Delaware Church of Christ in Christian Union

Apostle (one sent forth), in the New Testament originally the official name of those twelve of the disciples whom Jesus chose to send forth first to preach the gospel and to be with him during the course of his ministry on earth. The word also appears to have been used in a non-official sense to designate a much wider circle of Christian messengers and teachers. See 2Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25

Jesus Christ endowed His Church with Himself and His divine Message. He handed it down to His disciples, who constituted His Church. Jesus Christ selected from among them Twelve Apostles to carry on with authority His Gospel, and He sent them to preach it and to baptize converts all over the world:

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28: 19-20).

The disciples were the Twelve Apostles who were students of Jesus during his ministry. The Twelve Apostles were:

Simon, called Peter
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter
James (called the son of Zebedee by Mark and Matthew)
John (Mark and Matthew identify him as the brother of James, son of Zebedee)
Philip
Bartholomew, named Nathanael in John
Matthew (whom the Matthew evangelist identifies as a publican), named Levi in Luke and Mark
Thomas
James, son of Alphaeus
Simon, called a zealot in Mark, Matthew, and Luke
Judas Iscariot
Jude Thaddaeus, called Thaddaeus by Mark, Lebbaeus Thaddaeus by Matthew, and Judas, brother of James by Luke

These men were called by Jesus on the top of the mountain and commissioned by him as the Twelve Apostles.

The most widely recognized reference to discipleship from the bible comes from John 13:34-35:

³⁴"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Also, another reference that many recognize is the verse "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Then, at the very end of his ministry Jesus institutes the Great Commission, commanding all present to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20a). This is the very definition of being a disciple and experiencing discipleship. The primary basis of discipleship in today's age is with an emphasis on mission work and evangelism.

The Great Commission from Jesus is interpreted as meaning His followers have the duty to go, teach, and baptize. Although the command was originally given only to the Twelve Apostles, it is a directive to all Christians to spread the word of Christ to everyone through witnessing, mission work, and evangelism.

In Luke 14:13, Jesus said "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind," ... Throughout Luke’s Gospel, there is an emphasis on including the outsider. The specific four-fold list of the poor, crippled, lame and blind is repeated in Mary’s song (Luke 1) as well as in the first sermon by Jesus. (Luke 4:16-21) Disciples of Jesus are encouraged to go beyond giving food to the stranger but actually eating and interacting with those humbled by life’s circumstance.

Also, Jesus wants us to have joy and celebration when those who were lost and are now found, even those who left and came back. To repent means to turn and face a new direction. Jesus wants us to invite them back into the fold and celebrate their return home. We do not know their trials and tributions, but God knows all. We are directed to go out and put the word in everyone's hand then we are to rejoice that they are reclaimed. This is the work directed to all Christians.

Many Christians suffer crisis of faith during times of hardship. Some leave the faith due to a number of reasons such as i.e., conflicts in the church, a personal crisis that they are struggling with, they come in contact with those who influence them with their sinner's ways that make them forget their faith. All Christians are to reach out to these lost souls and renew their faith. We are charged with inspiring, uplifting, and strengthening ALL we come into contact with, not just fellow Christians and not just the sinners. Jesus said to witness and testify to ALL. God commands us not to judge, not to be guilty of resentment and grumbling, and He tells us to celebrate as He does in the gathering of His people into his fold. So, get out and tell everyone the word of Jesus and help them find their way to God.

Bible study on Basic Christian Principles is available through the church. Each new Christian is matched with a Accountability/Prayer Partner by the church. This Accountability/Prayer Partner goes through each of the 8 steps of the study with the new Christian, helping them to understand, guiding them through the steps, and to answer questions and concerns that they might have. The packet also contains a record that each completes which shows the progress made. In the end, a Certificate of Recognition is given which shows that the bible study has been completed. Please contact the church for a packet if you are a new or growing Christian.

Are you taking advantage of every possible way to do your part? Your church needs you to do the work that the Lord commanded all of us to do and do it with enthusiasm. Do you believe that you do not have the skill to do God's work? Who made you and has confidence in your abilities? The answer is always the same ... God. God made each of us in our own uniqueness and individualism. He knows that each of us is capable of doing His work. He teaches us, and more importantly, He is with us every step of the way. Let God work through you to get it done. If you don't know what work needs done, contact the church to get a list of needs. Challenge yourself to fill as many of the needs as you can, and if you can't handle them all yourself, take it upon yourself to find those who can help out too.

One of the roles of the church is to teach each of us how to do mission work and evangelism. Put the church to work for you so you can fulfill your duty to God. You'll be so glad you did. It's addicting. Once you begin, you don't want to stop. The joy and celebration begins for you personally when you feel the Lord's smile upon you as you gather together everyone into the fold.

Here is a list of the current needs for the Delaware Church of Christ in Christian Union: We NEED volunteers in all areas of the church ... are you available to help out? Call the church today at (740) 369-4943 and speak with Pastor Benner or his staff. A Holy Ghost party is what we all need.

Delaware Church of Christ in Christian Union (DCCCU)
162 Belle Avenue
Delaware, Ohio 43015
(740) 369-4943 Church Office