You have noticed haven't you? There are all kinds Christian consultants who don't know the difference between demographics and Deuteronomy.

We don't need the ever changing fades of modern consultant. Rather we need the unchanging truth of God's Word that have prevailed in every age.

Everything that represents itself as Christianity is Christian. The fact is, true Christianity is simply profound and profoundly simple.

The New Testament established a standard that was true everywhere for all times.

• * 1 Cor. 4:17
• * 1 Cor. 7:17

In the first century if you were from Jerusalem and visited Ephesus or Corinth, you would see the same standard of Christianity wherever you went. It wasn't some people doing one thing in one city and other people somewhere else doing something different.

Let's see what that standard was in Matthew 16:13-19.

• · vv. 13-14 Public confusion
• · vv. 15-17 Personal conviction.
• · You never knew what was going to come out of Peter's mouth. You neither puckered up or ducked.
• · But on this occasion he hit a home run with the bases-loaded in the bottom of the nineth inning to win the World Series.
• · "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
• · Peter didn't come to that conviction on his on-God gave him personal understanding.
• · God's revelation now is the Bible-His Word.
• · Peter gives us the first element of true Christianity.

True Christianity is...,

Who Jesus is and what He did is the heart of the Bible and the foundation of Christianity. Christianity is Christ!

"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."

Not just any "Christ."

• · Not the Muslim Christ who was only a prophet.
• · Not the Mormon Christ who was the spiritual brother of Lucifer.
• · Not the Movie or Modern Media Christ who was only a good man, not the God-man.

Christ = the Anointed One...the prophesied Messiah

Christ Jesus = only Savior

Christ Jesus the Lord = Sovereign

Christ the King

I say it again: Christianity is Christ. Without Christ Christianity is just another dead religion that is propped up with stories, rules, tradition and hopeless expectations.

The Bible is Christ-centered.

I find my Lord in the Bible,
Wherever I choose to look,'
He is the theme of the Bible,'
The center and heart of The Book.
He is the Rose of Sharon,'He is the Lily fair,
Wherever I open my Bible,'
The Lord of The Book is there.

Christ is incomparable. He is not just exemplary-He is absolutely exceptional. There is no one like Christ: Eternal God, Creator, virgin-born, the God-Man, without sin, crucified for our sins, buried, resurrected, ascended, coming again.

The Bible is Christ-centered.

• · Jesus Christ alone is the One who provided our salvation (Acts 4:12; 1 John 5:12)
• · Jesus Christ resides in our life by His Spirit (Gal. 2:20).
• · Jesus Christ will return to take us to our eternal home (Col. 1:27)

Our lives as believers is to be Christ-centered. Christ is our "first love." Above our spouse...children...parents...friends.

We are to "abide" in Christ. John 15:5 "Without me...."

"For me to live is Christ..." Phil. 1:21

Make sure Jesus does not just have a place in your life or even prominence, but preeminence in all things.

Matthew 16:18-19

If we practice what we preach, believing the Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice, then we must admit and affirm that Jesus didn't start a movement or a ministry-He started a church. He said so in Matthew 16:18. "...upon this rock (Himself) I will build my church," not my movement, not my ministry, but "my church...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

• " Jesus PLANTED the first church. He did this with the appointment and ordination of the apostles who were the first God set in the church (Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16; 1 Corinthians 12:28).
• " Jesus POSSESSES the church. He says it is "my" church.
• " Jesus PURCHASED the church with His blood (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25).
• " Jesus PRESIDES over His churches as Head (Eph. 1:22; Colossians 1:18).
• " Jesus is PRESENT in His churches (Rev. 1-3 "in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks").
• " Jesus PERPETUATES His churches. "The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Eph. 3:21).

• " Gospel-Jesus founding His church.
• " Acts-the history and development of God's churches
• " 9 Letters (epistles) to churches in specific locations
• " 3 letters to pastors of real churches.
• " 8 general letters to be circulated among churches
• " Revelation to be circulated among 7 churches in Asia.

Allow me to assume that you do not know how a "church" is defined in the New Testament. Let's take a moment for some clarification. A church in the New Testament was....

1. 1. People who were believers in Christ (they are Christ-centered)
2. 2. People who were baptized as their public profession of their faith in Jesus Christ. (maybe the only exception: thief on the cross).
3. 3. People who "gather." There is no such thing as a "congregation" that doesn't "congregate." There is no such thing as an "assembly" that does not "assemble."
4. 4. People wo gather,,. at the very least, "weekly" on the Lord's Day.
5. 5. People who gather weekly on the Lord's Day at a prescribed location.
6. 6. People who are led by a God-appointed and congregation-affirmed pastor.
7. 7. People whose pastor preaches and teaches God's Word.
8. 8. People who carries out two gospel-ordinances:
9. - baptizing new believers. No authority to baptize beyond a scriptural Baptist church.
10. - observing the Lord's Supper for its members.
11. 8. People who do local and world-wide gospel work under the authority of God's churches. Other churches voluntarily assist financially and prayerfully in other churches gospel work.
12. 9. People who understand the need to earnestly content for the faith at all costs with a gracious spirit.
13. 11. People who serve and stand in anticipation of the return of Christ.

Ephesians 3:21 has become my latest life-verse, along with Philippians 2:9-11.

1. (1) Too many "Homeless" People-people who don't have a church home.
2. (2) Some need to be saved.
3. (3) Some need to be baptized
4. (4) Some need to transfer their membership.
5. (5) Those who are members can do more.