The Household of God 

Part Two: strategy & structure May 11, 2025 

Sadly, many local churches are ineffective or unsuccessful in accomplishing God’s will.  Most ineffective churches cannot do what God wants them to do because they are focused on doing the wrong things well.   

• God wants more than efficient churches; He wants effective churches! 

God doesn’t want His sons and daughters to do whatever they want.  God wants His household on earth to do His will (Matt 6:10; Rom 12:1-2).   

“Many churches are efficient in that they are well organized and maintain a full slate of programs.  But while they generate a lot of activity, there is little productivity.  Energy is wasted on trivial issues.  It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic; everything may look nice and organized, but it doesn’t matter because the ship is still sinking!  It is not enough for a church to be well organized; it must be well organized to do the right things.”   

Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Church.   

• We can learn how to be an effective church by studying the first Christian church. 

The first Christian church planted in Jerusalem in 33 A.D. differed greatly from local churches today.  We cannot perfectly mimic the first Christian church, but we can value what the first Christian church valued.   

What did the first Christian church value? 

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.  They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.  And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”  (Acts 2:42-47, NLT)  

• The first church valued meeting together. 

The first Christians loved to be together.  They met at the temple and synagogues and in their homes throughout the week.  They studied, prayed, ate, and worshiped with glad hearts (Acts 2:46; 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Heb 10:24-25; Rev 1:10).   

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  (Hebrews 10:24-25, NLT)  

• The first church valued learning the Word of God. 

The Word of God was proclaimed and explained in the church.  Paul mandates the importance of the Word of God throughout his Pastoral Epistles (1 Tim 4:6, 13; 2 Tim 2:2; 3:16-17; Acts 17:11).   

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”  (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)  

• The first church valued fellowship. 

In the New Testament, fellowship refers to a shared participation with other Christians.  Christian fellowship is best expressed through the “one another’s” of the New Testament (Rom 12:10, 16; 13:8; 14:19; 15:5, 7, 14; 16:16; Gal 5:13; Eph 4:2, 25, 32; 5:21; Phil 2:3; Col 3:9, 13, 16; 1 Thess 4:9, 18, 5:11, 13; Heb 3:13; 10:24-25; 1 Pet 1:22; 4:9-10; 5:5).  

• The first church valued baptism and communion. 

The first church baptized believers and partook of communion.  These ordinances were done regularly and with gladness (Acts 2:41, 46; 1 Cor 10:16-17; 11:24-29).   

• The first church valued prayer. 

The Lord Jesus promised his disciples that they could ask for anything in his name and they would receive it.  “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14, NLT)  The early church took that promise to heart and prayed together often (Acts 1:14, 24; 4:24-31; Rom 12:12; Eph 6:11; Col 4:2).  

• The first church valued generosity. 

This was important because many lost their jobs when they converted to Christianity, and everyone in Jerusalem was watching to see how Christians treated each other (John 13:35; Acts 2:44-46a; 5:4; 11:27-30; 2 Cor 8:13-15; 1 Pet 4:9; 1 John 3:16-18). 

• The first church valued worshiping God. 

The first Christians loved to sing, testify, praise, and give God thanks (Acts 2:47; Eph 1:12; Phil 1:11; Heb 13:15).  They were a joyful church with soft hearts.   

• The first church valued spiritual and numerical growth. 

The first church was committed to becoming like Christ and leading lost people to Christ.  It loved Jesus and loved to tell their friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers about him. 

The first Christian church understood what was important to God and structured its church service and ministries around those actions.  Their strategy for success was simple.  As God's family on earth, we must remain focused on the Great Commandments (Matt 22:36-40) and the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20).