Dear Visitor,

Welcome to Wilmington new students, newcomers, and those new to Christianity!

How does a biblical church worship? St. Luke describes it clearly: “And they continued in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of the bread, and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). So, a biblical church demonstrates a marked continuity in teaching what the apostles taught as they had been taught by their Lord and Master Jesus Christ. So, when the church assembles, who are these people who gather?

Again, St. Luke reports that when St. Peter and the eleven, including Judas’ replacement Matthias, preached on Pentecost, 3,000 of the approximately 150,000-165, 000 Jews assembled in Jerusalem for this major festival were cut to the heart and asked what to do (2:37). St. Peter told them to begin repenting as a way of life and to be baptized (2:38). And 3,000 were (2:41)! They didn’t make a decision for Jesus or ask Him into their hearts. They were baptized, and, then, they continued in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. They learned from those who had walked with the Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry before His death, resurrection, and ascension (see Luke 23-24).

So, what did they do when they assembled to learn from the apostles? They broke bread together, which meant they had the Lord’s Supper (see Luke 24:13ff.). At first, they continued to go to the Temple for the prayers, the liturgy of psalms prayed at the morning and evening sacrifice and, then, gathered in homes for the breaking of the bread, the Lord’s Supper. So, when they assembled in homes after the prayers in the Temple, they daily shared the breaking of the bread, the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:46).

St. Matthew reports that the magi (wise men) worshiped the infant King Jesus (2:11), and the disciples worshiped the Crucified and Risen King Jesus in Galilee (28:17). The Greek word translated worship means to bow down from a kneeling position. They humbled themselves in His presence. So, at the end of his gospel, St. Matthew reports the Lord Jesus’ word: “Make disciples (learners) from all ethnic groups by baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded. And, lo, I will be with you always to the end of time” (28:19-20).

A biblical church makes disciples by baptizing, teaches what the Lord Jesus taught, experiences His real presence in the Lord’s Supper, all within the ordered worship passed down through the ages. St. Matthew’s is a biblical church. We invite you to come and see Jesus where He has promised to be!

Thanks for stopping by!

Samuel David Zumwalt+

Senior Pastor

szumwalt54@gmail.com