ISBN - 0 85234 318 3

If every member was just like me,
What kind of church would my church be?

Would it be a more prayerful church? Would it be more concerned for the lost and more pleasing to God? To expect our church to be any more spiritual than we are is hypocritical. The church is made up of individuals just like us. For the church is people, God's people. We are a redeemed people, but we are not a perfect people and, therefore there are many problems in the church and most of Paul's letters were written to deal with church problems.
     In 1 Timothy Paul tells us how we are to conduct ourselves when we come together as Christians. The church is God's does this with love and care, and these standards cover various things from our attitudes to our dress. Even in our daily work we are to conduct ourselves in such a way 'that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered'.
     From the starting-point of Paul's first epistle to Timothy, Peter Jeffery shows how the New Testament teaches the value and importance of the local church. He considers Paul's teaching on the God of the church, the members and leaders of the church and examines such practical issues as how to listen to preaching, problems in the church, the role of women and our attitude to money and Christian giving.