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1st CENTURY CHRISTIANS STILL SERVING IN THE 21st CENTURY

WORSHIP ACCORDING TO GOD

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." Deuteronomy 4:2

COMMUNION

The first Christians observed the Lord's supper, the communion of the body (the bread) and the blood (fruit of the vine) of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16) during the worship service. They were to eat in remembrance of Jesus' death for mankind's sins on the cross until He returns (Mat. 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-28). How often do we observe the Lord's supper? We follow the example of Paul and the other early Christians, who came together on the first day of the week steadfastly (Acts 20:7: Acts 2:42).

GIVING

Also, on the first day of the week the disciples were commanded to give back to God as they had been blessed by Him (1 Corinthians 16:1-2) for the work of the church. They gave willingly and cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:1-7). We follow their divine example.

PREACHING

We know from Acts 20:7 that they had preaching during their worship services in which God's word should be preached (2 Timothy 4:1-5). We have preaching at our worship services just as they did, teaching God's word and only His word (2 Timothy 3:14-17; Galatians 1:8-9).

PRAYING

God speaks to us through His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). We speak to Him by praying through His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20; Col. 3:17). The first disciples prayed when they met together (Acts 2:42). As the Lord commands (1 Timothy 2:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:17), so we do.

SINGING

We also sing praises to God when we meet together as God has commanded (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Whatever one does in worship, it must be done only as authorized by the Lord (Colossians 3:17), in His name (by His authority) and must be done as His word directs (John 4:24). Jesus and His apostles sang (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26). In the New Testament, only singing (without mechanical instruments) is ever mentioned in the worship of the church (Acts 16:25; Romans 15:9; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Hebrews 2:12; Hebrews 13:15; James 5:13). For almost 1000 years from the time of Christ, singing was done without the instrument, "a cappella", or "as in the chapel". God's word has not changed since the first century, so we continue to sing without musical instruments (Acts 17:24-25) as directed by His word (Romans 14:23).

MORE ABOUT ONALASKA

OUR MOTIVATION

Deep deep love for God and a genuine concern for all people. Love is the badge of all true disciples (John 13:33–34), and the prerequisite for all service (1 Corinthians 13:1–8).

THE WORK

The work of Jesus’ church is threefold: teach others about Jesus (Mark 16:15–16), encourage each other to be faithful to Jesus (Romans 14:19), and help others in the name of Jesus (James 1:27).

YOU CAN BE SAVED

We believe the Bible teaches that sinners are saved by faith, repentance, confession, and baptism (John 3:16; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9–10), and that Christians must remain faithful after conversion (Revelation 2:10).

TRUE UNITY

As to doctrine, the church of Christ seeks to return to simple New Testament Christianity and unite all Christians into one body (1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:4–6).

OUR STANDARD

We believe that the New Testament is the only rule for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16–17; 1 Peter 4:11), and that it must authorize all that is taught and practiced (Colossians 3:17; Revelation 22:18–19).

OUR PRACTICE

o carefully follow the New Testament in all things, we observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and sing songs a-cappella.

Onalaska church of CHRIST

  13570 U.S. Highway 190, Onalaska, Texas 77360

ASK US QUESTIONS

SALVATION ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE

YOU MUST HEAR GOD'S WORD
  • When, while the lovely valley teems with vapour around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary.
  • I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me.
YOU MUST BELIEVE GOD'S WORD
  • "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (John 8:24)
  • "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
  • "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)
  • Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts 8:37)
YOU MUST REPENT OF YOUR SINS
  • I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)
  • Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)
  • "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31)
  • "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
YOU MUST CONFESS CHRIST BEFORE MEN
  • "You must, confess that Jesus is Lord. He is Lord whether you confess it or not, but it is unto your salvation that you must acknowledge His deity and His ownership" (Romans 10:9-10).
  • "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)
  • Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (Acts 8:37)
YOU MUST BE BAPTIZED BY IMMERSION
  • "Be baptized for the remission of sins, 'Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 2:38)
  • "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)
  • "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
  • "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galations 3:27)
  • "There is also an anti-type which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21)
YOU MUST LIVE FAITHFULLY UNTO DEATH
  • "Live a faithful Christian life in the fellowship of God's people "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 15:58) "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)