Follow-Up Study Guide To:

 

No God In Our Community
Part 2 of 4 in the series “Vacated”

June 14, 2009                    Pastor Scott Oldenburgh

 

 

Write out your definition of church

 

ê  Have you always felt this way about the church?

ê  What did you grow up thinking about the church?

ê  What church experiences or people have altered your view of the church over the course of your life?

 

       Read I Corinthians 12

 

ê  What does Paul write about the church body?

 

Read Ephesians 4-5

 

ê  According to these passages, what do you think Paul’s definition of the church would be?

ê  Do you think the average person sees the church as relational or institutional? Why?

 

Read Matthew 5-6

 

ê  According to the teachings of Jesus, what role is the church supposed to play in this world?

ê  Do you think Jesus was referring to the institutional church or the people? Why?

ê  How could the church fulfill the words of Jesus in this passage?

ê  What would its focus have to be?

ê  What would its priority have to be?

ê  What do you think our local community would look like without the presence of the active church?

ê  How long do you think the local community could stand without the influence of the church?

ê  What function does the church currently have in your local community?

ê  Who would fulfill that function if the church was not in existence?

ê  Does the church have to have a public presence? Buildings? Worship services?

ê  What would the church look like without walls?

 

Look back at the message under the section, “WHEN CHURCH IS DONE RIGHT” and think of examples where each of these statements is necessary and true.

 

ê  Which church has a better chance of fulfilling these things: Institutional or relational? Why?