The basis for truth and practices were the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth and the guidelines of the original apostles as recorded in the New Testament.
The church was not a building, nor a place but instead people who believed in Jesus as the Christ and followed him as their leader. They were born again in their spirit from above and had received the Holy Spirit who lived in them. Jesus led them and taught them by the Holy Spirit.
Believers met in homes many days of the week (no special day) as a family to eat together, learn together, worship together, and experience Jesus in their midst. They helped out one another and prayed for one another and their community. They all participated in the meetings.
Each believer had ministry and Spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit to be used, to build up one another, minister healing and freedom, and share the good news to the world. They had functions of service - not special titles or positions of authority. No believer had authority over any other believer.
Some believers were trained and sent out as apostles to share the gospel in the market place, start new churches with those that believed, then laid a foundation on the teachings of Christ and guidelines of the original apostles as recorded in the New Testament.
Believers did not tithe but instead gave freely and generously to those who were in need (the elderly, the disabled, and poor believers who had no family to help support them) and towards preaching the good news (traveling workers).
Some mature believers (elders) functioned as overseers/shepherds to help care for, protect, mentor, and guide the church. They did not have authority over the church being among the church with Jesus as the leader. Believers showed appreciation to them, listened to their council, yet obedience was first given to Jesus who was the Great Overseer.
Some mature believers functioned as social workers (deacons/deaconesses) to help care for the practical needs of believers (the elderly, the disabled, poor believers who had no family to help support them).
All believers worked to support themselves and their families (including overseers and deacons) in order to be able to give to those truly in need. When travelling on mission trips believers stayed with other believers who took care of their needs, and they may have received an occasional monetary gift from the churches they visited and ministered to. However when they stayed in one place for a time they would work to support themselves so that they were not a financial burden to the church body.
Believers loved the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength, and they loved one another as a family.
Believers made community decisions by seeking God's will together and dealt with problems as a group together including closing the doors to people that were harming the church (false teachers leading people astray, people who wanted to control others, and those who were living in sin and would not repent).
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