1
00:00:05,876 --> 00:00:08,260
"Dear Brother Tim,

2
00:00:08,260 --> 00:00:12,018
Please excuse my English 
which is very bad."

3
00:00:12,018 --> 00:00:16,367
This comes from Nadia from Madagascar.

4
00:00:16,367 --> 00:00:24,267
"Is the concept of church buildings

5
00:00:24,267 --> 00:00:27,858
(going to a church - the building)

6
00:00:27,858 --> 00:00:30,148
every Sunday -

7
00:00:30,148 --> 00:00:40,816
that is the way most Christians

8
00:00:40,816 --> 00:00:44,087
work to assemble biblical?"

9
00:00:44,087 --> 00:00:45,218
So it's a question.

10
00:00:45,218 --> 00:00:47,407
There's a question mark 
at the end of this.

11
00:00:47,407 --> 00:00:50,205
"Is the concept of church buildings -

12
00:00:50,205 --> 00:00:52,468
the way most Christians assemble -

13
00:00:52,468 --> 00:00:55,986
is that biblical?

14
00:00:55,986 --> 00:01:01,327
Going to a church - the 
building - every Sunday?

15
00:01:01,327 --> 00:01:04,766
In the light of Scriptures,

16
00:01:04,766 --> 00:01:06,826
Holy Spirit, and prayer,

17
00:01:06,826 --> 00:01:11,428
God revealed to me that it wasn't

18
00:01:11,428 --> 00:01:13,548
and that we have to return

19
00:01:13,548 --> 00:01:15,617
to the biblical assembling -

20
00:01:15,617 --> 00:01:17,876
the home church,

21
00:01:17,876 --> 00:01:20,487
taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

22
00:01:20,487 --> 00:01:24,190
Jesus didn't tell us to build

23
00:01:24,190 --> 00:01:28,116
nor to name buildings 
where we had to assemble.

24
00:01:28,116 --> 00:01:30,597
Even when 3,000 people were converted

25
00:01:30,597 --> 00:01:32,166
the day of Pentecost,

26
00:01:32,166 --> 00:01:35,906
they didn't say, oh, 
let's go build a building.

27
00:01:35,906 --> 00:01:40,747
I've discovered also that 
all this way of assembling

28
00:01:40,747 --> 00:01:43,157
are inherited from paganism,

29
00:01:43,157 --> 00:01:48,646
Roman, and Athenian traditions."

30
00:01:48,646 --> 00:01:50,536
So she asks the question,

31
00:01:50,536 --> 00:01:52,466
but then before she gives anybody

32
00:01:52,466 --> 00:01:55,677
time to answer it,

33
00:01:55,677 --> 00:01:59,117
she says that Scripture, Holy Spirit,

34
00:01:59,117 --> 00:02:01,797
and prayer - God has revealed to her

35
00:02:01,797 --> 00:02:09,486
that it wasn't correct and right.

36
00:02:09,486 --> 00:02:19,447
So I think she's not actually -

37
00:02:19,447 --> 00:02:21,480
I don't get the feeling

38
00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,556
that she's asking about 
or asserting herself

39
00:02:25,556 --> 00:02:30,117
as to whether or not buildings

40
00:02:30,117 --> 00:02:34,733
should be called churches.

41
00:02:34,733 --> 00:02:38,145
Certainly, the church is the people -

42
00:02:38,145 --> 00:02:39,157
not the building,

43
00:02:39,157 --> 00:02:41,967
but that doesn't seem to be her issue.

44
00:02:41,967 --> 00:02:44,276
Her issue seems to be

45
00:02:44,276 --> 00:02:50,066
with buildings altogether.

46
00:02:50,066 --> 00:02:52,277
Her issue seems to be:

47
00:02:52,277 --> 00:02:56,997
Is it right and appropriate

48
00:02:56,997 --> 00:02:59,220
to buy a building for a church -

49
00:02:59,220 --> 00:03:00,981
the church being the people -

50
00:03:00,981 --> 00:03:04,967
to come together and meet in.

51
00:03:04,967 --> 00:03:08,869
She says that Scripture,

52
00:03:08,869 --> 00:03:12,120
Holy Spirit, and prayer -

53
00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,557
through all those means, God has revealed

54
00:03:14,557 --> 00:03:16,187
that it wasn't

55
00:03:16,187 --> 00:03:17,967
and that we have to return

56
00:03:17,967 --> 00:03:20,128
to the biblical assembling -

57
00:03:20,128 --> 00:03:21,676
the home church -

58
00:03:21,676 --> 00:03:24,108
taught by Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

59
00:03:24,108 --> 00:03:26,436
So she's making that assertion,

60
00:03:26,436 --> 00:03:28,981
but let's ask that question.

61
00:03:28,981 --> 00:03:31,043
(incomplete thought)

62
00:03:31,043 --> 00:03:32,546
When I read questions,

63
00:03:32,546 --> 00:03:35,437
I don't just buy into their assertions.

64
00:03:35,437 --> 00:03:36,937
We need to step back and ask

65
00:03:36,937 --> 00:03:40,566
if their presuppositions are correct.

66
00:03:40,566 --> 00:03:41,677
Are they right?

67
00:03:41,677 --> 00:03:43,986
Are they biblical?

68
00:03:43,986 --> 00:03:47,746
She is saying that Jesus 
Christ and the Apostles

69
00:03:47,746 --> 00:03:53,216
taught that the only proper way

70
00:03:53,216 --> 00:04:00,856
for the church to meet is in the home.

71
00:04:00,856 --> 00:04:04,878
So, we don't need to spend 
a whole lot of time on this.

72
00:04:04,878 --> 00:04:07,567
But let's think.

73
00:04:07,567 --> 00:04:11,239
Here's one thing we can lay down.

74
00:04:11,239 --> 00:04:17,497
Jesus Himself never anywhere in Scripture

75
00:04:17,497 --> 00:04:22,399
taught that the church when it assembled,

76
00:04:22,399 --> 00:04:25,128
when two or three gathered 
together in His name,

77
00:04:25,128 --> 00:04:29,118
you had to do it in a home.

78
00:04:29,118 --> 00:04:32,777
Nor did He say you had to buy a building.

79
00:04:32,777 --> 00:04:36,407
He simply is silent on the matter.

80
00:04:36,407 --> 00:04:37,697
He doesn't deal with it.

81
00:04:37,697 --> 00:04:39,646
You cannot come up with a verse

82
00:04:39,646 --> 00:04:41,877
where Jesus Christ discusses this.

83
00:04:41,877 --> 00:04:43,121
So what do we have?

84
00:04:43,121 --> 00:04:47,377
What we have is the book of Acts.

85
00:04:47,377 --> 00:04:50,230
Because I can tell you this as well,

86
00:04:50,230 --> 00:04:58,950
there is no place in any of the epistles,

87
00:04:58,950 --> 00:05:02,806
and I'll include the book of Acts,

88
00:05:02,806 --> 00:05:05,657
that demands that we meet

89
00:05:05,657 --> 00:05:07,633
in any specific location.

90
00:05:07,633 --> 00:05:09,557
There is no commandment.

91
00:05:09,557 --> 00:05:11,987
There is no mandate.

92
00:05:11,987 --> 00:05:14,077
It doesn't exist.

93
00:05:14,077 --> 00:05:20,220
What we have is the 
example of the early church -

94
00:05:20,220 --> 00:05:21,620
primarily the book of Acts,

95
00:05:21,620 --> 00:05:25,219
but there are some places 
in the epistles as well

96
00:05:25,219 --> 00:05:29,436
where indeed we're told where they met.

97
00:05:29,436 --> 00:05:31,337
Let's look at some of those.

98
00:05:31,337 --> 00:05:33,898
The first thing I want you 
to think about is this:

99
00:05:33,898 --> 00:05:38,028
Acts 2:42. Let's turn there.

100
00:05:38,028 --> 00:05:41,589
Acts 2:42.

101
00:05:41,589 --> 00:05:47,018
Whoever gets there, read it to me.

102
00:05:47,018 --> 00:05:48,808
Acts 2:42.

103
00:05:48,808 --> 00:05:50,387
"And they continued steadfastly

104
00:05:50,387 --> 00:05:52,557
in the Apostles' doctrine 
and the fellowship,

105
00:05:52,557 --> 00:05:54,456
and the breaking of bread and prayers."

106
00:05:54,456 --> 00:05:56,265
How far did you want me to read?

107
00:05:56,265 --> 00:05:58,397
Tim: Now see, hold your place.

108
00:05:58,397 --> 00:06:02,057
That text tells us 
what the early church did.

109
00:06:02,057 --> 00:06:04,122
And what did they do? Four things.

110
00:06:04,122 --> 00:06:05,119
(from the room)

111
00:06:05,119 --> 00:06:10,878
Doctrine, fellowship, 
breaking of bread, and prayers.

112
00:06:10,878 --> 00:06:14,666
Tim: They gave themselves 
to the Apostles' doctrine,

113
00:06:14,666 --> 00:06:15,487
to what?

114
00:06:15,487 --> 00:06:17,121
(from the room) Breaking of bread.

115
00:06:17,121 --> 00:06:18,317
Tim: Breaking of bread.

116
00:06:18,317 --> 00:06:19,505
(from the room) Prayers.

117
00:06:19,505 --> 00:06:21,777
Tim: Prayer.

118
00:06:21,777 --> 00:06:24,586
And that's not the right order, brother.

119
00:06:24,586 --> 00:06:28,816
What's the exact Spirit-given order?

120
00:06:28,816 --> 00:06:29,797
(from the room)

121
00:06:29,797 --> 00:06:31,197
They continued steadfastly

122
00:06:31,197 --> 00:06:33,077
in the Apostles' doctrine (Tim: right),

123
00:06:33,077 --> 00:06:35,465
fellowship, breaking of 
bread, and then prayer.

124
00:06:35,465 --> 00:06:37,356
Tim: There you go.

125
00:06:37,356 --> 00:06:39,540
Now, go down to v. 46.

126
00:06:39,540 --> 00:06:40,938
What does it say?

127
00:06:40,938 --> 00:06:43,947
"So continuing daily with 
one accord in the temple,

128
00:06:43,947 --> 00:06:46,371
and breaking bread from house to house..."

129
00:06:46,371 --> 00:06:48,027
Tim: Okay. Stop.

130
00:06:48,027 --> 00:06:49,706
Where did they meet?

131
00:06:49,706 --> 00:06:51,277
(from the room) House to house.

132
00:06:51,277 --> 00:06:52,666
Tim: Before that.

133
00:06:52,666 --> 00:06:55,626
In the temple and...

134
00:06:55,626 --> 00:06:57,578
where did they break bread?

135
00:06:57,578 --> 00:06:59,678
House to house.

136
00:06:59,678 --> 00:07:04,417
Now see, again, there's no mandate.

137
00:07:04,417 --> 00:07:05,985
There's no commandment.

138
00:07:05,985 --> 00:07:07,487
There's no imperative

139
00:07:07,487 --> 00:07:10,554
with regards to one or the other.

140
00:07:10,554 --> 00:07:12,976
Now what was the temple?

141
00:07:12,976 --> 00:07:14,477
The temple was a public place.

142
00:07:14,477 --> 00:07:16,925
The temple was a public building.

143
00:07:16,925 --> 00:07:18,566
They met there.

144
00:07:18,566 --> 00:07:21,051
We don't know how long 
the early church met there,

145
00:07:21,051 --> 00:07:22,485
but they met there.

146
00:07:22,485 --> 00:07:26,580
Jesus often met there and would teach,

147
00:07:26,580 --> 00:07:29,397
but the Christians 
gathered together there.

148
00:07:29,397 --> 00:07:32,557
They also gathered 
together house to house.

149
00:07:32,557 --> 00:07:35,015
Let me ask you this.

150
00:07:35,015 --> 00:07:38,446
Paul - remember this? Acts 20?

151
00:07:38,446 --> 00:07:46,977
When he brings the elders 
from Ephesus together?

152
00:07:46,977 --> 00:07:48,697
Remember, he's at Miletus.

153
00:07:48,697 --> 00:07:50,218
He's on his way to Jerusalem.

154
00:07:50,218 --> 00:07:52,647
He calls together the Ephesian elders,

155
00:07:52,647 --> 00:07:53,957
and he says this:

156
00:07:53,957 --> 00:07:56,226
I have been faithful to you guys.

157
00:07:56,226 --> 00:08:02,447
And I taught publicly

158
00:08:02,447 --> 00:08:04,039
and from house to house.

159
00:08:04,039 --> 00:08:06,778
Let me ask you something.

160
00:08:06,778 --> 00:08:09,138
See how well you know your Bibles.

161
00:08:09,138 --> 00:08:14,097
When Paul was in Ephesus,

162
00:08:14,097 --> 00:08:19,671
where did he teach publicly?

163
00:08:19,671 --> 00:08:22,279
(unintelligible)

164
00:08:22,279 --> 00:08:23,748
Now he did that.

165
00:08:23,748 --> 00:08:26,145
He did that in the synagogues,

166
00:08:26,145 --> 00:08:27,993
but see, it doesn't really say

167
00:08:27,993 --> 00:08:31,027
that the churches - the church -

168
00:08:31,027 --> 00:08:33,532
gathered together in the synagogue.

169
00:08:33,532 --> 00:08:35,562
But when he was at Ephesus

170
00:08:35,562 --> 00:08:37,993
and he taught publicly,

171
00:08:37,993 --> 00:08:40,042
where did he do it?

172
00:08:40,042 --> 00:08:42,424
One place specifically 
that we're told about

173
00:08:42,424 --> 00:08:49,352
that he did it for two years.

174
00:08:49,352 --> 00:08:54,932
It kind of sounds like a dinosaur.

175
00:08:54,932 --> 00:08:57,491
Anybody know? Amy, you know?

176
00:08:57,491 --> 00:09:02,852
The Hall of one Tyrannus.

177
00:09:02,852 --> 00:09:07,542
Tyrannus - he basically 
gathered the saints together

178
00:09:07,542 --> 00:09:12,274
and taught in a school.

179
00:09:12,274 --> 00:09:14,353
So here's my point.

180
00:09:14,353 --> 00:09:16,490
The early church in the temple

181
00:09:16,490 --> 00:09:19,061
and house to house.

182
00:09:19,061 --> 00:09:21,467
When he's at Ephesus publicly -

183
00:09:21,467 --> 00:09:23,153
at least one of the public places

184
00:09:23,153 --> 00:09:26,161
was in the school of Tyrannus,

185
00:09:26,161 --> 00:09:29,773
and then house to house.

186
00:09:29,773 --> 00:09:32,642
Are we specifically told 
that you have to do it publicly

187
00:09:32,642 --> 00:09:34,702
or that you have to do it house to house?

188
00:09:34,702 --> 00:09:38,172
Now look, it's true that when 
we go through Scripture,

189
00:09:38,172 --> 00:09:43,241
we have accounts of the church that met -

190
00:09:43,241 --> 00:09:44,723
can anybody give me examples?

191
00:09:44,723 --> 00:09:47,283
The church that met in whose house?

192
00:09:47,283 --> 00:09:48,543
(from the room) Philemon?

193
00:09:48,543 --> 00:09:50,053
Tim: In Philemon you've got it.

194
00:09:50,053 --> 00:09:54,843
Somebody look it up in Philemon.

195
00:09:54,843 --> 00:09:59,933
Philemon 1:2 - Somebody look that up

196
00:09:59,933 --> 00:10:01,263
and read that.

197
00:10:01,263 --> 00:10:02,572
"And Apphia our sister

198
00:10:02,572 --> 00:10:04,742
and Archippus our fellow soldier,

199
00:10:04,742 --> 00:10:06,611
and the church in your house..."

200
00:10:06,611 --> 00:10:08,465
Tim: The church in your house.

201
00:10:08,465 --> 00:10:11,065
You could go to Romans 16.

202
00:10:11,065 --> 00:10:12,652
You're going to get this idea

203
00:10:12,652 --> 00:10:14,966
of people meeting in a house.

204
00:10:14,966 --> 00:10:16,383
Collosians 4:15,

205
00:10:16,383 --> 00:10:18,719
1 Corinthians 16:9. It's true.

206
00:10:18,719 --> 00:10:22,214
There were churches that 
met in people's houses.

207
00:10:22,214 --> 00:10:25,332
But let me ask you this question:

208
00:10:25,332 --> 00:10:27,824
1 Corinthians 14:23.

209
00:10:27,824 --> 00:10:33,173
Somebody want to read that?

210
00:10:33,173 --> 00:10:36,469
"Therefore if the whole church assembles,

211
00:10:36,469 --> 00:10:39,421
and all speak in tongues..."

212
00:10:39,421 --> 00:10:41,843
Tim: Now just stop right there.

213
00:10:41,843 --> 00:10:43,111
When the whole church,

214
00:10:43,111 --> 00:10:46,473
or if the whole church assembles -

215
00:10:46,473 --> 00:10:47,871
what church?

216
00:10:47,871 --> 00:10:51,091
Who's he writing to right there?

217
00:10:51,091 --> 00:10:55,542
1 Corinthians 14 - who's he writing to?

218
00:10:55,542 --> 00:10:57,183
The church at Corinth.

219
00:10:57,183 --> 00:10:58,591
Can I ask you this?

220
00:10:58,591 --> 00:11:00,511
You remember in the book of Acts

221
00:11:00,511 --> 00:11:03,071
when Paul went to Corinth?

222
00:11:03,071 --> 00:11:05,469
Jesus Christ Himself spoke to him.

223
00:11:05,469 --> 00:11:09,880
Do you remember what He said to him?

224
00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,215
"Many people..." He had many people.

225
00:11:13,215 --> 00:11:15,962
Do you know how many people were saved?

226
00:11:15,962 --> 00:11:18,201
(incomplete thought)

227
00:11:18,201 --> 00:11:20,830
You guys can tell me what 
you think "many people" is.

228
00:11:20,830 --> 00:11:22,192
Is this many people?

229
00:11:22,192 --> 00:11:25,431
This many people can fit in a house.

230
00:11:25,431 --> 00:11:27,402
I have a feeling the church at Corinth

231
00:11:27,402 --> 00:11:29,552
was quite a bit bigger 
than this many people.

232
00:11:29,552 --> 00:11:31,691
I think when Jesus told Paul,

233
00:11:31,691 --> 00:11:35,111
"I have many people in that city,"

234
00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:37,742
I think He meant a whole 
lot more than this.

235
00:11:37,742 --> 00:11:40,977
And he talks there in 1 Corinthians 14:23

236
00:11:40,977 --> 00:11:42,941
about the whole church coming together.

237
00:11:42,941 --> 00:11:44,782
Where would they do that?

238
00:11:44,782 --> 00:11:47,040
Brethren, there's no commandment

239
00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,251
where they need to do that.

240
00:11:49,251 --> 00:11:51,061
Where would they do it?

241
00:11:51,061 --> 00:11:52,422
Well, look historically.

242
00:11:52,422 --> 00:11:54,431
Where have people done it?

243
00:11:54,431 --> 00:11:56,732
People have met in barns.

244
00:11:56,732 --> 00:11:58,443
People have met in homes.

245
00:11:58,443 --> 00:12:00,081
People have met outside.

246
00:12:00,081 --> 00:12:01,993
(from the room) Burger restaurants.

247
00:12:01,993 --> 00:12:04,781
Tim: People have met 
in burger restaurants.

248
00:12:04,781 --> 00:12:07,681
The Covenanters would meet

249
00:12:07,681 --> 00:12:13,071
out in secluded, hidden areas.

250
00:12:13,071 --> 00:12:15,252
Brethren, throughout history people

251
00:12:15,252 --> 00:12:17,312
have met where they can.

252
00:12:17,312 --> 00:12:20,181
There's nothing in 
Scripture that forbids us

253
00:12:20,181 --> 00:12:22,719
to meet in a building

254
00:12:22,719 --> 00:12:25,431
or to purchase a building 
for the church to meet in.

255
00:12:25,431 --> 00:12:27,552
That's not prohibited.

256
00:12:27,552 --> 00:12:30,571
It's not as though there's some holy aura

257
00:12:30,571 --> 00:12:33,882
about meeting in the homes.

258
00:12:33,882 --> 00:12:35,432
They met in the temple,

259
00:12:35,432 --> 00:12:38,469
the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

260
00:12:38,469 --> 00:12:43,212
There just simply isn't anything 
in Scripture that mandates.

261
00:12:43,212 --> 00:12:49,172
So, listen, that's legalistic

262
00:12:49,172 --> 00:12:55,501
to demand that we 
meet one place or the other.

263
00:12:55,501 --> 00:12:56,841
To demand it -

264
00:12:56,841 --> 00:12:59,541
it's just simply not 
mandated in Scripture.

265
00:12:59,541 --> 00:13:00,601
We're free there.

266
00:13:00,601 --> 00:13:04,972
We're free to meet 
where it's conducive to meet.

267
00:13:04,972 --> 00:13:06,381
Okay, next one...