Landstuhl Christian Church

Info

Sunday Worship 11 AM
Wed Bible Study 7 PM

Geschichte

Who needs the church?

The church needs you; however, you need the church. Christ chose the church as his tool for the sharing of his message. The church is the “body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:25-27). Everyone needs the church. The church dare not leave people alone until all men come to Christ and his church.

Edgar A. Guest said, “To say that I don’t need the church is mere bravado. I needed it when my father died, I needed it when we were married, and I shall need it again sooner or later and need it badly. I am in good health now and could, I suppose, get along nicely for a time… But what sort of a man is he who scorns and neglects his best friend until his hour of tribulation? If Sunday finds you not among those who gather together to worship God, how will you dare presume upon HIM in time of stress and trouble and sorrow?”


Christ is everything!

The Scripture alone sets our rules of faith and practice. Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2Timothy 3: 16-17)

In answer to life’s most important uestion, “What must I do?” we answer as Peter did, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins will be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) We practice the New Testament baptism—immersion of a penitent believer in water to show his death, burial (of his old life) and resurrection (to his new life). (Romans 6:4)

We observe the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day. “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them…” (Acts 20:7) This indicates weekly communion.

Christians are to give to the work of the church. “Freely you have received, freely give” is the instruction of Christ. Jesus said, “These are things you should have done (referring to tithing) without neglecting the others.” Matthew 23:23 Paul urges, “On the first day of every week let each one put aside and save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.” (1Corinthians 16:2)

Christ is our creed!

There is one creed that all Christians can believe and follow—that is ‘I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16) This is the essence of our creed.

We have no additional creed. The meaning of this creed, the belief of the church, is stated fully and completely in the Bible. There is no other manual or discipline book that the members of the Church follow. The Scripture points us to Christ and guides us to eternal life.

Christ founded his church upon himself and not upon a book, a statement or a series of proposition. Jesus Christ is the creed of the church in the New Testament. Man-made creeds are often barriers to the unity of the followers of the Son of God; we believe they should be removed.

We wear the name of Christ!

As persons, we wear his name. The Bible refers to the church as the bride of Christ. Now the bride should wear the bridegroom’s name; not the name of the bridegroom’s friend, John the Baptist; not the name of the bridegroom’s servant, Luther, Calvin, Wesley or Campbell. The name “Christian” was enough to distinguish the early followers of Christ. The name Christian is still good enough. Other names create division and strife. It is enough to be a Christian. We would persuade people to be Christians and have all of Christ’s people wear Christ’s name. (Acts 11:26)

As congregations, we wear his name. Since the church belongs to Christ, congregations also wear his name—the Christian Church or the Church of Christ. We refuse to wear any name but his. His name will someday be exalted above every name. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Can you think of a better name for a person or a church to wear than “Christian”?

Have you been baptized as Christ commanded?

Unfortunately, baptism is often a subject of argument and division. See what the Scripture says about it. Baptism is a command of the New Testament. (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38) There is one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5)

1. What is the purpose of baptism?
Washing away of sin Acts 22:16; Eph. 5:26
Remissions of sin & gift of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:38
Into Christ and put on Christ Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27
Show his death, burial and resurrection Romans 6:5
Walk in newness of life Romans 6:4
Salvation and entrance into the kingdom Mark 16:16; John 3:5
Go on way rejoicing Acts 8: 39

2. Who may be baptized?
Believers (old enough to believe) Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12
Those old enough to learn and obey Matthew 28:19-20
Those who repent Acts 2:38
Those who would confess Christ Matthew 10:32; Acts 8:37

3. How is baptism performed?
Much water John 3:23
Going to the water Acts 8:36
Going down into the water Acts 8:38
Coming up out of the water Acts 8:39
Burial, Resurrection Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12

The Lord’s Supper
The purpose of the Lord’s Supper is threefold.
1. It is a memorial. Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
2. It is communion with Christ. “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread” (1Corinthians 10:16-17)
3. It affords an opportunity to proclaim the Lord’s death. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1Corinthians 11:26)

Who?
When Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper, he gave it to his followers. He has never taken it from them. Today the Lord’s Table is spread for all his people. To the Lord’s Table we can neither invite nor bar. The communion is personal—between a Christian and his Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Lord’s Supper for all the Lord’s children.

When?
We learn that the breaking of bread had a prominent part in the worship of the early church. (Acts 2:42; 20:7) The New Testament Christians met every Lord’s Day to partake of the Lord’s Supper.

The church for many centuries observed the Lord’s Supper weekly. John Calvin said, “The change was a contrivance of the devil.” John Wesley advised his people to spread the Table each week.