Grace Thoughts
Teaching Notes: How The Saints Grow (Part Five)
Teaching Notes are Bible studies we taught before GraceLife Ministries began publishing articles online in 1995. Some were presented as sermons, others as group studies.
Our hope is that these older studies will be a blessing to you in your life and ministry. Please use them in any way God leads you.
These teaching notes are from a series about Church Growth taught over a period of several months.
[These notes are from a study from 40 years ago.]
Outline For Growth
A. Understanding of Growth: Defining Christian Growth
B. Direction for Growth: Goals of Christian growth
C. Training for Growth: What Christians Need to Grow
D. Assembling for Growth: What the Assembly is For
E. One-Anothering for Growth: How to Build Up Members of the Assembly
F. Structuring for Growth: How the Assembly Should be Managed
G. Ministering for Growth: How the Assembly Should Impact Its Community
Part Five: How to Build Up Members of the Assembly
Members of every Christian assembly have a responsibility to “one another.” The Greek word for “one another” is ἀλλήλων (allélón), and is used 76 times in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul leads the usage with 40 times.
We are MEMBERS of one another: μέλος, melos, “a limb, part of the body” .. Romans 12:5
- We need each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
- No individual Christian can function effectively by him or herself.
- No member of Christ’s Body should think he/she is more or less important than any other member of Christ’s Body.
- Christians should work hard at creating unity in the Body of Christ.
We are to be DEVOTED to one another: φιλόστοργος, philostorgos, “cherishing one’s kindred, devoted to family members (Romans 12:10)
Brotherly love (φιλαδελφίᾳ, philadelphia) is the love of brothers and sisters in the same family – 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10; Hebrews 13:1-3; 1 Peter 1:22-23; 2 Peter 1:5-7; John 13:34-35
We are to HONOR one another: τιμή, timé, “esteem, value highly” (Romans 12:10)
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords, but He honored others above Himself – John 13:12-15; Matthew 23:5-12; Philippians 2:1-11
We are to be of the SAME MIND with one another: φρονέω τὸ αὐτό, phroneó to auto, “to think the same thing, direct the mind to judge or think the same thing”
Romans 12:16; 14:19; 15:5-6; Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 1:27
We are to ACCEPT one another: προσλαμβάνω, proslambanó, “to take to oneself, receive, welcome, accept”
Romans 12:16; 14:1-5; 15:7
We are to ADMONISH one another: νουθετέω, noutheteó, “to put in mind, warn, caution, reprove by instruction, counsel, exhort
Romans 15:14; Acts 20:31; 1 Thessalonians 2:11; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Colossians 1:28-29; 3:16
We are to SERVE one another: δουλεύω, douleuó, “to serve as a bond slave, be devoted to another, subject to another”
Galatians 5:13-15
We are to BEAR BURDENS one another: βαστάζω βάρος, bastazó baros, “to lift, to remove, sustain, carry away, take up another’s weight, burden
Galatians 6:1-3; Romans 15:1-2
We are to BEAR WITH one another: ἀνέχομαι, anechó, “to hold oneself up against, put up with, endure, forbear”
Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:12-14
We are to BUILD UP one another: οἰκοδομή, oikodomé, “to build a house, build up, the act of building, construct”
Ephesians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 14:26
Next Time
We will look at How the Assembly Should be Managed in the next part of our series.
[Thank you for reading these teaching notes from 40 years ago. My prayer is they will be a blessing to you and your life and ministry.]
Published by gracelifethoughts
Founder & Director of GraceLife Ministries View all posts by gracelifethoughts
