BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE INSTITUTE

Name ___________________________________Date _______________

Address______________________________________________________

Lesson No. ___

THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

By Pastor Edwin Jardinel

Many people are confused about the beginning of the Lord's church. There are many who teach that the church was started at the time of Pentecost, during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2. While others say that it was at the time of Adam or at Christ’s death. Such human concepts about the beginning of the Lord’s church are erroneous. There are many Biblical proofs that the Lord’s church was founded during Christ's personal earthly ministry.

1. Did Christ have a congregation of baptized believers during His earthly ministry? Acts 1:21-22 __________

2. When did this congregation of baptized believers begin? Acts 1:21 _________________

3. Who baptized the first disciples of Jesus Christ before they started following Him? John 1: 35-42; Mat.3: 1-6 _________

4. Did Christ call out baptized disciples during His earthly ministry? Mat.4: 17-22; John 1: 35-42 _________

5. Did Christ assemble and taught doctrines to the disciples He called out? Mat.4: 17-22; 18: 20 __________

6. Who is the founder of the New Testament church? Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 3:11____________

7. Jesus had already ascended to heaven before Pentecost. If the church was founded during Pentecost, then who will come out as the founder of the church? Jesus Christ or The Holy Spirit

8. Since Jesus is the founder of the church, when was the church founded? At Pentecost or During Christ's earthly ministry

9. Did Christ teach church discipline during His earthly ministry? Matthew 18:15-17_______

10. If an erring member would not repent after he was personally corrected and even after a second step was made for some mature brethren to deal with him, then to whom should the matter be finally brought up? Matthew 18:15-17 ______________________________________

11. Can the first disciples tell the church about a problem if there was no church existing at that time? _______ _

12. Are Baptism and Lord's Supper ordinances of the church? Matthew 28: 18-20; 1 Cor.11: 18-34 ______

13. If Baptism and Lord's Supper are ordinances of the church, who gave those ordinances to the church? Matthew 28:18; 25:26-28________________________

14. Did the Lord Jesus Christ sing praise to the Father in the midst of the church? Hebrew 2: 12 ____________

15. The word "church" in Hebrews 2:12 (KJV) is Christ's quotation from Psalms 22:22. What word was used in Psalms 22:22 that clearly defines the real meaning of the word “church"? _________________________

16. In what occasion did Christ sing in the Church? Matthew 26: 26-30 ________________

17. Could He sing in the church if there was no church existing during His personal earthly ministry? Heb.2:12 _______

18. What is the first office that the Lord instituted in the church? 1 Corinthians 12:28 _______________

19. When did the Lord set the apostolic office in His church? Luke 6:12-13?

During His earthly ministry, After His ascension to heaven, or During the Pentecost.

20. Can the Lord set Apostles in the church if there was no church existing yet at the time? ______

21. What is being referred to as the house of God in 1 Timothy 3:15? _______________

22. Did Christ authorize His church to do His business before His ascension? Mark 13:34 ______

23. What was the limited commission of the Lord Jesus to His church during His earthly ministry? Mat.10: 5-6 ____________________________________________________

24. What are the three tenets of the great commission that the Lord Jesus gave to His church before He ascended to heaven? Matthew 28:18-20 ____________________________________________________________

25. Since the Lord Jesus gave the commission to His church before Pentecost, has the Lord 's church been in existence before Pentecost? _________

26. Was the first church commanded to wait for the empowering of the Holy Spirit before executing the Great Commission? Luke 24: 49; Acts 1:8_________Where should they tarry? ___________________

27. How many members of the church were present as they waited in Jerusalem for the empowering of the Holy Spirit? Acts 1:15 ____________________

28. Where were the 3,000 souls added after they were saved and baptized? Acts 2: 41,47 _______________

29. Should the word "added" be used if such event marks the beginning of the church? _________

30. Did Christ breath on His disciples the Spirit before Pentecost? John 20:21________

31. Were there worship services before Pentecost? Matthew 28: 9, 17_______

32. Since they were a called out assembly of baptized believers in covenant fellowship to worship God and follow Christ’s commands, can they be called “the Lord’s church”? _______