The Maplewood church of Christ
The Church on the west side of Cahokia Heights, Illinois
(The Centreville Church of Christ is the Church located on the east side of Cahokia Heights, Illinois. They are our sister congregation serving the east area of our City.)
Welcome to the Maplewood Church of Christ. We strive the use the talents and abilities God gaves us for one another - provoking each other to good works. We were created for good works - the Church Jesus created is the spiritual foundation (the Rock) that we are being built together as the Church.
What is the Church?
The "New Testament" is all about Jesus, the Christ and Him crucified: fulfillment of prophesies; the reality of the love God; and the enjoyment of the blessings of the covenant to Noah and promise of God to Abraham - kept just for us, His Church.
- The Church is based on God’s Word as (the Bible) as her only authority. The Bible is complete and consists of writings inspired by the Holy Spirit.
- Answers to questions, directions, guidance, and structure that give direction and instruction for the Church are only found in the Bible.
- The Church is ONE because:
- Worship is done in Spirit and Truth (John 4:24); it is for the assembly of Christians to praise the Lord and lift His name above all others. In doing so - we are encouraged and uplifted as we worship together, as one body (the Church) in Christ alone.
- There is no particular place for the Church to worship. A church building is only a convenient place for the assembling of Christians to worship together, in unity, in Christ. Any influence of the world should be removed or rejected during the Assembling of Christians for worship to God. Therefore, anything added to or in support of worship must be scrutinized in accordance with God's Word (Bible) to insure we worship in the purity and unity of the mind, soul, and strength, in spirit and in truth.
- The Lord’s Supper (or, Communion) is observed each first day of the week. Luke gives us an example of this in his letter to Theophilus, Acts 20:7. Paul also writes about the Lord's supper in his letter in I Corinthians 11:23-29. Paul wrote again about the importance of the Lord's supper as he gives comparison to those deceived to believe they could be a part of the world and be in Christ in 1 Corinthians 10:14-22.
- Work for the Lord is supported by various ministries to share the Gospel of Christ, to do benevolence, to support facilities and all local work done here at the Maplewood congregation of the Church. To do this, a collection (contribution) is taken each week to provide an opportunity for Christians to give towards this work. Giving is separate from the Lord's Supper. We also give of our time, talents, and abilities as we recognize and teach that all we are and have is by the grace of God.
- Teaching is part of the Church. It is from the Bible, based on the Biblical teachings of Apostles as taught them by Jesus as we have example from the early Church in the Acts of the Apostles 2:42.
- Prayer is part of the Church. Prayers include those of thanksgiving and requests for guidance, support, and for each other including those have special spiritual and physical needs.
- Singing is from the heart. Singing is to be acapella meaning that is, without musical instrumental accompaniment. We are to seperated from the world - why depend or use anything of the world unless necessary and -- it is not necessary; Romans 12:1-8; Colossians 3:1-4
- Christ is the founder and head: Jesus, the Christ, the only son of God, as the founder and perfecter of our faith and salvation (the letter to the Hebrews 2:5-18 and Hebrews 12:1-2), is the only head of the Church. While the body (the Church) has many members, each member participates in the Church with their different gifts, abilities, and talents as Paul explains in his letter, Romans 12:1-8. As we grow in our faith and trust in God, these are developed in each of us - to be used for each other.
Jesus taught the Apostles directly through His teachings and by examples in living, in speaking with people, in living Godly lives, and in the Message of the New Covenant. The following are examples found in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles showing us how people became one in Christ:
- The day of Pentecost: Acts 2:5-47
- Philip in Samaria: Acts 8:4-13
- Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8:26-39
- Saul's (Paul) conversion and baptism: Acts 9:1-22
- Peter and Cornelius and family: Acts 10:1-48
- Paul and Lydia and family: Acts 16:11-15
- Paul and Silas and the Philippian jailer and family: Acts 16:16-34
- Paul, Silas and Timothy and Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, his household, and many Corinthians: Acts 18:7-11
- Paul with some disciples in Ephesus: Acts 19:1-7
- Paul tells of his story of conversion and being baptized to fellow Hebrews: Acts 22:1-21
Paul explains the Promise of Faith and how it works in our lives today for us to become one in Christ: Romans 4:13 thru 6:11.
We are taught that we either in the world or in Christ, in the power of sin and death or out of the power of sin and death: Romans 5:12 to 6:14.
Paul explains how we put on Christ and how we become one in Christ: Galations 3:23-29 (vs 27) to 4:7.
So - what "part" of the New Testament Church do you think we should leave out? If God provided all things for us to accept in Faith - why would anyone pick and choose? As God is ONE - so is His Church: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all...: Ephesians 3:14 to 4:1-7.
