How the Called Out Came Together: The One Another Life of the Early Church by Matthew Allen

Christ calls people out of the world, and then He calls them together. Plenty of congregations share a building and a schedule without ever becoming that kind of family. The early church shows how it happens.

How the Called Out Came Together: The One Another Life of the Early Church is a 13-lesson workbook by Matthew Allen. Drawing from Acts and the letters of Paul, Peter, and Hebrews, it looks at how the first Christians saw, cared for, corrected, encouraged, welcomed, and honored one another, and asks what each practice looks like in a local church today.

How This Study Helps

Many Christians love their church and still feel on the edge of it. Others know the "one another" passages well but have never seen them worked out in real congregational life. The result is fellowship that stays polite and shallow.

The study grows out of Paul's prayer that the Colossians' hearts would be "knit together in love" (Colossians 2:2, ESV). Knitting is patient work. Strands are drawn through and around each other until what was separate becomes one cloth. Allen shows how the Spirit did that work in the first-century churches and how He still does it in congregations willing to give Him room.

What's Inside

Part One: The Heart (Colossians 3:12–14)

• Seeing Each Other Through God's Eyes
• Genuine Care for One Another
• Correcting with Love
• Encouraging One Another

Part Two: The Hands (Philippians 2:3–5)

• They Welcomed One Another
• They Used Their Talents
• They Seized the Opportunity
• They Humbled Themselves
• They Were Generous
• They Honored Each Other

Part Three: The Growing Body (Ephesians 4:15–16)

• They Were Willing to Change
• There Was an Anxiousness to Learn
• They Respected Their Leaders

Format & Features

Each lesson prints its main passage in full and works through it section by section, with key Greek words explained in plain English. Every lesson has a "Looking to Jesus" section showing how Christ lived each practice first, a closing word of encouragement, and six discussion questions. The workbook ends with a personal inventory of all thirteen practices and a benediction from Jude 24–25. Scripture is quoted from the CSB, with the ESV where noted. It's a 150-page, 6 x 9 paperback, and it's also available as a PDF eBook for individual use or with a class-use license.

Who It's For

Bible class teachers looking for a 13-week quarter, elders and preachers planning an emphasis on unity and fellowship, small-group leaders, and any Christian who wants to understand why belonging to Christ means belonging to His people.

Common Questions

Which translation does it use?
The Christian Standard Bible, with the English Standard Version where noted.

Can I use it to teach a class?
Yes. Order print copies for each student, or choose the PDF class-use license.

Is there a related study?
Yes. The Church: God's Called Out People covers what the church is, and Disciples Devoted to Fellowship is a shorter study of the "one another" commands.

About the Author

Matthew Allen is the pulpit minister at Cornerstone Church of Christ in Centerville, Ohio, and co-owner of Spiritbuilding Publishers. With more than three decades of preaching across the country and abroad, he writes for Christians who want substance, clarity, and the steady encouragement of grace.

Product Details

• Author: Matthew Allen
• Publisher: Spiritbuilding Publishers
• ISBN: 9781964805955
• Lessons: 13
• Pages: 150
• Dimensions: 6 x 9 x 0.28 inches
• Format: Softcover workbook; PDF eBook (individual or class use)