Henry Theissen writes : “There are individuals and Groups of believers who have taught that the Scriptures gave no warrant for our present-day organised churches. It is held that believers should get together, observe the Lord’s supper, study God’s Word and cooperate in Christian service without anything resembling a formal organisation,
Bu that this is an extreme view of the matter is clear. There are indications that very early in Jerusalem, the church must have had at least a loose kind of organisation, and there is conclusive evidence that soon thereafter local churches were definitely organised.
The Early Church in Jerusalem:
a. adhered to a definite doctrinal standard.
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Barnes Notes “The word rendered “continued steadfastly” - προσκαρτεροῦντες proskarterountes - means “attending one, remaining by his side, not leaving or forsaking him.”
The apostles’ doctrine - This does not mean that they held or believed the doctrines of the apostles, though that was true; but it means that they adhered to, or attended on, their teaching or instruction. The word doctrine has now a technical sense, and means a collection and arrangement of abstract views supposed to be contained in the Bible. In the Scriptures the word means simply “teaching”; and the expression here denotes that they continued to attend on their instructions.
Eph 2:20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
God’s temple: its foundation, building, and consecration
I. The foundation laid.
1. The foundation is Jesus Christ—the foundation of the apostles and prophets, i.e., which they laid. It was laid in the promises, types, and prophecies of the Old Testament, and the witness of apostles and evangelists in the New (Joh_3:14; 1Co_10:4; Mat_16:16).
2. The foundation of the Church must be the foundation of each member of the Church. The essence of a foundation lies in its strength. The foundation in individual character is truth. Truth is a Person—“I am the Truth.” The foundation, therefore, is the truth concerning Jesus Christ believed, loved, and lived. The gospel thus received becomes a principle which forms the mainspring of a new life.
II. The building rising.
1. Look abroad upon the face of the world, and note the advances which the Church is making in all parts. The very hindrances to missionary work prove its success, for the more active the servants of God are, the more active the agents of Satan will be.
2. The building must rise in each heart. Growth is almost the only proof of life. The growth of the temple is due to the operation of the Spirit.Bible Illustrator.
b. They meet for Fellowship
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
And fellowship - The word rendered “fellowship,” κοινωνία koinōnia, is often rendered “communion.” It properly denotes “having things in common, or participation, society, friendship.” It may apply to anything which may be possessed in common, or in which all may partake. Thus, all Christians have the same hope of heaven; the same joys; the same hatred of sin; the same enemies to contend with. Thus, they have the same subjects of conversation, of feeling, and of prayer; or they have communion in these things.
And thus the early Christians had their property in common. The word here may apply to either or to all of these things to their conversation, their prayers, their dangers, or their property; and means that they were united to the apostles, and participated with them in whatever befell them.
It may be added that the effect of a revival of religion is to unite Christians more and more, and to bring those who were before separated to union and love. Christians feel that they are a band of brethren, and that, however much they were separated before they became Christians, now they have great and important interests in common; they are united in feelings, in interests, in dangers, in conflicts, in opinions, and in the hopes of a blessed immortality.
Mat 18:19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
c. The Practised Baptism in Water.
Act 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
d. They observed the Lord’s Supper.
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Act 2:46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
e. They kept account of the Membership.
Act 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Act 4:4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
f. They met for public Worship and prayer.
Act 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Act 2:46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
Act 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people
g. They provided material help for the needy of their number.
Act 2:44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
Act 2:45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
h. The Apostles were the ministers of this church and they added Deacons.
Acts 6:1-7. They took care of the daily distribution to the poor widows.etc.
i. They met in the Upper Room, the Temple Courts and in houses.
Acts 1:13; 2:46, 3:1
From all these factors we conclude that the early church in Jerusalem was organised.
A. They had church officers.
The Scriptures teach that there is a necessity for the local churches to be structured and organised. Paul, while revisiting the churches they had started on their first Missionary journey, “appointed for them elders in every church”
Act 14:23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Paul asked Titus to ‘appoint elders” Titus 1:5
In the Church at Ephesus there were “Elders”. Acts 20:17; and in the Church at Antioch their were Prophets and Teachers Acts 13;1; and in the church at Philippi there were “bishops and deacons. Php 1:1.
B. They had stated times of Meeting.
They meet “on the first day of the week,” immediately following the resurrection.
Joh 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
Joh 20:26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
In 1 Cor 16:2 Paul instructs the Christians of Corinth to lay by them in store as the Lord had prospered them on the first Day of the week. That is the Day on which the Collection was taken.
Paul met the Christians at Troas on the “First Day of the week”. Acts 20:7
In Revelation John Tells us that he “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”Rev 1:10
Sunday worship originated with the Apostles. There was an organisation and business transacted in the Early church.
C. They regulated Church decorum and exercised Church Discipline.
Jesus gave instructions that those who refused personal admonition, finally the dispute was to be handed over to the Church. Mat 18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
Paul instructed the Corinthian believers to exercise Church discipline in the case of the Incestuous relationship.1Co 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.
1Co 5:12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
1Co 5:13 God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or (as in the present discipline of the Catholic Church) to restrict certain rights within it, such as the reception to Holy Communion. SomeProtestants use the term disfellowship instead. Wikipedia
In 3 John 10 we are told that Diotrephes acted high-handedly in church discipline.3Jn 1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves the preeminence over them, does not receive us.
3Jn 1:10 On account of this, if I comes, I will call to mind his works which he does, slandering us with evil words. And not being content with that, he does not receive the brothers, and hinders those who desire to, casting them out of the church.
D. They raised Money for the Lord’s Work.
1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection which is for the saints, as I directed to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:
1Co 16:2 On the first day of the week let each one of you put something aside, storing up whatever he may prosper, in order that there be no collections when I come.
Notice that he had also given to the Galatians the same instruction.v.1
They were to do this on the first Day of the Week when they met together. v.2
They did it proportionately as they had prospered.
It was to be purposeful. For the Saints. The word “saints” (ἁγίους hagious) here refers, doubtless, to “Christians;” to the persecuted Christians in Judea. There were many there; and they were generally poor, and exposed to various trials. In regard to the meaning of this word, and the circumstances and occasion of this collection; see the notes on Rom_15:25-26.
The pioneer Churches were supporting the Judean believers in their trial and distress.
See 2 Cor 8:6 - 9:5
E. They sent letters of recommendation to other churches.
This was done when Apollos left Ephesus and went to Corinth.
Act 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, an eloquent man being mighty in the Scriptures, had arrived in Ephesus.
Act 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things about the Lord, although he knew only the baptism of John.
Act 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. And when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Act 18:27 And when he desired to go across to Achaia, having urged him on, the brothers wrote to the disciples there to receive him; and when he arrived, assisted greatly with those who had believed by grace;
Act 18:28 for he was powerfully refuting the Jews publicly, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
This custom of sending a Letter of recommendation has largely been forgotten in our day.
see Roman 16:1-2 concerning Phoebe.
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