Apostolic Traditions
Topic outline
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Apostolic Traditions
By Stephen E. Atkerson
Did you know that the widespread evangelical assumption that there is little scriptural guidance concerning church practice is indeed not scriptural?
Have you ever wondered why there are so many varieties of churches in the modern world, different from each other although most of them would claim that they possess scriptural warrant for the way they do church?
Have you ever longed for the kind of church life that you see revealed in the New Testament?
Jesus did not leave us wondering how to effectively make disciples. Through the apostles, He equipped the first Christians with timeless Scriptural church-practice traditions to teach believers to obey all He commanded successfully. Why should doing things the first-century way matter to you? The achievement of God’s disciple-making purposes for His body potentially awaits your fellowship if you adopt the examples given to us in the New Testament by the early church. In view of the unique relationship between Jesus and His apostles, we should take care not to neglect the church practices they modeled. Learn more about ancient church strategy for success in ministry in this mini-course composed by the President of the NRTF!
Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Understand why it matters how we do church
- Understand the best church framework for effective disciple making
- Understand how you can be imbued with empowerment, wisdom, supernatural enrichment, spiritual significance, and success in ministry by following the traditions of Jesus’ apostles
- Understand how to avoid a hurtful ecclesiology that ignores Jesus and his apostles
- Understand how Jesus knew the purpose of the church and how the apostles intentionally followed Jesus’ commands when they planted churches
- Understand that apostolic pattern is prescription, not mere description.
ForumsPost in the five assigned forums. You will get a completion check indicating you have posted reflections. Also, we encourage you to read and engage with the comments of others.
Quiz
After you complete viewing the materials and posting your reflections, there is a feedback quiz. The quiz will help us evaluate the effectiveness of the mini-course.
Content Provider
This course is provided by NTRF - Small Churches, BIG Impact!"For over twenty-five years, we have provided church leaders in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania with resources and training in how the early church met together in community. The essential tenets of the faith to which we subscribe are identical to those found in the doctrinal statements of any sound evangelical institution. Our favorite statement of faith is the First London Baptist Confession of 1646. In short, we advocate historic, orthodox Christianity poured into the wineskin of New Testament church practice as seen on the pages of Scripture. Our goal is to be Christ honoring and thoroughly biblical in every area concerning our church life."
Watch video on apostolic traditions → ntrf.org/timeless-traditions-strategy-video
Read the article on apostolic traditions → ntrf.org/timeless-apostolic-traditions
Listen to the mp3 on apostolic traditions → tinysa.com/sermon/2171215122910
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Please watch this video from the beginning until the timestamp 9:03.
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Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Thinking back on your experience in church, please describe the aspects of your church or churches with which you have been involved. Which features were based upon denominational or modern ecclesiastical traditions, and which aspects of your church practice were based upon apostolic pattern, apostolic practice, and apostolic traditions found in the pages of Scripture. Also, give a separate description of which aspects of your previous church or churches were based upon explicit apostolic commands.
2. Do you share the widespread opinion that church practice is an optional matter of “freedom,” or do you think there is a scripturally-guided way to plant and function in churches? Please fully back up your answer.
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Please watch this video from 9:04 to 14:39.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Give reasons why you believe that it is logical to follow the apostles’ traditions in matters of church practice.
2. How does the well-known architectural maxim that “form follows function” apply to church practice?
3. Please list and write out two Scriptures which show that apostles had a logical strategy and also had design standards when they established their churches. Underline the key portions of the scriptures which illustrate this point.
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Please watch this video from 14:40 - 18:03.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:9 this: “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” In your view, what concerning the apostle Paul’s life or practice should have been put into practice by the Philippians? How does Paul’s word “whatever” help you decide the answer to the previous question?
2. What did Paul say in Philippians 4:9 would be the reward to the Philippians of putting into practice all that they had received from Paul? What are the implications for church practice?
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Please watch this video from 18:04 - 25:10.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2a “I commend you because you remember me in everything ...” What does the context of 1 Corinthians 11:2 tell you about Paul’s meaning of everything?
2. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2 “I commend you because you ... maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” What is the significance of the word “traditions” being plural?
3. 1 Corinthians 11:2 Paul begins a four-chapter section on ecclesiology. In 1 Corinthians 11-14 what traditions does Paul mention concerning church order that he wants the Corinthians to maintain?
4. In 1 Corinthians 11:2 Paul did not praise the Corinthians for maintaining his teachings, rather he praised them for maintaining his traditions. Distinguish between the meanings of teaching (διδαχή, didaché) and tradition (παράδοσις, paradosis).
5. Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 11:2 “I commend you because you ... maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” In your view what did Paul mean by the phrase “even as”?
6. In the New Testament the word “traditions” is sometimes used with a negative connotation, and sometimes it is used with a positive connotation. Please explain the difference in usage.
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Please watch this video from 25:11 - 31:24.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Please explain how 1 Corinthians 11:16 shows that Paul expected his traditions to be followed universally in the Christian church, and not merely followed locally in Corinth.
2. Please explain how 1 Corinthians 14:34b-34 shows that Paul expected his traditions to be followed universally in the Christian church, and not merely followed locally in Corinth.
3. Please explain how 1 Corinthians 14:36 shows that Paul expected his traditions to be followed universally in the Christian church, and not merely followed locally in Corinth.
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Please watch this video from 31:25 - 36:51.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Paul told the Thessalonian church in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (ESV) “... stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us.” Discuss whether the word traditions here means Paul’s teachings, Paul’s practice, or both. Refer to the context of the verse, the Greek, as well as the grammar of the verse, in order to inform your answer.
2. Paul told the Thessalonian church in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (ESV) “stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us.” Discuss whether Paul’s instructions for the Thessalonian church was something he wished for the church but didn’t expect to be carried out, or something he gave the church as an option, or something that he expected to be obeyed. Refer to the grammar of the verse in order to answer.
3. Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 (ESV) “... keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” In what sense is “tradition” used here? Is it Paul’s traditional teaching or Paul’s traditional practice or both? Give reasons for your answer.
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Please watch this video from 36:52 - 40:13.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. Even if Paul expected his Christian readers to follow and imitate his practices, that does not necessarily mean that we are commanded to follow his practices today. In your view, are his practices normative and obligatory for the modern Christian, or are they merely suggestions that the modern church may try to see if they work? (Please do not discuss Paul’s teaching as you answer this question.)
2. Please use your experience to describe modern day church practices that are carried out because of man-made (not apostolic) traditions.
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Please watch this video from 40:14 - 47:48.
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View Make forum posts: 1
Please respond to each of the prompts, numbering your answers to correspond.
1. In what ways is the Lord’s Supper not practiced today according to the apostolic tradition regarding communion?
2. In what ways are today’s weekly church meetings out of accord with apostolic tradition?
3. How is church leadership today as practiced today out of accord with the apostolic tradition for decision making?
4. How is the size of the modern-day megachurch out of accord with the apostolic tradition for congregational size?
5. What are the ramifications if the modern Christian decides not to follow apostolic tradition?
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