Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts

"Timeless Church is solid. It notes that the bedrock basics that guided the church in the first century should also guide it in the twenty-first century. Doctrine, community, prayer, giving, and evangelism never grow old or go out of style. Biblically faithful and extremely practical, it will serve the Lord’s churches well."

—Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

"The twenty-first-century church has many questions, and the book of Acts is a great place to look for answers. I’m thankful for my friends and their engaging book Timeless Church: Five Lessons from Acts. Herein you will not only learn more about the early church, but you will also learn what God has to say to your church."

—Jason K. Allen, president, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

"In Timeless Church, McClendon and Lockhart demonstrate a clear and biblical understanding of what makes church, well . . . church! And they do so in a way that reminds you of the relevancy of the church in today’s age. In simple, yet profound ways, they speak to the elements of church that allows it (us) to function as a glorious reflection of God’s character and love for his people. The idea expressed in Jer 32:38, ‘They will be my people, and I will be their God’ (CSB), comes shining through, and you will be encouraged."

—Doug Bischoff, Next Generations Minister, Houston’s First Baptist Church, Houston, TX

Adam and Jared have written a great book with tools to build a church and present a model that has been multiplied over all the generations. I have served in and with the local church for more than forty years. God says in Matthew that he will build his church. The book of Acts is the model for his church and what the components of his church should be. Today, churches often want to do something different to stand out, but God set the pattern in Acts, and it has never changed. Lessons learned from these foundational components of a local church are tested, tried, and true.

—Tracy Hipps, executive director, Christian Service Mission, Birmingham, AL

"Nothing jeopardizes the growth of a new convert like neglecting the local church. Timeless Church encourages the new believer (and reminds the old) to seek a church that is faithful to the gospel, the Scriptures, and the family of God. Lockhart and McClendon write with accessible prose as they introduce the tenets of ecclesiology. We would do well to put Timeless Church in the hands of every new believer."

—Matthew Kimbrough, assistant professor of theology, Southwest Baptist University

"Timeless Church is a timeless message the modern church desperately needs. This inspiring, challenging, and practical study of the bare-knuckle basics of the church in the book of Acts helps all churches of today drill to the core of being who Jesus has called us to be for his glory. You won’t regret a minute of reading this faithful work."

—Kenny Qualls, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Arnold, MO

"Timeless Church is a remarkable book that was written to help you think about church in life-changing ways. The approach to glean lessons about the church from the book of Acts is not necessarily new, but I have not read a book that provides so much helpful insight in considering what a church should be. In addition, the book provides helpful ways to engage with the material by providing group questions and five days of devotions at the end of each section. This is a tremendous way to engage both the book of Acts and one another in serious discussion of the purpose of a church."

—David Talley, professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

"McClendon and Lockhart help us to see how the church in the book of Acts is an example for your local church. Amply illustrated and immensely practical, Timeless Church provides several prescriptions, which, if followed, would be a boon to the health of any church. The discussion questions and devotional sections that follow each chapter make the book an excellent candidate for either individual reading or small-group study."

—Donald S. Whitney, professor of biblical spirituality and associate dean of the school of theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Adam McClendon and Jared Lockhart brilliantly articulate the five foundational characteristics of the early church found in the book of Acts to show why these foundational characteristics are still just as important for the spiritual awakening for today’s church. Their model is a timeless reminder of the lessons that the church, found in the book of Acts, organically utilized to grow and to empower the believers to advance the gospel and influence the world through prayer and the Word of God.

—Dante D. Wright, pastor, Sweet Home—The Pinnacle of Praise, Round Rock, TX

Timeless Church

Copyright © 2020 by P. Adam McClendon and Jared E. Lockhart

Published by B&H Academic

Nashville, Tennessee

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5359-9479-8

Dewey Decimal Classification: 262.7

Subject Heading: CHURCH / BIBLE N.T. ACTS—STUDY AND TEACHING / CHURCH RENEWAL

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked CSB are taken from The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

All italics in Scripture quotations are author additions used for emphasis.

The Web addresses referenced in this book were live and correct at the time of the book’s publication but may be subject to change.

Cover design by Darren Welch. Cover images © iStock and Lightstock.

Printed in the United States of America

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Jared:

To my parents, Barry and Jonavieve Lockhart, thank you for faithfully passing on the good deposit of the gospel and raising me in the community of God’s people.

In loving memory of Barry D. Lockhart (1963–2019)

Adam:

Thank you, Springhill Baptist Church, for allowing these truths to be studied, taught, cultivated, and practiced. You are a special place, and I’m privileged to have been part of your story.

Thank you, Bedrock Community Church, for living these characteristics out and demonstrating an unwavering confidence in God’s Word and ways.

INTRODUCTION

If you have ever bought a piece of furniture from a big-box store like IKEA, then you are familiar with the detailed set of instructions that come with the product. The multipage document containing them is always prominently placed in the packaging and provides a step-by-step approach to putting the furniture together. The instructions vary on how intelligible they actually are; but on the whole, they provide a detailed picture for assembly.

The book you hold in your hands is not like those instructions. This is not an instruction manual for doing church. This is not a how-to church book. This is not a detailed, step-by-step approach that will explain all there is to know about the church or all there is to know about doing church. It is more of an overview than a step-by-step guide. We have pulled out five foundational characteristics of the early church that are evidenced in the book of Acts, and we have sought to show why they are just as important for the modern church seeking to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. This application-based approach flows from the conviction that the New Testament, and particularly Acts, does not merely provide us with a description of how the church formed and grew, but those writings provide us with God’s prescription for how he desires for his church to function for all time. Thus, if the Bible provides a structure for his church, it is imperative that we know and conform to that structure over and against our pragmatic tendencies.

We wrote this book because we love the church of our Lord Jesus and desire to see (1) others grow in their love for the church, (2) more people faithfully living out the call of Christ in their church communities, and, (3) overall, we seek to make much of Jesus, who considers the church his bride. Know that we have been praying for you. We pray that God uses this book in your life and that he uses it to build and edify his church.

Maybe you are a faithful churchgoer and want to refresh your understanding of the church. Maybe you have been attending church for years, but have some doubt as to why. Maybe you are a small group or church leader and need to get back to basics. Maybe you are a new believer and want to know more about the church. Maybe you are not a Christian and want to understand what church is for Christians. No matter who you are or what your motive is for picking up this book, we hope to point you to Jesus and honor his bride as we lay out some of the basics about the church. With that being said, this book is specifically designed to aid those new to their faith in Christ, or those who have never gone deep in that relationship, in considering the church’s purpose in God’s plan and in their own lives. Church leaders, small group facilitators, and church planters can also greatly benefit from the discussion in this book. This can be a good resource to help you in discussing and leading others through their questions about the church and even to prepare your own heart and mind for consideration of foundational ecclesiological (that is, church-related) issues.

The hope is that this book provides a foundation that can be built upon by your church gathering. We do not answer all the questions or cover all the passages that have relevant, even important things to say about the church. This is an overview of some of the most important characteristics; however, we have also included many practical illustrations and application points. The goal is for this book to be a useful resource. You will find at the end of each chapter some discussion questions along with a five-day devotional. Be sure to check out the appendix for some additional resources.

While it is not essential, we suggest you read this book with others. Your experience will be heightened by having a community around you to discuss, think, and bounce ideas off of. Small groups may want to consider walking through this book as well. We have done our best to include the text of Scripture because that is where spiritual power lies: not in our words, but in the Word of God. Do not allow this book or any other to replace your time in the Word; allow this to push you deeper into the Word of God.

Confessing  •  Gathering  •  Praying  •  Giving  •  Engaging

CHAPTER 1

CONFESSING CHURCH:

We Believe in Jesus

Grounding all activity in the central confession of Jesus as the Messiah was a central characteristic of the early church as detailed in the book of Acts.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42–47)

What Makes a Church?

When the Lord got a hold on my life, I (Adam) began attending a church as the result of a friend’s invitation. Looking back these many years later, I realize that I unintentionally viewed church as more of a department store than a place of worship. The central question lurking behind all my observations was, Does it have what I need? I was a consumer seeking to receive, ignorant of the call to serve and love others in community. My time needed to be well spent and my needs met. Shortly after I began attending this church, it became a refuge: a home away from home. A love for the people blossomed in my heart. I soon invited others to church, to join me in this wonderful journey. However, my invitation to them focused around individual preferences, like I was pointing out trinkets at a sales booth. I promoted my church to others based on how it would accommodate them, serve them, and fulfill them. I was too young and immature to think past this approach to bigger questions, like these:

• Does this church proclaim biblical beliefs and doctrine?

• Does it have a biblical leadership structure?

• Does it foster and celebrate biblical community?

• Does it engage culture with the gospel?

• Does it make much of Jesus and challenge people to live in obedience to him?

By fixating on the programs and services of the church, as good and helpful as they were, I missed what it means for the church to be the church.

These many years later, as I talk to people, coach and encourage leaders within various denominations, and work with parachurch organizations, I find we tend to promote dynamic preaching, a meaningful worship experience, good programming for children, and a solid youth ministry. Now, do not get me wrong: I hope that our churches have all of these. Yet in the midst of these more experience-oriented programs, we must not lose sight of the central confession that defines and determines a Christian church. What makes a Christian church is not just its activity in gathering but its confession of specific truths. This word confession is not one commonly used in our culture, but it is an important concept that makes all the difference. Confession is central to church, and without it, a true Christian church cannot exist. Additionally, when this confession is in place, it grounds and brings purpose to all other activities, programs, and experiences—but we are getting ahead of ourselves. First, we must discuss what is meant by the word confession and why it is so important.

Confessing Love

My wife, Adrienne, and I met when I was fifteen. Here is the story of how we did, and how I came to love this amazing woman. At fifteen I was dysfunctional on many levels. I was dealing with some deep emotional scars from so much that had happened in my life already. I was even wrestling with whether I wanted to live. One night, I was in a horrible car accident that should have taken my life. God used that event to give me a desire not just to live, but to find and live out his purpose for my life. I began searching as never before.

A couple of weeks later, sitting in class at school, a young man named Chad invited me to church. Chad and his parents began picking me up and taking me to the Wednesday night youth group. This place was safe and quickly became my refuge. That first Wednesday night, I walked in wearing my cool leather jacket and reeking of cologne—a little really does go a long way, but I just felt a little more would go a little further. Frankly, I was ridiculous. But that night, several people, including Adrienne, took time to talk to me. They genuinely seemed to want to get to know me, to hear my story, and to encourage me in my walk with God. It was like precious ointment on my wounded soul.

Adrienne, two other students, and I quickly became the best of friends. They were regularly picking me up for church, and we were all together every weekend, with rare exceptions. These people were my family during this time, and God began a great work in my life. Through this youth group, our amazing youth pastor, his wife, and these friends, I sensed a call into full-time vocational ministry.

Adrienne and I had a great friendship during this season of my life. We never dated; we simply cherished our friendship and challenged each other to cling to Christ. She was one year ahead of me in school. After graduating, she went to college in Tennessee, while two months into my senior year, I became