January 20, 2013

The New Testament Baptist Church of Butler, Pennsylvania

Identifying with Christ Through Church Membership

As long as churches are filled by imperfect people like you and me, there will be no such thing as a perfect church; but the New Testament Baptist Church of Butler is a place where you can learn, grow, serve and give. Many churches are no longer emphasizing the importance of membership because they have given in to our culture's antagonism toward commitment, submission to authority, and accountability. Like parents who are afraid to discipline their teenagers, church leaders are afraid they will be unpopular for emphasizing commitment, submission to authority, and accountability. 'I don't have to go to church to be saved. I don't have to belong to a church to be a Christian. I can worship God in my heart.'' How many times have you heard this popular excuse? Many sincere people consider church membership to be unimportantbut what does the Bible say? There must have been some sort of accountable membership in the early church, given the references to actual numbers of people. Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4, 6:1 speak of the actual numbers of people being added to the early church, thus implying at least the possibility of records being kept of those identifying with the Body of Christ. Since Jesus promised to build the church (Matthew 16:13-20), what Bible reason can a bornagain believer cite for not publicly identifying with the church? The New Testament teaches that members of a visible, local church body have a responsibility to use their spiritual giftedness. Church membership is implied in the metaphor of the body in I Corinthians 12:12-31. The original meaning of the word, member is member of a body, like hand and foot and eye and ear. The apostle Paul declares in I Corinthians 12:14-18, For the body is not one member, but many. [15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? [16] And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? [17] If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? [18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. Paul is writing to a dysfunctional, visible, local church trying to get them to understand the need for unity and a common purpose. The church is comprised of baptized, born-again believers from all walks of life, all cultures, all levels of society, and all levels of wealth. The church is made up of people who have nothing else in common, except the fact that they have received Jesus as their Savior and identified with Him through baptism. The Body of Christ is a unified diversity. When we all do our part, unity and blessing are what follow. Church membership pleases God according to I Corinthians 12:18, which reads, But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. The New Testament contains no born-again believers who were not accountable members of visible, local churches. Lone-Ranger Christians are a contradiction to the clear teaching of the Scriptures. In the New Testament, to be excluded from the visible, local church was to be excluded from Christ. 724.282.2494 437 North Duffy Road, Butler, Pennsylvania 16001 www.VisitNTBC.com

Out of respect for your loved ones and those in attendance, we ask parents to use our clean & well-equipped nursery. This free service is available for newborns and infants (birth through 24 months). Your cooperation is needed and appreciated. Assistance is available at the Welcome Center.

Parents with Infants and Young Children

Food & Drink Items

In the spirit of worship, and as an act of courtesy, please do NOT bring food items, coffee, bottled water, or soft drinks into the Auditorium. Thank you for your courtesy!

Cost: $40/couple

Electronic Devices
Cellular devices, pagers, and electronic devices should be turned off or placed in vibrate mode. We would ask that parents do not allow their children to bring electronic video game systems with them to church.

Thank you for choosing to worship at the New Testament Baptist Church of Butler. Our prayer is that your heart will be stirred for the eternal as we sing songs & hymns that direct your heart toward Christ and challenge you through the preaching of Gods Word. There are friendly people at our Welcome Center in the lobby who will gladly assist you with any questions you may have during your visit. Allow us to make you feel at home during your visit. First-time adult visitors and families are asked to visit our Welcome Center to receive a hospitality bag with a gift card to Chick-fil-A.

First Time Visitors

Weekly Service Schedule

Sunday: 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM
The winter months provide a great opportunity for our church to transition from our organized soul winning program on Saturdays to our TAKE 5 Gospel leaflet (tract) distribution program. Share Christ! Every Christian should be involved in actively sharing Jesus Christ with others.

Adult & Childrens Bible Study Classes Morning Preaching Choir Practice Evening Preaching Patch the Pirate Childrens Choral Club Midweek Bible Study & Prayer Bus Visitation

Wednesday: 7:00 PM Saturday: 10:30 AM