We believe that the only Biblical model for “church” is the City Church.

The New Testament consistently addresses believers by city rather than by competing organizations within one city. And it addresses the entirety of the people there, not a pope over them all. Leaders are to be servants pointing people to Jesus, not drawing people unto themselves.

City Church

Examples:

• “the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
• “unto the church of God which is at Corinth” (2 Corinthians 1:1)
• “the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2)(Galatia is a region, not a single city.)
• “the saints… at Ephesus” (Ephesians 1:1)
• “all the saints… at Philippi” (Philippians 1:1)
• “the saints… at Colosse” (Colossians 1:2)
• “the church of the Thessalonians” (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1)
• Revelation 2–3 addresses the church in each city (Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea), not multiple denominational churches within those cities.

The apostles wrote to the believers in a city as a single church. CitySavior is built around the idea of connecting Christians at the city level rather than creating another denomination.

HOUSE TO HOUSE

• Acts 2:46 – “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”
• Acts 5:42 – “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
• Acts 20:20 – “And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,”
• Romans 16:5 – “Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.”
• Colossians 4:15 – “Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.”
• Philemon 2 – “And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:”

This does not describe independent “house churches” in different people’s houses. The word “church” there is “ekklesia” and means “those who are called out.” So Paul and others are writing to the entirety of the Body of Christ in that town, but greeting particularly a particular subset that they know well. Any Christian with a big house would have brought many others into their home. They couldn’t help it. Love unfeigned.

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THE CHURCH OF A CITY

• 1 Corinthians 1:2 – “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:”
• 2 Corinthians 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:”
• Galatians 1:2 – “And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:”
• Ephesians 1:1 – “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:”
• Philippians 1:1 – “Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”
• Colossians 1:2 – “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 1 Thessalonians 1:1 – “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
• 2 Thessalonians 1:1 – “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:”

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THE SEVEN CHURCHES

• Revelation 1:11 – “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

• Revelation 2–3
• “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church in Pergamos write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church in Sardis write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia write…”
• “Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write…”

Each city is addressed as one church, despite undoubtedly having many congregations.

SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY

• Jeremiah 29:7 – “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.”

Weeping for the Fate of Whole Cities

• Luke 10:13 – Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
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  Matthew 23:37 – Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Gather Together

• Hebrews 10:24–25 – And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

• Acts 2:42–47 – 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Love One Another

• John 13:34–35 – A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
• John 15:12–17 – 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
  
• Romans 12:9–10 – Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
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  1 Thessalonians 4:9 – But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
• 
  1 Peter 1:22 – Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
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  1 John 3:11 – For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
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  1 John 4:7–12 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

One Another Commands

There are nearly 60 “one another” commands.

Examples:

• Love one another
• Serve one another
• Bear one another’s burdens
• Forgive one another
• Comfort one another
• Pray for one another
• Exhort one another
• Submit to one another
• Be kindly affectioned one to another
• Receive one another
• Admonish one another
• Teach one another
• Confess your faults one to another
• Be hospitable one to another

It paints a picture of an interactive body instead of an audience.

A House Divided

• Mark 3:24-25 – “If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”

Psalm of Unity

• Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

Six Things God Hates

• Proverbs 6:16-19 – “…he that soweth discord among brethren.”

Don’t Speak Evil

• James 4:11 – “Speak not evil one of another, brethren.”

Confess and Pray Together

• James 5:16 – “Confess your faults one to another…”

Love Covers Faults

• 1 Peter 4:8 – “Charity shall cover the multitude of sins.”

Be of One Mind

• 1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another…”

Love in Deed

• 1 John 3:11 – “We should love one another.”
• 1 John 3:23 – “…love one another…”
• 1 John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another…”
• 1 John 4:11-12 – “If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

One Body

• Romans 12:4-5 – “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:17 – “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 – “For as the body is one, and hath many members… so also is Christ.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 – “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
• Ephesians 4:4 – “There is one body, and one Spirit…”
• Colossians 3:15 – “…ye are called in one body…”

Jesus Prayed We Would Be One

• John 17:20-23 – Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

This is probably the single most important justification for CitySavior. Our MESSIAH, Lord, King, Commander’s last prayer before the cross was that we would be one – and we’re as far from one as you can get. Over 50,000 denominations now. So maybe none of us are praying in agreement with Him. That would be bad, wouldn’t it?

Endeavor to Keep Unity

• Ephesians 4:1-6 – I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Be Perfectly Joined Together

• 1 Corinthians 1:10 – “Now I beseech you, brethren… that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

Divisions Are Carnal

• 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 – “³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? ⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”

Don’t Divide Over Leaders

• 1 Corinthians 1:11-13 – “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. ¹² Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. ¹³ Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
  {Editor: Even if you say, “I’m of Christ” but by that you mean that you can’t be one with the other groups, then you’re STILL contentious and wrong.}
  

Musical Interlude

“Where Are Those That Weep” – original song by Fellowship Of The Martyrs