The founding of a local church requires careful consideration of motives, divine command, and scriptural patterns. Valid reasons for establishing a new work include fulfilling God's command for outreach, as seen in Acts 1:8 and 2 Peter 3:9, and adhering to the pattern for the church found in Scripture, such as gathering saints (Psalm 50:5) and meeting in Jesus' name (Matthew 18:20). The work of an evangelist extends beyond preaching to include sound doctrine, baptism, teaching about the kingdom, appointing elders, separation from error, and instruction on giving, as exemplified by figures like Philip and Paul. Establishing a new work can be accomplished through private homes, neutral buildings like jails or schoolhouses, or rented spaces, with a caution against the potential limitations and financial burdens of owning a building. Continued care for a new work involves ensuring it is not left until established, appointing elders, providing follow-up teaching, and developing the gifts of local members for self-sustainability.
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the founding of an assembly or a local church. One, the reasons for doing so. Subheading one, avoid wrong motives. A, the extending of an organization. First Corinthians three and nine says, you are God's husbandry. or God's building. Now, if I were trying to build up a certain organization, this would be a wrong reason for founding a new work, and be exalting an individual.
First Corinthians three, four, and seven, says that these Corinthians were carnal because one said, I'm Paul and another, I have a policy. He says, these are just ministers or servants of God through whom you believe. So it's wrong to exalt an individual. That isn't the reason, a good reason for building up a new work. And see creating divisions or adding to it. If I pull off because I don't like the people where I am, I'm creating a division. If I leave the group because they're unscriptural, that's something different.
But I've got to have good proof of that. In First Corinthians one, he says, I beseech you that you all speak the same things. And the twelfth chapter, he says, that there be no schism or division in the body. Let's not do anything to help tattoo the confusion in the professing church today. Number two, God has commanded outreach. A, to the uttermost part of the earth. It's very likely that the Christians reached the uttermost part of the earth in the first century. Seems to be plenty of proof for that.
I'm not so sure that we have done as in our generation. But in Acts one and eight, they were told to do this. beginning at Jerusalem, and then to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the uttermost parts of the earth. And D, because God wishes none to perish. Second Peter, three and nine. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. As long as there are still souls to reach, you and I should be doing all we can for outreach. And three we have given us the pattern for the local church.
In First Corinthians three, verse ten, the Apostle Paul says, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and let others take heed how they build thereupon. Then he says, other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. So don't start to build until you're on the foundation. and be sure that you do build on the foundation, and be sure that you build according to the scriptural plan and patterns. On First Corinthians three, he tells us that some built wood, hay, and stubble into the church. While you can use that chapter as a picture of our individual lives and the way we carry on work and the way we serve the Lord individually, it really is talking about the church.
the local assembly of believers. And when you build in spurious material, you are either taking in people who are not believers, or you are building it up in a wrong way, or you're building doctrine into them that isn't correct, and so on. So you have given us the pattern for the church. A, gather my saints, Psalm fifty in verse five says. Gather my saints together unto me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Now if you're trying to get membership, of course, it's very simple.
You can always get joiners. But if you're trying to gather his saints together, this is something entirely different. And B is in the name of the Lord Jesus. Matthew eighteen twenty has often been called the charter of the church. where two or three are gathered together in my name. It isn't people who are gathered out, but it's people who are gathered together in my name. There am I in the midst of them. And see, the epistles contain adequate directions. For instance, in Titus one and nine, he says, Holding fast the faithful word as ye have been taught.
And then he says, by sound doctrine, to exhort and convince and so on. So we do have the faithful word, and we do have sound doctrine. We have all the directions that we need for carrying on a scriptural work. Now, section two, the work of an evangelist. This is more than preaching the gospel. That expression, do the work of an evangelist, occurs in Second Timothy four. the fifth verse. But before that, he says, preach the word. And he says, reprove, rebuke, exhort. And he tells them the time will come and people will not endure sound doctrine.
And then he adds, do the work of an evangelist. So the work of an evangelist is more than just preaching the gospel. A, it includes sound doctrine. be baptizing. In Acts H, you have the story of Philip leading an Ethiopian treasurer to the Lord. And before he left him, he baptized him. And see, it includes preaching the kingdom of God. We need to instruct the Lord's people in what God is doing and in what he's going to do, the present form of the kingdom, the coming form of the kingdom.
And D, it includes elders. Now the apostle and the apostolic delegates appointed elders. This was not done in our day, but we have all the directions that we need in First Timothy three and in Titus one so that we can know who the elders are. An evangelist should not leave a company of believers until he sees to it that there are elder brethren there who can shepherd them and look after them. And E, it includes separation. In Acts nineteen and nine, he led the people to the Lord, and then he didn't go off and leave them.
This was at Ephesus. He separated the brethren, took them out of the synagogue. led them to see their place as a local church. And S, it includes teaching on giving. Acts twenty and verse thirty-five. Paul said to the Ephesian elders in Acts twenty that I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God. And then he says, I taught you what the Lord Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. So they should be taught to give to the work of the Lord. And G... This may require staying for some time with these new believers.
He spent a year and a half at Corinth, and in the nineteenth of Acts he mentions two years of Ephesus, and then in the twentieth chapter where he met with the elders from Ephesus, he says by the space of three years, I cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ, to warn you with tears and so on. Well, a man who builds up a new work should stay long enough to see that it's on a good footing. Now, number two, a new work may be opened up by a couple moving there. And this is exemplified by Aquila and Priscilla, eh?
Aquila and Priscilla moved to Corinth. Now, the work really began as a result. of their moving there because this gave Paul a place to stay when he went to Corinth and they had little business going in their home of tent makers and Paul had learned this trade as every Jewish boy had to do had to learn the trade as well as a profession and so he was able to earn his living and to stay with these people and then they moved around somewhat because B we find him in Rome in Romans chapter sixteen and C in Philippi in First Corinthians chapter sixteen.
Apparently this couple, a very godly couple, were useful in these three major cities in establishing a new work. And three, this may be done by a residence of the community or the locality. Epiphras, this fellow in Colossae. Colossians one and seven says that Epiphras, who is one of you, told us about the work that he had done there. And in chapter four, although he was in jail, Paul, at Rome, he still was concerned about these people's porosity, and he labored fervently for them in prayers.
And he was concerned not only about Colossae, but about the other two cities, Hierapolis and Laodicea, which were just fifteen miles away. They form a triangle. He looked on the map. And he was concerned about the whole area where he lived. Now, sometimes people think that you can't serve the Lord without going to a foreign country. And many Bible schools encourage this. Why don't you get on the ball and go to the mission field? Well, I live in a mission field. So do you. All I have to do is to find out what part of the mission field the Lord wants me to work in. And I can tell you one thing. If you can't go across the street to win the soul, there's no use for you to go across an ocean. You have a job to do.
Start by doing it right where you live. Now the Philemon and family did the same. This is mentioned in the first two verses of Philemon. The church was in their house. So you see, there are a number of ways of getting a new work started. You may think of others beside this. Now, section three, determine God's guidance as to location. One, all guidance requires meekness on our part. Oftentimes you hear people say, well, I've been praying about this and I just don't seem to get any guidance.
And I sometimes ask them, just what kind of guidance were you looking for? Well, I thought the Lord would show me that I ought to do such and such. Well, now if you'd be just as willing to do the opposite, maybe God would show you what he wants you to do. And that's what Psalm twenty-five teaches. Study the whole Psalm. The part that I've marked out here, verses four to fourteen, especially has to do with it. And one verse, the ninth verse says, the meek will he guide in judgment. That is, making right judgments about things. The meek will he teach his way. So you must be willing to go wherever the Lord wants you to go or willing to stay if he wants you to stay.
Number two, this may come by a number of ways. Guidance comes, A, by studying God's word for principle. Now let me say what I mean by this word, principle. I've given you an example in Acts eight, four and five. Now what is the principle that sets forth here? Well, it says they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. And then it says, Philip went down to Samaria and preached the gospel unto them. Now there are two principles in that one verse. One is that wherever you happen to be, whatever took you there, you should be witnessing for the Lord in that particular place.
And the second principle is you should go to despise and poor and needy people. Because the Jews looked down on Samaritans. They had no use for the Samaritans. They had no dealings with them, the woman said, and the fourth is John. But the Lord Jesus went there, and Philip, imitating his master, went there too. So here are principles that you'll find. There are many more of them that you'll locate in Scripture. Study the Word of God to see how the Lord did the work, and how others did the work. And you will see that there are certain principles that can guide you. And do you heed the call from God?
In Acts thirteen, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me, Barnabas, and Saul, to the work where I am to I have called in. Now, this doesn't mean that they were not doing anything up until this time. They were busy. If you're busy where you are, God likely will call you to do something more. He never calls idle people that I know of. And in Acts eight and verse twenty nine, the Lord definitely told Philip that he should go down to the Gaza Strip, which you remember is still a bone contention in Palestine. And there he should, on that road, he should be the man that he would lead to Christ.
And he did. The treasure of the Queen of Ethiopia was led to the Lord as a result of his listening to this call. And see, he calls for help from men. On Acts thirteen and verse seven, we're told that Sergius Paulus sent for Paul because he wanted to hear the word of God. If you're listening, you'll find that there are a lot of people around you who really want to hear it, who really want the Word of God. If somebody doesn't want it, don't try to point it upon them. Keep looking for somebody who does want it.
And in Acts, verse was nine and ten, Paul heard the call from a man of Macedonia, saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. Well, that was across the straits into Europe. And nobody had ever gone to Europe to preach the gospel before, but there was a call for help, and Paul went. And then D. He'd closed doors. In that same sixteenth of Acts, it says that they were forbidden to preach the gospel in Asia, and when they had saved to go into Bethinia, the Spirit suffered them not.
So they were willing to accept a closed door as from the Lord. And E, look for open doors. Usually a closed door means there's an open door. Close by. In First Corinthians, sixteen and nine, the apostle Paul wrote, is a great door, and effectual was opened, doesn't it? An incident is that there are many adversaries that goes along with open doors. And in Revelation three, the Lord Jesus said to the Philadelphia church, I have set before you an open door. and no man can shut it. So look for open doors.
And number three, God's way is always reaching beyond. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, whom he had never visited, and said, My way of doing has been to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation. I said I have no more place in these parts, so when I make my journey to Spain I will come by way of Rome and we'll see you also. Now this is the Lord's way. Reach out, reach out. Always the regions beyond. There's always somebody who needs the gospel beyond. Now section four, finding a base of operations.
Suppose that I were going to a new place And I want to know, what shall I do? Shall I go there? First of all, shall I send out a lot of letters all over the country and tell the people I'm going to do this so as to get the money, and then shall I raise money enough to build a new building over there? And that's modern methods. Is that the way they did then? No. Number one, private homes are ideal. He said to the Ephesian elders, I preached publicly and from house to house. Private homes are ideal for starting a new work, a Priscilla and Aquila's home.
We've already mentioned that in three different cities. They had a home in which they could meet. A very fine work was begun in a large city. in a carpenter shop. Every night they slept out of the carpenter shop, moved things into a back room, and then they set up some benches and invited the people in off the street and preached, and many souls were saved. And some of the people who didn't quite understand those new church, they called it, said, well, they seem to be trying to imitate the Lord because they meet in the carpenter shop, and he was a carpenter. Well, it's because the carton shop was all over.
If it had been a blacksmith shop, that would work, too. Priscilla and Aquila's home was open, and so they met there. Of these, there are six homes mentioned in Romans chapter sixteen. This may interest you, because the letter to the Romans was addressed to the church at Rome. And yet you have at least six different groups mentioned in the last chapter of Romans. certain ones and the saints that are with him or so and so in the churches in his house. And see Cornelius in Acts chapter eleven.
Cornelius was a captain in the Roman army and he invited Peter to come and preach. And Peter was a little bit afraid to go because he never preached to anybody but Jews up until that time. But he went and the first meeting held there was in Cornelius' own home. And D, there was a home of Mary in Acts twelve. We don't know whether they preached in her home, but it's quite likely that they did because the church met together to pray in that home anyway. And E, you have the home of Jason in Acts seventeen.
Jason got into trouble this way, too. Just a little hint of what may be ahead of you. If you open your home for the Lord's work, you may get into difficulties, too. She'll be in good company. And S, the home of justice, in Acts eighteen. So private homes were used extensively in the first century. Now, number two, neutral buildings. are suitable. A neutral building means a building that's not lined up with some sectarian kind of thing. A? A jail.
Act sixteen. Jails are excellent places to preach. Sometimes you can get permission to preach in them. Sometimes you get thrown into them for preaching, and then you go ahead and preach there. That's what Paul did. Paul and Thou has preached, sang praises, prayed, finally ended up seeing the jailer converted. And D, a school. Acts nineteen, the school of Tyranus. It was right next door to the synagogue. When the people in the synagogue began to raise a fuss about this new preaching, Paul just moved the disciples out and moved them into the schoolhouse next door. Schoolhouses have been excellent places to preach the word.
I've used many of them. And then C... In Acts seventeen you have his preaching in the courthouse. It was really called Areopagus or Mars Hill, but it was a public court. And it was a place that they used also for any kind of public speaking. They had a democratic form of government through Greece, and it was a place even where they could get together and air their views. And the Areopagites, they call them, the people that hung around this place, spent most of their time listening to new ideas. And finally, D, a rented house. In Acts twenty-eight and verse thirty, the Apostle Paul rented a house when he was taken to Rome, was allowed to stay there under house arrest with a soldier living with him, and he preached the gospel to all that came to it.
So this might be a good thing to do if you're opening up a work in a new place and there isn't somebody else whom you can join there and whose house you can meet is to rent a house yourself and use it for that purpose well number three you're likely to be expelled from religious centers acts nineteen verses eight and nine describes how the jews were so upset over the preaching that they didn't want them meeting in their synagogue and this is usually the problem You could get church buildings, as we call them, preach in in almost any locality, but right away you run into problems because they're not going to like some of the things you preach, and if they're a building, you probably get tossed out sooner or later anyway, and you might as well start in a neutral place to begin with.
Furthermore, you take the chance of being identified with something which may not be scriptural, likely is not. Number four, the danger in owning a building. I realize that there's strong feeling among some people that you cannot carry on a good work unless you build a chapel, build a building. Well, there are some dangers. I don't say that you should not own a building, but you ought to consider these. A, population shifts. You may... put up a building in a certain locality and then find yourself in the midst of a situation where you can no longer carry on the work.
What do you do as your building then? And B, it may limit outreach. For instance, after a few years, the neighborhood can change to where it is all old people, pretty well set in their ways, having their own churches quote, unquote, to which they go, which they attend, and they're not interested in what you're doing. There are no children you can get in, and you're stuck with a building in a place where you're at very limited outreach. And see, it ties up money that could be used more wisely. I read somewhere that there is ten times the money spent.
on church buildings in the United States, as is spent for the entire missionary program. That's something to think about. On number five, the continued care of a new work. One, it should not be left until established. I wanted to stress this. I mentioned it once already, but Let's get it down here now about the care of a new work. Don't leave it until it is established. Two, it should have elders to oversee them. And the qualifications, you remember, are given in First Timothy, three, one to seven.
A, they were ordained at first. B, we now simply recognize them from the scriptural qualifications. So there should be elders to oversee them before they are left. There's great danger that as you go off and leave a group of young converts that they will be drawn into some unscriptural, anti-scriptural thing, and you go back to see them and you find out that you've lost them. And three, teachers should follow up the work. Now in Acts After Philip had led a number of people to the Lord in Samaria, the believers at Jerusalem sent the apostles down to encourage them and to teach them.
So there ought to be a concern among those who have the gifts of teachers to shepherd the work and to teach the Christians. And in Ephesians four, this was plainly said to be the way the Lord would have us to do. He says he has given evangelists and pastors and teachers, and that these are for the building up of the faith under the work of ministry, under the edifying of the body of Christ. If a man goes in and starts a new work and he's not capable of giving the teaching that he ought to, he should find a man to come and help him to give that teaching. After the group, the local assembly of believers are established, then The elders have a responsibility either to teach or to invite in those who they feel can teach.
And finally, number four, local saints should develop their gifts. According to First Corinthians twelve, each of us has some gifts. We should find out what it is. We should develop it so that the local congregation is able to self-sustaining through the gifts that are developed there on them.