Paul Mennon

A STUDY IN CONTRASTS: THE NEW TESTAMENT AND TODAY’S CHURCH

| THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH | THE CHURCH OF TODAY
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
LOCATION | Moved from House to House | Meets in Church
| | Buildings
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
SIZE OF GROUPS | Small, Intimate Groups | Large, Impersonal
| | Groups
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
ACTIVITIES | Daily Fellowship | Weekly Worship
| | Services
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
SUPPORT SYSTEM | Building Up One Another | Problem? See the
| | Pastor
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
RELATIONSHIPS | Intimate; Helping One Another | Remote; Little
| | Transparency
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
DISCIPLING | “Mouth To Ear” Modeling | Classes, Notebooks;
| Personal Values Shaped | Little Modeling;
| | Values Not Shaped
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
PRIMARY TASKS OF | Every Believer Equipped To Do | Directing the “Program
LEADERS | The Work of the Ministry | Base Design”
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
PRAYER LIFE | Hours Daily; Heavy Emphasis | Individual Choice;
| | Limited
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
PASTOR’S DUTY | Model the Life of a Believer | Preach Good Sermons
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________

___________________________________________________________________________
EXPECTATIONS OF | Ministering to Others; Total | Attendance; Tithing;
MEMBERS | Servanthood and Stewardship | Work in the “Programs”
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
PERSPECTIVE | Cell Groups the Focal Point | Congregation the Focal
| | Point
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
KEY WORDS | “Go and Make Disciples” | “Come Grow with Us”
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
TEACHINGS | Apply the Scriptures to Needs | Subscribe to the
| and Relationships | Distinctive Beliefs of
| | this Church
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
SPIRITUAL GIFTS | Regularly Exercised by All | Either Downplayed or
| Believers to Build up Others | Often Used as a
| in the Cell Group Gatherings | “Crowd-Pleaser” in
| | Public Services
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
COMMITMENT | To Increase the Kingdom; | To Enlarge the
| Unity, Body, Life | Institution;
| | Uniformity
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
EVALUATION TEST | “How You Serve” | “What You Know”
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________
SOURCE FOR SECURING| Servant Workers Developed; | Trained, Professional
STAFF | Tested Before They are Set | Clergy
| Apart for Ministry Within |
___________________|_______________________________|_______________________

(The original source of the above material is unknown.)

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