Church growth in the book of acts a church of christ can and will grow spiritually and numerically when it is faithful to the word of god. Apr 25, 2016 lets just plant churches like they did in the book of acts, with no money. The real question is whether the church in the book of acts is a model for the modern church to follow. The book of acts is an adventure thrill ride from start to finish, but we tend to skip over a lot of the incredibly compelling details. The best thing to be said about the evangelistic methods in acts is that methodology emerged as the people sought and followed the leadership of the holy spirit. Featuring both careful exegetical study and exciting contemporary exposition, the 15 chapters of called to be church interpret the text of acts as scripture and then engage acts for todays church. Greear argues that his convictions about baptism changed as a result of studying acts.
House churches in the new testament franciscan media. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy english. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. When the churches rested from sauls persecution, they were edified acts 9. What should this tell his followers about the kingdom. To determine whether something in acts applies to us today, we need to ask two essential questions. God tells ananias to go to where he is and lay hands on him to restore his sight. References to house churches occur within intriguing stories of faith, weaving together colorful glimpses of ancient christian life. Early church outreach in the book of acts the book of acts is a biography of the apostles and the beginnings and rise of christianity. The temple in this book called acts was the third temple. The growth of the church in the book of acts ryan wentzel. Jan 12, 2012 we need to know what applies to us, what does not, and why. There is only our selective memory or our creative story telling about the past.
Church on fire a sixweek series on the first cycle of acts. The issue mentioned in verse 2 is that stated in verse 1. The book begins with the ascension of jesus into heaven acts 1. The spread of christianity the six parts of the book of acts. Those are the days of long ago about which we have forgotten all the bad things. Then of course theres apostolisc succession acts 1. To prove this point, let us take a quick look at church growth in the book of acts, with a special view to the church in jerusalem. The jerusalem church date sermon title sermon text oct. The book of acts and modern church life reading acts. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. The jerusalem church took care of its own needy acts 46. The acts of the apostles church leadership resources. Theres never been much contention about the authorship of acts. As a second volume to lukes gospel, it joins what jesus began to do and to teach 1.
Is this a onetime occurrence, or do we see this principle consistently described through the book of. Last week, we talked about how to read the book of acts. More than likely, luke completed the book before either of these events occurred, sometime between ad 60 and ad 62, while paul sat in prison, awaiting the resolution of his appeal. A church striving to live the new testament experience and be as close to jesus christ as possible. Jesus prior to his ascension to heaven instructed the apostles be witnesses of him beginning in jerusalem. The best methods apart from the power of god will be fruitless. The traditional title for the book of acts is the acts of the apostles because of its focus on the ministries of peter and paul and the development of the early church. Ludlow whereas the gospel of luke focuses on the life and ministry of jesus christ, the acts of the apostles builds upon what jesus did and taught see acts 1.
How many specific healing miracles are noted in the book of acts. Lets take a look at some of the most intriguing things in acts and develop a new appreciation for this fascinating book. Thanks to the exhaustive research of new testament scholars, each volume in this set of the book of acts in its first century setting will take you deeper into the world of the first century than ever before. A social and cultural texture analysis of acts david burkus oral roberts university abstract this article examines the growth of the early christian church through the lens of our modern. The book of acts is a record of the growth of the early church, started by jesuss disciples and then expanded by the apostle paul. What does this teach us about worship in the early church.
The book of acts in its first century setting wordsearch bible. That the kingdom of god is not just israel, but samaria and all the earth. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Stephen said some words from the book by the prophet isaiah isaiah 66. Reading through acts can make you want to go deeper into the world and the culture of the first apostles. The language of growth in acts can be grouped into two broad categories. We really have no access to how the twelve planted churches. This book is titled the acts of the apostles, or more literally acts of apostles.
It shows us what can be accomplished as we stand in christ. In acts how many miracles vs how many churches planted. Besides evangelism and benevolence, the matter of edification was addressed and accomplished in the acts of the apostles. The book of acts sheds light on the gift of the holy spirit, who empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as our counselor. Nowhere is the transitional nature of acts more evident than in the four different means of the giving of the holy spirit recorded in its pages. All scripture is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness.
In the book of acts, we do not see the philosophy that a churchs spiritual development takes place by accident. They were open to sending their best leaders to various parts of the world part 5 of 5. For the 7 churches of revelation, all of the promises are stated in the future tense. The book of acts is the second book written for theophilus by luke, and takes up the story where lukes gospel account finished luke 1.
Apostle are looked as uneducated and ordinary men they were the men coming from galilee they were young and in jewish culture they older you are the smarter, more spiritual and wise you are and they would never listen to. Our church chose to hold our first spontaneous baptism service after we noticed the biblical pattern of spontaneous baptisms while preaching through a series in the book of acts. The early church in the book of acts lakeside institute of. Church growth statements in the book of acts barnes bible charts 2. Biblical scholar robert wall and pastoral leader anthony robinson join forces to bring the acts of the apostles forward to our time as a resource for congregational renewal and transformation. May 31, 2017 if you put together all of the promises to the 7 churches of revelation, the sum total of all of the promises to the believers of those churches are very similar to what paul the apostle wrote in his church epistles, with one crucial difference. It is the story of how god uses weak human vessels to implement his eternal purposes. They were open to sending their best leaders to various parts of the world part 5. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. Characters of early church in the book of acts by dexteretxed. What todays church needs to learn from the book of acts. Apr 29, 2016 i do balk at the title since it implies the early church planted churches using the method in this book.
Marys house church when he peter realized this, he went to the house of mary, the mother of john who is called mark, where there were many people gathered in prayer acts 12. The book of acts teaches the church concerning the matter of needy saints, both in precept and example. Is this principle taught elsewhere, especially in the letters to the churches. Charismatics base doctrine on the experiences in acts. Its an exciting ride, from the coming of the holy spirit at pentecost, to shipwrecks and imprisonments, to life changing sermons delivered by exfishermen. The book of acts the work of strengthening local churches. It could also have been titled the acts of jesus christ, because it describes what jesus continued to do and teach through the church after he was taken up to heaven acts. Written by luke, the book of acts has a prominent missionary theme because it details the rapid growth of the early church and the first missionary efforts. Jan 02, 2020 the emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the great commission.
Lets all just go get jobs, stop renting exorbitant conference centers and hotels for workshops, conferences, and retreats and just start meeting in houses like they did in the book of acts. When we look at the divine record of the strengthening of local churches which took place nearly 2000 years ago, there are some things that are noticeably absent. Church finder profile church of acts is a nondenominational church in st paul minnesota. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. The book of acts tells of the spread of christianity and the adventures of the first christians. But stephen reminded the jews that god was bigger than any temple. This nondenominational church serves ramsey county mn. Whenever i read through the book of acts im struck with the number of times luke comments on the growth of the church. It might seem strange to even ask of the book of acts ought to apply to the modern form of the church. But there is so much more found in the book of acts which differs so radically from what we find in most churches today. Acts records the apostles being christs witnesses in jerusalem, judea, samaria, and the surrounding world. We saw that were not supposed to model our behavior after everything some biblical character does. Although many would suggest other titles, this one has merit because. Some study and preaching in the book of acts will go a long way towards helping brethren resolve their problems concerning benevolence.
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