Sunday AM Class
Teachers
Lesson Summary
Larry Johnson opened the class with a prayerful invitation, asking God to help each person walk His narrow way for the day. He then introduced the primary purpose of the study: to reveal the various roles within the church, demonstrate opportunities for leadership, and outline the qualifications for elders, deacons, and preachers. He emphasized that the church’s mission includes teaching members how to study the Bible independently, presenting a three‑question framework—purpose, principle, and precedent—to unpack Scripture. The teaching moved into practical hermeneutics, distinguishing direct commands (e.g., the Great Commission), approved examples (such as the early Lord’s Supper in Acts 20:7), necessary inferences, silences, and expediency. Using the Lord’s Supper passage and 1 Corinthians 11, Larry showed how to derive principles and commands for today’s practice. He also discussed the church’s organizational structure, stressing the independence of each local congregation under Christ’s headship and noting historical protection this provided, illustrated by the Nazi persecution example. The class concluded with a review of the five ministries in Ephesians 4:11 and a reminder that all leadership stems from Jesus, encouraging members to seek their own callings within the body.
Key Scriptures
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, having discoursed with them, departed, and went to Macedonia.
For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.