Why No Gymnasiumor Fellowship Hall

Bible Authority and Churches of Christ

The Current Religious Scene

• There is an emphasis in many denominations on the physical and social

• There is an emphasis in many Churches of Christ on the physical and social (1 Sam. 8:5,20)

• What about the gymnasium and fellowship hall (hereafter, “f.h.”) among Churches of Christ?

What Is Not An Issue

• It is not because we do not like recreation or eating together (“anti” ___________ )

• It is not because we cannot afford these facilities

• It is not because we do not have anyone to conduct them

• It is not because we want to be different

A Matter of Bible Authority

• We must have NT authority for all we do (Col. 3:17)

• NT authority is needed for the plan of salvation, worship of the church, organization of the church, work of the church

• The local church has authority to assemble for worship (Ac 2-6; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11; 14; Heb. 10:24-25)

A Matter of Bible Authority

• The local church has authority for a building to be used for authorized activities

• The work of the local church is…

– Evangelism (1 Thess. 1:8)

– Edification / teaching (Eph. 4:11-16)

– Benevolence (Acts 2,4,6; 2 Cor. 8-9; etc.)

A Matter of Bible Authority

• Social meals and recreation do not fit this pattern…

– It is not evangelism (Jn. 6:26,44; Rom. 1:16)

– It is not edification (Acts 20:32)

– It is not benevolence (Acts 11:28-29)

A Matter of Bible Authority

• Social meals and recreation supported from the church treasury lack NT authority

– There is no command for them

– There is no example of them (Ac. 2:46?)

– There is no necessary implication about them

A Matter of Bible Authority

• The work of the local church is not physical or social, thus, the building may not be used for these purposes

• Physical and social activities may be done individually (1 Tim. 4:6; 1 Cor. 11:30), but not as church (treasury) sponsored activities

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The building is not sacred.”

– True, but the building must be used for that which is authorized by the NT. Many buildings in this country are not sacred, but they must be used for certain purposes only.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “You have a water fountain in the building, why not a f.h. or gym?”

– The water fountain / restrooms are expedients to assembling for worship. The f.h. and gym are not.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The meals and recreation are kept separate from the worship service and conducted in a separate place.”

– This is good, but the meals and recreation are still funded by the church treasury; the Lord’s money is still used for unauthorized practices. Separation is not the issue; authority is.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “I don’t see anything wrong with it.”

– We do not function as a church based upon what we think or feel, but what is authorized (Col. 3:17)

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “If we don’t provided social and recreational activities for our youth, who will? The world? The denominations?”

– The local church must provided what it is authorized to provided.

– Individual Christians can provide these things and our youth do not need to turn to the world or denominations.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The local church can do anything Christians can do because the local church is made up of Christians.”

– No, there are some things Christians do that the local church does not do (1 Thess. 4:11-12; 1 Tim. 5:16). Also, common means were eaten at home (Acts 2:46; 20:11; 1 Cor. 11:22,34)

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “There are many things we do without Bible authority: buildings, lights, projectors, song books, fellowship hall, gym, etc.”

– Something like a building may not appear specifically in the NT, but it is authorized under the expedience of a general command; there is no such command for the f.h. or gym

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “We provide the common meal in the f.h. by individuals, not the church.”

– First, individuals provided the common meal at Corinth and they were told to keep it at home. Second, the church f.h. is not provided by individuals, but by the church treasury.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “In Acts 2:42,46 the local church ate the Lord’s supper, then had a church social meal together.”

– There is no evidence that the local church is sponsoring this meal from its treasury. The common meal was taken at home.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “In Acts 20:7,11, Paul ate the Lord’s supper, then had a church social meal together.”

– There is no evidence that the local church is sponsoring this meal from its treasury.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The problem at Corinth was that they did not separate the common meal from the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11).”

– No, the problem was the abuse and misuse of the Lord’s supper. The answer was to the common meal for hunger at home. Paul did not say separate the common meal. He said it the common meal at home.

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The NT church often met in homes where meals were eaten (Rom. 16:5).”

– First, there is no evidence that the meals were eaten in connection with the assembly. Second, there is no evidence that the local church sponsored these meals from the treasury. Third, what other home activities can be done by the

church?

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The love-feast in 2 Peter 2:13 and Jude 12 is authority for a church social meal together.”

– There is no evidence that the local church is sponsoring this meal from its treasury

Answering Arguments

• Argument: “The doctrine of ‘fellowship’ in the NT is authority for a church social meal together, or playing together.”

– “Fellowship,” as used in the NT, refers to sharing in spiritual things, not social or recreational things

– God, saints in Christ, Lord’s supper, sufferings of Christ, worship, benevolence, preaching

An Appeal to All Christians

• Let the local church be about the business of doing the Lord’s work in the Lord’s way: evangelism, edification, benevolence

• Let the individual / home be about the business of social and recreational activities

• Let the church be the church!