Quiet Time Notes

Notes from my daily Quiet Times with God

The Essential Mission (part II)

June 17th, 2025
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The great challenge: the church has always been tempted to follow the path of other associations:

1. Later generation do not have the same passion and may begin to perserve traditions of eariler days to simply to protect their positions
2. Leaders may enjoy the power and money their positions bring
3. Church leader may begin to view the church as a means to social and politcal ends
4. Church has more of a non-profit service organization or politcal lobby

The New Testament mandates essential practices

Faith in Christ is enough

First century church passed down as esstinal - baptism and the Lord's supper

Baptism was not new, practiced in the Jewish faith from 515BC as a ritual and symbolic cleansing to remove defilement, example: John, the baptist

The Lord's supper was not foreign idea as its roots came from the Passover meal

Supper is not alien to any culture because of it life giving properties

Simple and essential:

1. Come to faith
2. Be baptized into Christ
3. Holy Spirit is within, no central holy site
4. Witness to Christ
5. Participate in the Lord's Supprer remembering Jesus' sacrifice

Key Phrase: The New Testament mandates essential practices

Notes from: Rethinking Church by Ron Highfield.