New Testament History Buff's - questions about early church vs today

[Singlesis]

I'm not sure where to put this, so feel free to move. I'm not trying to start any debates here, I honestly have questions for those who have studied New Testament history and the early church. I've read one book and had to wonder how in the world we got where we are today, from the way the first churches were formed. So I have a few questions... just wondering what's biblical, and when and how some of our current traditions came to be.

1. Sunday mornings being our set time to go to church?

2. "Going" to church buildings, as opposed to gathering in homes? (I presume this is from needing larger spaces as the numbers grew). :noidea

3. Dress codes? We've always wore our "Sunday best" going to church. I grew up that way, and still want to look nice when I go. But where in scripture does it tell us this is what we're supposed to do? I heard a pastor once go into the OT temple laws where it described how the Levites (priests) were to dress when ministering in the temple. Then he flipped over to the NT where it says we are all (born again Christians) "priests" now... so he determined that we should all dress a certain way to come to God's house. :confused

But then you get into the whole Temple vs Body of Christ now.

I believe the Temple was destroyed, and we are now the temple. That it's not about buildings and dress codes. I believe we should be decent and modest in our dress, but to say we have to wear dresses and ties - where did that originate? (I'm not arguing because I've always done this too, just really wondering about this now).

I never thought too much about it, until I met friends in a biker ministry. They'd hold services in camp grounds, and on the side of the road, and dress as they were... jeans, leather, and bandana's. And had some of the most Holy Ghost-filled services I'd ever attended!

Thanks for your input.

[Harley]

I'm not sure where to put this, so feel free to move. I'm not trying to start any debates here, I honestly have questions for those who have studied New Testament history and the early church. I've read one book and had to wonder how in the world we got where we are today, from the way the first churches were formed. So I have a few questions... just wondering what's biblical, and when and how some of our current traditions came to be.

1. Sunday mornings being our set time to go to church?unlike the old testament that prescribed a set day for worship, the new testmanet does not. from scripture and hisory we see the early church gathering on the first day of the week, sunday, to celebrate the lord's resurrection. bottom line is - there is no biblically assigned day to worship.

2. "Going" to church buildings, as opposed to gathering in homes? (I presume this is from needing larger spaces as the numbers grew). :noidea
i think calling the building in which we meet "a church" is one of the greatest misnomers of the english language. as we all know, we don't go to church we are the church. but ya live with the language you've got.

meetings in homes, is of course fine, but has limitations. it was what the early church did, but grew out of rather quickly. as with the day of the weekm there is no biblical prescription on what is right or even better.

3. Dress codes? We've always wore our "Sunday best" going to church. I grew up that way, and still want to look nice when I go. But where in scripture does it tell us this is what we're supposed to do? I heard a pastor once go into the OT temple laws where it described how the Levites (priests) were to dress when ministering in the temple. Then he flipped over to the NT where it says we are all (born again Christians) "priests" now... so he determined that we should all dress a certain way to come to God's house. :confused
using the old testament priestly garment passages to prescribe what we should wear in church, because we are all priests, is a terrible application of the word of god.

I believe the Temple was destroyed, and we are now the temple. That it's not about buildings and dress codes. I believe we should be decent and modest in our dress, but to say we have to wear dresses and ties - where did that originate? (I'm not arguing because I've always done this too, just really wondering about this now).
i agree conpletely.

I never thought too much about it, until I met friends in a biker ministry. They'd hold services in camp grounds, and on the side of the road, and dress as they were... jeans, leather, and bandana's. And had some of the most Holy Ghost-filled services I'd ever attended!
they were dressing in a style that was appropriate for their culture.

[AliceFaith]

I don't want any debate either but want to express another opinion. I had the same questions as you and it led me to a Messianic Congregation. We have the same beliefs as most main stream churches (Trinity, Jesus is the Messiah, by grace are you saved, etc) BUT we meet on Sat. morning (the Sabbath). We also eat Kosher and keep the Biblical Feasts (passover instead of Easter, etc) We don't really have sermons, we have "teaching" with questions requested. My "teacher" is an Orthodox Jew who became saved. We are learning Hebrew and studying the Bible from our Hebrew roots of the early church. We meet at each others houses and sit for hours talking about the Bible, praying, and even sometimes singing. Half of our congregation is jewish and half is white/black/ and asian. It is something to consider when researching this subject. Don't believe everything anyone says. Look in your Bible and test it by the Bible. The Spirit will lead on your path. :nod

[semperfidelis]

I'm not sure where to put this, so feel free to move. I'm not trying to start any debates here, I honestly have questions for those who have studied New Testament history and the early church. I've read one book and had to wonder how in the world we got where we are today, from the way the first churches were formed. So I have a few questions... just wondering what's biblical, and when and how some of our current traditions came to be.

1. Sunday mornings being our set time to go to church?

2. "Going" to church buildings, as opposed to gathering in homes? (I presume this is from needing larger spaces as the numbers grew). :noidea

3. Dress codes? We've always wore our "Sunday best" going to church. I grew up that way, and still want to look nice when I go. But where in scripture does it tell us this is what we're supposed to do? I heard a pastor once go into the OT temple laws where it described how the Levites (priests) were to dress when ministering in the temple. Then he flipped over to the NT where it says we are all (born again Christians) "priests" now... so he determined that we should all dress a certain way to come to God's house. :confused

But then you get into the whole Temple vs Body of Christ now.

I believe the Temple was destroyed, and we are now the temple. That it's not about buildings and dress codes. I believe we should be decent and modest in our dress, but to say we have to wear dresses and ties - where did that originate? (I'm not arguing because I've always done this too, just really wondering about this now).

I never thought too much about it, until I met friends in a biker ministry. They'd hold services in camp grounds, and on the side of the road, and dress as they were... jeans, leather, and bandana's. And had some of the most Holy Ghost-filled services I'd ever attended!

Thanks for your input.

Actually I read a big article on the smaller home gatherings that are beginning to pop up around the country. I think the over the next few decades many will become frustrated with the normal Church building process and begin meeting in their homes like the disciples did.

I could not imagine doing that when I first started going to Church in 1998, but now with the right group of people I think there could be some good in small group settings like that. My hope is that with the push to build big buildings and grow large Churches that basic love and small group connection the disciples had is not lost. That is why small groups are so important, but even so the article had some very interesting points in it.

I think how you dress is not an issue at all. Christ says that where two or more are gathered that he is there. He did not say you have a dress a certain way or meet in the largest Church in the city to be saved.

[roadrunner570]

Back in the early church, believers met as often as possible in hidden, house churches. Since Constantine and the formation and institutionalization of the church, a lot of the other traditions have taken over such as sunday worship, dress codes, etc.

[Singlesis]

Thanks for the responses. I'm just interested in how we got to where we are, from the beginning days. What's biblical, and what was man-made traditions. :):

[trixie]

We worship every day, in personal devotion times. We fellowship together with the body of Christ on Sundays and Wednesdays, and at other times by meeting in smaller groups to celebrate and learn about our Lord. We witness in our lives daily, both with words and with actions. We remember the Lord's death by celebrating communion. We dress in whatever our personal style entails, but modestly so as not to cause anyone to stumble. We don't follow the OT dietary or religious observance laws, because we are no longer under the law and cannot earn our salvation by works.

[faline]

I don't want any debate either but want to express another opinion. I had the same questions as you and it led me to a Messianic Congregation. We have the same beliefs as most main stream churches (Trinity, Jesus is the Messiah, by grace are you saved, etc) BUT we meet on Sat. morning (the Sabbath). We also eat Kosher and keep the Biblical Feasts (passover instead of Easter, etc) We don't really have sermons, we have "teaching" with questions requested. My "teacher" is an Orthodox Jew who became saved. We are learning Hebrew and studying the Bible from our Hebrew roots of the early church. We meet at each others houses and sit for hours talking about the Bible, praying, and even sometimes singing. Half of our congregation is jewish and half is white/black/ and asian. It is something to consider when researching this subject. Don't believe everything anyone says. Look in your Bible and test it by the Bible. The Spirit will lead on your path. :nod

I wish I could get to your worship services!

[UNeverEverNo]

A few days ago, someone (Becky, perhaps? :D: ) posted information regarding Revolution by George Barna. I believe its topic is along this line. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Resource&ResourceID=196

In this courageous new book from bestselling author and renowned researcher George Barna, you will read the results of his studies that have discovered and described a growing national population of more than 20 million adults who are committed to living their faith and making God the top priority in their life. Some are doing so through the ministries of a local church, but many are not. The emphasis is upon allowing God to transform them in every aspect of their life.