What is a new testament church

A New Testament church is a Christian church that seeks to model its practices, teachings, and structure after the teachings and examples found in the New Testament of the Bible. The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible, containing the accounts of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the early Christian church's experiences and teachings.

A New Testament church typically seeks to follow the teachings and examples of the early Christian church as recorded in the New Testament, including:

  1. The authority of Scripture: A New Testament church recognizes the Bible as the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice.
  2. The priesthood of all believers: A New Testament church believes that every Christian has direct access to God through Jesus Christ and does not need a human mediator.
  3. Two ordinances: A New Testament church typically practices two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper (also known as Communion).
  4. Eldership: A New Testament church is typically led by a group of elders, also known as pastors or overseers, who are responsible for shepherding the flock and teaching the Word of God.
  5. Congregational government: A New Testament church is typically governed by the congregation as a whole, with decisions made through a process of prayer, discussion, and consensus.
  6. Evangelism and missions: A New Testament church is committed to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations and to making disciples of all people.
  7. Simple worship: A New Testament church typically has a simple and unadorned worship service, focusing on the preaching of the Word and the singing of hymns and spiritual songs.
  8. Community and fellowship: A New Testament church places a high value on community and fellowship among its members, seeking to build relationships and support one another in their walk with God.

Some of the key characteristics of a New Testament church include:

It's worth noting that not all churches that claim to be New Testament churches necessarily follow all of these characteristics, and some may have additional practices or traditions that are not found in the New Testament.