BOOKS.

 6.Self-centered materialism is seducing evangelicals and rapidly destroying our earlier, more generous giving. As America gets richer, evangelicals give a smaller and smaller percentage to the church.

Questions

1.In your opinion, why are Christians living just like the rest of the world?

2.Are these stats equally true in our church?

3.How do we prevent this trend?Recovery of the New Testament Church1.Jesus is the source, center and Lord of the church.

•Eph 4:12,15: so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

2.The church is called to be holy.

•Titus 2: 11-14: For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hopethe glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

•Eph 5:25-27: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

3.The church as community.

•The three most common images of the church in the New Testamentthe people of God, the family of God and the body of Christall emphasize the communal character of the church.

•Acts 2:44-45: All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.