sisters to each other (1 John 4:19 – 5:1)
  • Importance of unity
  • Jesus prayed ‘… that they may be one’ (John 17:11)

Becoming a Christian involves:

  • Something God does – he gives you the Holy Spirit
  • Something you do – you repent and believe
  • Something the church does – baptism

Baptism is the visible mark of being a member of the church.

Baptism signifies:

  • Cleansing from sin (1 Corinthians 6:11)
  • Dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:3–5; Colossians 2:12)

3. HOME (Ephesians 2:19–22)

  • Old Testament – physical temple was God’s home
  • New Testament – a building made up of people (Ephesians 2:21–22)
    • Jesus as the cornerstone (v.20)
    • Indwelt by God’s Spirit (v.21) ‘a holy temple’
    • A place where people are loved, accepted and welcomed home

4. JESUS (1 Corinthians 12:1–27)

  • We are the body of Christ through whom the world will see Jesus (v.27)
  • Universal church (Ephesians 3:10,21; 5:23,25)
    • Unity (John 17:20–21)
    • Diversity (Ephesians 4:7–11)
    • Mutual dependence (vv.14–26)

5. LOVE (Ephesians 5:25–27,32)

  • esus loves the church; Jesus loves you (v.25)
  • The church should be famous for its love

‘You can do what I cannot do, I can do what you cannot do; together we can do great things’ —MOTHER TERESA

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Summarize what you have learned and experienced on Alpha.

2. What would you like to do after Alpha as a group?

3. Is anything you would like prayer for?

4. What comes to mind when you hear the words ‘church’ or ‘Christian’?

5. Think back to the start of Alpha. Has your view changed?

6. Looking forwards, in what way (if any) do you plan to continue what you’ve started on Alpha?

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Questions of Life
Nicky Gumbel