The New Testament Church – Dr. Everett Ferguson (Print)

The New Testament Church is designed for use in adult, university, and high school Bible classes as well as personal study. Dr. Ferguson discusses the biblical passages pertaining to the church--its origin, nature, membership, life, worship, work, and organization. These topics are placed in the context of Old Testament expectations and the anticipation of heavenly fulfillment. Dr. Ferguson's approach is to relate the characteristics of the church to its head, Christ. The result presents the practical values of the doctrinal study of Scripture.

Much that is familiar to students of the New Testament doctrine of the church will be found in these lessons. But there is also an emphasis given to some neglected insights and features. The aim is to call attention to the Christ-centered nature of the church and everything about it. The corporate (group) nature of life in Christ is stressed as against the individual approach. It is suggested that the student read through each lesson for its main points and then come back to study carefully the Scripture references in relation to each point. It is important to look up each passage, for this is a Bible based study. The series of lessons will also be helpful in developing a method of Bible study, if the student will make diligent use of a good concordance and a reference Bible. A good, recent Bible dictionary will also be helpful. Through the comparative study of passages of Scripture the common associations of ideas will lead to further insights and new appreciations for the Biblical teachings.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. The Old Testament Expectation
2. The Establishment of the Church
3. Christ and Christians
4. Images of the Church
5. Baptism
6. Life in the Church
7. Fellowship in the Church
8. The Worship of the Church
9. The Lord's Supper
10. The Work of the Church
11. Ministry in the Church
12. Offices and Ordination
13. The Kingdom and the Church

About the Author: Everett Ferguson (PhD, Harvard) is Professor Emeritus of Bible and now Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, where he taught church history and Greek. He is the author of 30 books, including Backgrounds of Early Christianity, Early Christians Speak, and Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries. He was also general editor of the two-volume Encyclopedia of Early Christianity as well as editor or contributor to numerous other books.