20 Practices The Church Should Consider Starting Again | Matt Dabbs

[@revolutionofordinaries]

What would make your list and why do you believe it would result in healthier churches? Thanks for watching!

[@bongodrums1000]

This is a very good list. I would like to see a return of feasting and eating together, important in both the Old and New Testaments. Eating together fosters community and helps facilitate many of the points here - play, discipleship, community engagement and accountability. I've noticed in many churches, especially large ones, members know very few of their fellow congregants. It's hard to live in a sense of community and to "one another" when you don't even know the names of the people sitting around you.

[@ClayOfTheMaster]

Great list. John 12:32 covers EVERYTHING.. When Christ is lifted up, everything else follows in the list.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

There we go! Great comment!

[@robertkersten3971]

Overall I believe you’ve covered most of the bases for a return to primitive/organic, first century Church life. The only way many of these practices could work would be in a home based ministry setting. My only push-back, and it’s not really negative, is that the breaking of bread would include a regular meal. This practice died out after the Church was legalized under Constantine and members met in designated large buildings where “love feasts” would have been impractical. I still believe that the trajectory that we’re currently on will facilitate our “going back to the future”.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Totally agree with your pushback!

[@timjohnson8692]

I would encourage you to read more widely. I think that if you read more extensively you will find that these assumptions about the practices of the churches in the first 300 years are not entirely accurate. I am not saying that there weren't cases where what you said is actually what happened. I just think you are painting with too broad a brush and passing over some of the nuances that you see in early church history ... not to mention the fact that relative to the spread of Christianity, we have relatively little information about what all the churches were doing. I think it is much better to look at what the Bible gives us by way of Apostolic instruction, bearing in mind the well known hermeneutical principle of the difference between what is given by way of institution or command, versus what is related by way of incidental practice that is not regulative. Sincere, godly men have differed on some of these matters for centuries for the simple fact that the Bible is not so specific as we might wish to make it. We do well to temper our statements to recognize that the subject is not so clear cut.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

@@timjohnson8692 I would like to hear more about the evidence you have of the inaccuracies of my statements. The second point is, I would hesitate to assume how widely read someone is or isn't based on your level of agreement with what is being said. Thank you for your comment. I look forward to hearing the evidence to support your claims.

[@housechurchguy]

Great points! We do these things in our house church and have been loving these organic gatherings. Matt, I just started my own channel here about the house church movement as well. I would love to connect soon!

[@revolutionofordinaries]

I love that! Would love to connect! I just started a resource/training site for home church planters. Let me know if you want in! [e-mail]

[@russellprickett1652]

Love God with your whole heart and love others!

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Amen to that...without love the rest of it falls apart.

[@dagwould]

And how does that 'cash out'. That is, what does it mean day to day? Really? How does it change people's behaviour, attitude, priorities?

[@nathanielotto258]

Plurality of involved elders, opportunities for people to use their gifts beyond just the "pastor", communion as you mentioned, and most importantly the gospel. So many churches are clueless about salvation and honestly many pastors and church people probably aren't saved because they're not believing in Jesus. They're believing in themselves and their own (pretty lame) works.

[@carolyndavis6657]

I attend a small reformed Baptist church and we are modeled after the 1st century church. We have prayer meeting then church with the singing of hymns, psalms and spiritual out of the psalter, expository preaching, have communion weekly, read a creed from the Bible, ending with prayer. We then have a meal together immediately following church. It’s very personal. We are not interested in building an empire and if we get too large we will plant another church.

[@joycewright5386]

You are describing my church!

[@revolutionofordinaries]

So glad to hear this!

[@jonyoung6405]

What ? No "C" grade rock band or subpar coffee shop at church?

[@lightwinsoverdarkness]

some good pointers! from a Baptist perspective, agree with most of them. Baptist churches are in decline as well.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

So glad you found it helpful! Than you for your comment!

[@TheElizabethashby]

THE BIBLE IS A GREAT TEACHER WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PRAYER

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Amen to that!

[@TheElizabethashby]

JESUS IS THE HEAD OF MY CHURCH HIS WORD IS TRUE

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Amen! Appreciate you leaving a comment.

[@310McQueen]

I agree with pretty much all of what's said here. My list would be: 1. It appears to me that communion is an important way to both humble yourself before and receive from God. I tend towards bringing it back to every week. 2. Training by apprenticeship. I learned to follow Christ from my dad, I taught my wife, and her and I taught our kids. The barriers to entry into Bible college are high but for ordinary discipleship they are really low. 3. Reality. We believe in the gifts of the Spirit but we don't believe in faking it or making it up. God meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be. Also, you're there for prayer, salvation, or healing, not necessarily to hit the floor. 4. Churches are often not set up to help their own membership with physical needs much less the community at large. If we could stop or slow the financial destruction inside the membership the members themselves as well as the church they attend would prosper. Sometimes just an appliance or car repair means the world to a struggling family and is enough to help them keep going. 5. The church is to train and equip believers. Those believers should be able to win and disciple others. The church shouldn't be geared just towards baby Christians all the time or the lowest common denominator. 6. Take the teenagers to school. Believing teenagers crave the depth of knowledge and desire answers, and will probably take it as a compliment that we consider them smart enough to learn theology. That will also help them when they get to college. 7. Show the community how to have fun without sinning. A lot of people don't know this is even possible, so they visit the liquor store, club, or bar. 8. Teach the believers to examine themselves and strengthen their own character. My pastor just this last Sunday connected a lack of doing this to hypocrisy. I believe it will also help guard against gossip and help grow compassion for sinners.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

That's a great list! Love #2 especially. This is how we pass on faith...not through preaching and youth groups.

[@dagwould]

5 and 6 are so important. I like to tell this story: When I was a senior in high school, I read some of the greatest works of literature, studied the work and thoughts of great writers, scientists, engineers, mathematicians (that is, I took subjects in chemistry, physics, geography, engineering statics, materials science, math and English). I truly knew things, albeit at a simple level. Meanwhile at youth group I learnt a few puerile ditties, read a few Bible passages that were utterly out of context, know no theology, church history, basic Biblical knowledge, knew nothing of the flow of biblical history or the history of ideas that formed the modern world. I learnt to do ten-pin bowling and play mini-golf. But not how to conduct a gospel conversation, defend my faith or encourage others (ref. Koukl's 'Tactics' book). 16-18 year olds can handle all of this, and we should have a high bar in the church, not a low one.

[@patrob3885]

Amen 100%

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Thank you!

[@robertburke9920]

Well, read the breakthrough masterpiece novel “Where Did We Go Now, LORD? - Burke.” Explains much. For example, the path upward is to enable Christ-in-You. Not other things. Not the old… same-old. Enable Christ-in-You. Not letting God show up…. Rather enable Christ-in-You. Honor that and them and him and her.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Kind of fun to call your own book a breakthrough masterpiece novel :)

[@joycemorrice9509]

good commets

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Thanks!

[@TheElizabethashby]

THIS SOUNDS LIKE WORKS

[@revolutionofordinaries]

What do you mean? Works aren't bad. It depends on what you think the works accomplish.

[@billcupp4730]

How about proclaiming the authentic gospel?

[@revolutionofordinaries]

See #1. Totally agree. We can list 100 more. Not an exhaustive list. :)

[@JJ-dc7tt]

Don't forget to get rid of the TV's and projector screens. Those take away from true worship.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

They can help or hinder it. Depends on how you use them.

[@studiodemichel]

♥️✝️♥️

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Thank you so much!

[@robertwheeler1158]

I'm surprised, and disappointed, that you didn't mention prayer meetings.

[@johnrobertd748]

Singing? How about the old gospel hymns

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Sure. Those can be good. There are some great ones and there are some old hymns that are also lacking - just like contemporary music. Just use discernment.

[@cathcolwell2197]

Hook me up w a Denver church - thanks

[@revolutionofordinaries]

You might check with 2414now.net or let me know if you want to start a simple house church and let's get going!

[@IainDavies-z2l]

What? Like saving soles.

[@1Whipperin]

Learn what worship means. Tom Wadsworth KZbin videos on Worship are excellent.

[@TheElizabethashby]

IT WAS NOT A WEEKLY PRACTICE OF BREAD AND WINE EVERY WEEK IT WAS WHEN THEY MET UP TOGETHER WHICH WAS NOT EVERY WEEK

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Jesus said as often as you do it. Acts 2 says "daily" and Acts 20 says first day of the week.

[@whispersarah]

To keep the youth involved remember songs and styles change. Don't stick to the old boring "classic" hymns that doesn't resignate with them. Be inclusive. We might not like their "style" but we need a good mixture that also is best for that congregation. Not personal choice. Think about how we can edify and encourage each other. Think of others first and not our own preferences.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Often this depends on a song leader who is in touch.

[@TheVickiJo]

I believe that is a fallacious argument. I have read that young people are now preferring the old hymns because the lyrics are richer and deeper, the melodies themselves telling a story. They like being able to sing with their parents. They want to visit grandparents in mental decline and sing songs for them that they remember. Newer isn’t always better.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

@@TheVickiJo Newer isn't always better and older isn't always better ;)

[@whispersarah]

​@@TheVickiJoas someone who is involved with their husband we do not see this at all! I think you are very wrong on the whole. Perhaps for your congregation that is the case but certainly not with the congregations we have travelled to and also the other people we know who are working hard with the youth throughout the country.

[@TheVickiJo]

@@whispersarah It was a study done within the last year, I believe. I didn’t keep that link. Wishing now I had. I was worship leader for a small CoC for 10 years. My personal experience with teens and young adults agrees with the study. The best worship happens when we get out of the way.

[@wannabewoodworker9705]

I have put money in the basket just to be seen doing it. Or just to check a box for myself. It never felt right

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Me too. There are ways to give privately. Let’s use those.

[@wannabewoodworker9705]

Agree 100%

[@troymccullagh]

Reviewing basic beliefs by saying a creed like the apostles creed or making your own.

[@TheElizabethashby]

YOU DONT HAVE TO BE BAPTISED

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Jesus said to be baptized. Peter said to be baptized...so why is it okay to disobey them?

[@lefthandedleprechaun8702]

Stop running the church like a business

[@revolutionofordinaries]

That's a huge problem! I did a video with exactly that title :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqW8mZl5ncihd5o

[@paul-hn7ck]

MATT YOU DIDNT GET ANY WRONG........IF WE DONT WALK IN THE SPRIIT.......WE DONT DO WELL IN THE FLESH....IS THE LESSON. PAUL JOHN OTTAWA.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Galatians 5!

[@john-pauldewalt7284]

What you're talking about is done in microchurches.

[@revolutionofordinaries]

Spot on! That’s what we are doing :) are you in one?

[@selwynlawrence7748]

The church has been institutionalized and more churches are established under a denomination and not according to Gods pattern

[@revolutionofordinaries]

God uses churches that have various names on the sign out front.

[@l.5832]

Bring back the classic gospel hymns and do away with the mindless, repetitive choruses that are very shallow and basically say nothing. The lyrics for some of them are more appropriate sung to a Lover than to a God that you are supposed to be worshipping.

[@ClayOfTheMaster]

BINGO

[@tobytootimes7639]

Do you have an example of a modern, shallow, say nothing chorus?

[@l.5832]

@@tobytootimes7639 "God is so good. God is so good. God is so good, he's so good to me" Nest verse "God answers prayer, God answers prayer. God answers prayer. He's so good to me" And so on. It is trite and also pretty much "ME" focused. Compared to some of the Hymns...."Wonderful Saviour", "At Calvary", "Give of your Best to the Master"...I could go on and on but these are true praise, and actually give a message. But you either agree of not and it is a personal thing so if you like to repeat one line over and over again and you get a lot out of it, go for it.

[@tobytootimes7639]

@@l.5832that’s certainly low-effort, in my opinion. Do you generally dismiss any contemporary Christian music?

[@l.5832]

@@tobytootimes7639 You asked for an example and I gave you one. What more effort are you after? I have not heard ALL contemporary Christian music. What I was referring to is exactly what I stated....the repetitive, banal, and trite choruses comprising of one or two sentences. If that is what enriches your spiritual life....go for it. But I hope you spiritually mature to the point of wanting more substance in your worship. Everyone needs to worship at their own level. (Now I'm waiting for the "holier than thou' retort) 🤣