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God's plan for becoming a
Christian:
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1. |
Hear
the gospel of Christ
(Romans 10:13-17) |
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2. |
BELIEVE
in Christ
(Mark 16:15-16) |
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3. |
REPENT
of past sins
(ACTS 2:36-47) |
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4. |
CONFESS
faith in Christ
(Romans 10:9-10) |
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5. |
BE BAPTIZED
into Christ
(Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21) |
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6. |
Live
FAITHFULLY
(Romans 12:1-2) |
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The church of Christ:
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1. |
The Bible
is its only guide
(Romans 1:16;
I Thess. 2:13) |
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2. |
Wears a
Biblical Name
(Romans 16:16) |
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3. |
Established at the right
place
(Isaiah 2:2, 3;Acts 2) |
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4. |
Established at the right
time
(Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2) |
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5. |
Established on the right
person
(Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:36) |
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6. |
Saved are
in it
(Ephesians 5:23;
Acts 2:47) |
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7. |
Its
members are enrolled in
heaven
(Hebrews 12:23) |
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8. |
Membership in it is
obtained by obedience to
God's commands including
baptism
(Acts 2:41-47; I Cor. 12:13) |
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"..and upon
this rock I will build my church"
(MT. 16:18)
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Information about the
church of Christ
click
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"Go
ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature"
(MK 16:15)
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Bible correspondence
course
(FREE)
click
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"And
you shall know the truth, and the
truth shall make you free"
(John 8:32)
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Truth for the World
missionary work
click |
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Duluth
church of Christ |
2344 Nanticoke Street
Duluth MN 55811
(218) 722-1984
duluthchurchofchrist.org |
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Here are a few
things you should know about the church
of Christ |
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The creed of the church of Christ: The church of
Christ has no creed but the Bible. The Bible is the inspired Word of God, and it
is all we need to guide us in all religious matters (II Timothy 3:16&17).
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The pattern for the church of Christ:
In order for a church
to be the same church which you can read of in your New Testament, it must
follow the pattern God has set forth for His church. That pattern is the New
Testament (Hebrews 9:15-17). The church of Christ follows that pattern.
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The name of the church of Christ: Consistent with its claim
to follow the New Testament pattern, the church of Christ goes by a Biblical
name (Romans 16:16). It does not bear the name of any man, or any man-made
doctrine. The church of Christ bears the name of the founder of the church
(Matthew 16:18). The name which its individual members wear is the name given to
those who followed Christ in the first century. That name is "Christian" (Acts
11:26).
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The worship of the church of Christ: The church of Christ
follows the
New Testament pattern of worship which includes the following:
-- The church of Christ worships on Sunday, which is the first
day of
the week (Acts 20:17; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2).
-- The worship of the church of Christ is directed to God, and
is done
in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).
-- The worship service of the church of Christ involves
participation in
five acts of worship. These are: singing (Ephesians
5:19);
praying (Acts 2:42); partaking of the Lord's Supper (Acts
20:7,
Matthew 26:26-29); giving as you have been prospered to the
church(1
Corinthians 16:1,2); and preaching (Acts 20:7).
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The work of the church of Christ: The New Testament sets
forth for the church a threefold work. The first work of the church is to preach
the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20) . The church is also to be involved in exhorting,
uplifting and encouraging its members (Ephesians 4:11,12). The third aspect of
the work of the church is helping those in need (Galatians 6:10).
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Salvation and entrance into the church of Christ: The church
which belongs to Christ is referred to in Ephesians 1:22, 23 as the body of
Christ. In Ephesians 4:4 we are told there is only one body, while in Ephesians
5:23 we are told Christ is the Savior of that body. We are told in Galatians
3:27 that baptism places us into Christ.
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In order to be prepared for baptism into the church, one must first hear
the word of God (Romans 10:14-17). One must have a faith based upon the
Word of God in order to please God (Hebrews 11:6). That faith must be an
obedient faith (James 2:26). An obedient faith will cause one to repent
of his/her sins (Acts 17:30). One with such a faith will not be ashamed to
confess his faith before men (Matthew 10:32, 33; Acts 8:37). Then one with
such a faith will be baptized for the remission of his/her sins. (Acts
2:38) Once this has been done, the Lord will add him/her to the church (Acts
2:47).
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What to expect when
you visit |
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We want you to visit the Duluth Church of
Christ, but we know that an unfamiliar place can be somewhat
intimidating. So, let us tell you what you can expect when you honor us
with a visit.
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Background: Our goal is to "restore" the New
Testament Church in our time-to determine from the Bible what the church
(established by Christ through His apostles) was like in the beginning
and to be like that church (Matthew 16:18).
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The People: What
kind of people can you expect to find? Pretty much the entire
spectrum, as in most groups. People of every age and race may be
Christians. You will find people who make mistakes. You will also find
people at different levels of spiritual maturity who are striving to
serve God, their families, and their fellow man. You will not find any
perfect people, but you will find forgiven people. We hope you get
the picture--we are a diverse group, coming from different
backgrounds and at different stages of knowledge and spiritual growth.
We are human beings striving together to love God and our fellow
man.
The Worship Service
Now let us walk you through a typical worship
service. When you enter the auditorium, feel free to sit wherever you
like.
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Singing: In a rack
in front of you will be a songbook for your use. When the song
leader announces a number you can turn to that song in the book to
find the words and music. You can also see the song
numbers in order on the song board on the wall at the front of the
auditorium. Since we are seeking to worship as the
Christ has taught us to do in the New Testament, our music will be
vocal only. We think you will find the singing meaningful with
everyone being invited to participate (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3;16).
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Prayer: There
will be several prayers during the service. This is not only a
fulfillment of a Biblical command, but a desire on the part of us
humans to make contact with God.
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The Lord's Supper:
If you visit on a Sunday, the Lord's Supper will be observed. The
Lord commanded us to remember Him every time we eat the supper. We
know from the Bible that the first century church observed this
memorial on the first day of each week (Acts 20:7). During this
memorial, plate containing pieces of unleavened bread will be passed
throughout the congregation. The bread symbolizes the body of Jesus.
Next, cups containing grape juice will be passed--which symbolizes
His blood. (If you choose not to participate, do not be embarrassed.
Feel free to pass the tray to the person next to you).
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Contribution: After
the Lord's Supper, we fulfill another command; "Upon the first
day of the week let every on of you lay by him in store, as God hath
prospered him". As our
guest, you are not obligated to make a contribution. However, you
may do so if you wish (I Cor. 16:2; 2 Cor. 9:6-13).
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Preaching: After the
Lord's Supper there will be a sermon by our minister. He won't be
wearing any special religious garments to set him apart nor will
he wear any title such as "Pastor" or "Reverend." The sermon will last
about 30 minutes and will be Bible-centered and very practical in
its application to daily life.
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Invitation: At the
close of the sermon the preacher will extend an invitation. This is
an expedient time to those who are ready to obey
the gospel and become a Christian (see God's plan
for becoming a Christian in the upper left margin) or request prayer.
Those who wish to do this can walk to the front of the auditorium during
the "song of invitation" (i.e. the song
immediately following the sermon). Don't feel ill-at-ease during the invitation.
You will not be singled out in any way.
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What Will Be Expected of You?
Nothing at all! You are welcome to participate, but don't feel
that you must. You will be asked to sign our visitor's book in
the foyer. This
provides information so the church can write to thank you
for your visit. Supply the information if you are comfortable doing
so.
Please come back as often as you can!
Please feel free to comment on this information;
Click here to comment
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