ALPHA Class 2 - What is the church and how do I grow?

Part 2 of a four week intro/refresher class on following Christ (3-2010)

1 - Who was Jesus and why did he have to die?
2 - What is the church and how do I grow? 
3 - Who am I and how do I fit into God's Kingdom?
4 - Where do I go from here?

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What is the Church? (Ecclesiology)
     - Definition: The community of all true believers everywhere through all time

A. Origin of the Church
     1. Initiated by Christ (Keys to Kingdom, Matt. 1:1-16 | On this Rock, Matt. 16:18)
     2. Emerged from Judaism: 1st Christians saw Jesus as fulfillment of Jewish hope and faith
          a. (daily temple, Acts 2:46-47 | Israel's History → Jesus, Acts 7 | Christians tried as Jews, Acts 4:1-22 | asked Gentiles adopt Jewish ceremonial rites, Acts 21:17 | Paul does Jewish purification, Acts 21:17 | Gallio: Jewish sect, Acts 18:12)
     3. Three Pillars: settle disputes and distinguish orthodox vs. heretical beliefs & practices
          a. Creed: short statement summarizing Christian teaching
          b. Episcopacy: church structural hierarchy similar to Roman government
          c. Canon: “measuring rod,” authoritative account of events, standard of faith and practice

B. Nature of the Church
     1. Visible & Invisible: Living people, (saved/lost) claiming + living in faith | The truly saved, living or dead
     2. Local & Universal: community in specific time + place | community of all believers in heaven + earth: past/present/future

C. Marks of the Church (Expanded Nicene Creed 381 AD)
     1. One: church body is one, though not uniform: many local churches and denominations that differ in style
     2. Holy: set apart for God, not “sinless”
     3. Catholic: Universal, including all believers in all times & places (different from Roman Catholic Church)
     4. Apostolic: called to proclaim the message and mission of the apostles

D. Purposes of the Church
     1. To God: worship & service (Eph. 1:11) | To Believers: Edification (Eph. 4:12) | To World: Evangelism, Justice & Compassion

How do I grow? Goal: Freedom, not discipline itself (Spiritual Disciplines)
A. Inward Disciplines
     1. Meditation: ability to hear God's voice & obey his word | devotional | Lectio Divina (Psalm 1)
     2. Prayer: Talking to God | Asking for Direction, not giving it | reflex action to God's initiative (Luke 11:1)
     3. Fasting: Center on God (Matt. 6:16) | Reveals what controls us | we are sustained | balance in life
     4. Study: Transforming the mind | analytical | ask tough questions (John 8:32)
          a. Framework for understanding Scripture (Wesleyan Quadrilateral): 1. Scripture | 2. Tradition | 3. Experience | 4. Reason

B. Outward Disciplines
     1. Simplicity: freedom – from materialism & anxiety | Purpose: seek first the kingdom (Ecclesiastes: 7:30)
     2. Solitude (silence): more state of mind & heart than place | hear the divine Whisper better | Jesus regularly sought solitude
     3. Submission: freedom from self + pride (selfishness) | Self Denial (not asceticism) (Mark 8:34)
     4. Service: True vs. self-righteous service | humility | servant vs. slave (John 13:14)

C. Corporate Disciplines: Spend time in community – Fellowship
     1. Confession: Enter into more forgiving grace | releases power to heal | begins in sorrow ends in joy (James 5:16)
     2. Worship: human response to divine initiative | touched by the Spirit | adoration of God (Matt. 4:10)
     3. Guidance: guided by the spirit together | Unity rule vs. majority rule | Spiritual Director: God's Usher | limits: manipulation
     4. Celebration: Jubilee of the Spirit | end result: joy | how? obedience | Always rejoice by being free of “care” (John 15:11)

(from Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline)