A NEW TESTAMENT BLUEPRINT FOR THE CHURCH

by Neff and Moore

Chapter 1: The Traditional Setting
1. Define tradition. How is tradition good? In what ways do you see it as being harmful?

2. What are some of the traditional set-ups of your church? In what ways can these hurt? Help?

Chapter 3: Character and Conduct of the Church
1. What is the difference between "form and function"? Which ought to be determined first? How should it be determined?

2. How would you define the church? Who determines the membership?

3. What distinctions are made in your congregation which would tend to hinder unity among all believers?

4. In what ways is unity consciously fostered in the congregation? What are some new ways this could be done?

5. Truth and Love need to be included in balanced portions in the quest for maturing a body. In which direction would you tend to be unbalanced? (Truth without love or love without truth?) Which direction would your church tend to go?

6. How does our individualized concept of Christianity tend to tear at the Biblical concept of church?

Chapter 4: Biblical Relationships
1. The Unity we seek is not a theoretical unity but a relational unity. What does it mean to have relational unity in the church?

2. How is this going to be fostered in the church? What are some practical ways this is being done in your congregation?

3. What are the three dimensions of relationship in the church? Which is weakest?

4. How is failure the seed plot for growing strong lovers? Does your congregation know this?

Chapter 5: Christ's Perspective on Ministry
1. Loving neighbor as myself will only be accomplished as we walk in the Spirit and leave the comfort zones of our flesh. Is your congregation walking after the flesh or the Spirit? Are you?

2. Is your congregation making reproducing disciples? What is the evidence? What tools are being used? How could this be improved?

3. What is the standard for Christian discipleship? Are you clear on what the commands of Christ are? (If not see "Entering the Kingdom", a five week study on the commands of Christ: Fellowship of Church Planters).

4. What are your procedures for Baptism and membership? Are these procedures inspiring obedience or frustrating it? What are your follow-up procedures? Can you make them more effective?

Chapter 6: Church Ministry in the Epistles
1. In what ways is a discipling relationship a two-way street?

2. What is the purpose of doctrine? What is the evidence that this purpose is being accomplished?

3. What are some things which will prevent the free flow of God's love among the people? How can doctrine prevent this?

4. What are the critical elements in living by the spirit which need to be taught and practiced by the congregation?

5. What are some false standards by which we tend to measure the success of a congregation? Are you guilty of using any of these? What is the true standard?

6. In what ways are the leaders critical to the vital health of ministry in the church? Which need to be improved by your leadership?

Chapter 7: Organization and Meetings of the Church
1. How important is Unity among believers?

2. What are some ways in which churches ought to be united?

3. Should we be thinking in terms of city churches and house churches today? Why or why not? See Paper on house churches and multiple congregation churches.

4. How does our western independent thinking affect the way we organize churches?

5. How does our western professional thinking affect the way we organize our meetings?

6. How do you think the meetings of the church ought to be organized (ideally)? How would you evaluate meetings?

Chapter 8: Leadership in the Church
1. What are the three types of church leadership? Which have you had the most experience with?

2. How can a leader fulfill Jesus command that he who leads should be servant of all?

3. What does it mean to have a plural eldership? What are the advantages of this system?

4. Why should some elders be cared for financially? What are some dangers of this? How can these be avoided?

5. What should be the priority task of elders (especially supported ones)?

6. What is the assumption in making unanimity the governing principle in making decisions? What would be the danger in this? (See paper on Consensus Decision Making)

7. What is the appropriate place of women in the leadership structure of the church?

Chapter 9: Spiritual Gifts for the Church
1. What are some ways the diversity of Spiritual gifts could tear at the unity of a congregation?

2. What are some things which could be done in order to enable spiritual gifts to promote unity?

3. How does understanding that spiritual gifts are given for the benefit of the church rather than for the individual affect our perspective and use of the gifts?

4. What are the four aspects of maturity? How can these be used to give us indicators of the relative health of an assembly.

Chapter 10: Biblical Education in the Home and the Church
1. What are some of the liabilities of relying on the pulpit as the major imparter of spiritual doctrine and practice?

2. What method did Jesus use with His disciples? (You might want to do your devotions in the gospel and study Jesus methods of training: Luke is an excellent Gospel for this purpose).

3. Evaluate your effectiveness with your family in initiation, indoctrination, and impartation.

4. Examine your teaching credentials. Make these a focus of prayer. Seek to enlist help from your family and other leaders in improving these.

5. Evaluate your leadership in the home. We recommend using Wayne Mack's book, Strengthening Your Marriage every year or two to help improve your relationship.

Chapter 11: Transforming an Established Church
1. How are decisions made in your church? (There may be several different ways depending on the magnitude of the decision. List the main different ways they are made.)

2. How committed are the leaders to following the Bible rather than tradition? What needs to happen to deepen their commitment to Biblical principles at the expense of tradition?

3. Answer No 2 above with reference to your congregation.

4. What is the shepherding philosophy of the church? Is this Biblical? How can this be adapted?

5. Make a list of things which need to be changed in your church in order to bring it into harmony with the New Testament pattern.

6. Place these in priority order and develop a plan to begin to move the leadership and ultimately the church to a more Biblical pattern.

Chapter 12: Beginning a New Church
1. What plans does your church have for reproducing?

2. What would be some of the major barriers to reproducing?

3. What plans do you have to overcome these barriers?