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Christ's church order

James Gudgeon November, 2 2025 Video & Audio
1 Timothy 3; Acts 6:4
The sermon centers on the foundational mandate of the church to prioritize prayer and the ministry of the Word, as exemplified in Acts 6:4, while addressing the tension between spiritual and practical service. It highlights how the early church faced division over neglected widows, not due to spiritual failure but because physical needs threatened unity, prompting the apostles to establish a structured leadership of deacons to care for material needs so the apostles could remain devoted to prayer and teaching. The passage underscores the necessity of biblical authority, warning against cultural accommodation that distorts Scripture, and affirms the church's identity as the body of Christ, unified by grace and governed by God's unchanging truth. It emphasizes that the church, though composed of imperfect people, must reflect Christ's unity through humility, accountability, and the balanced roles of elders and deacons who serve both spiritual and physical needs. Ultimately, the sermon calls for faithful adherence to Scripture, the preservation of doctrinal integrity, and a church order rooted in the apostolic pattern, where the Word of God increases and disciples multiply for God's glory.