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. The predominant leadership style used by apostles in the. Leadership in the early church during its first hundred years robert m. As a people who seek to follow these patterns we must always strive to. Background the acts of the apostles the book of acts acts provides an eyewitness account of the early beginnings of the church and gives an accurate record of the birth and growth of the christian church. Acts is too positive about the early church to have been written early. The book of acts tells us on that day the god of heaven launched the church of christ.
Luke had no way of knowing how long the church would continue on this earth, but as long as it pursues its course, the book of acts will be one of its major guides. Study of acts discussion notes chapter 6 introduction acts 6 is a brief chapter preceding a very lengthy chapter 7. The early house church agenda was transformational and lifegiving, not dependent on curriculum. This article presents the concept of church growth alongside evangelism mainly in the book of acts. Miracles, like those in the book of acts, may be required again, if the church is to experience the level of dynamic growth experienced by the first century church. The book of acts is the inspired history of the early church.
Acts touches on these kinds of doctrinal, moral and practical difficulties because the broader church struggled with these kinds of issues in its early decades. Inevitably, more problems arose, additional people were empowered, and more leaders were trained to lead this dynamic church. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. Thus, the early church solved the problem of the passing eyewitnesses. In acts we see basic principles being applied to specific situations in the context of problems and persecutions.
The book of acts provides many helpful examples of issues and stumbling blocks the early apostles overcame as they worked to fulfill their commission to take the gospel to all the world. Perhaps the primary problem with the simple church movement, and the house church movement in general, is that they see the book of acts as a model for the church, which it was never intended to be. Whereas the old testament depicts evangelism as people coming to god, the lucan perspective demonstrates that gods servants will go to his people. The apostles founded the early church, read the book of acts, and the letters which follow that book.
I often tell the new members class, i promise that if you join this church, we will at some point offend you. In acts, the early church continued to grow, in spite of persecution, sin and conflict. As they did so, they relied heavily on the holy spirit to not only strengthen themselves and make decisions but to manifest conversion in others. First, the inter church relationships with respect to primacy, and secondly, the internal leadership of the church on the congregational level. Paul and the early church were not at odds with the laws of the old testament. Philips only requirement was that the man believe the message philip proclaimed to him.
We might even be successful in converting more sinners by practicing what we used to preach. We are challenging the whole church to read through the acts of the apostles this easter season. Acts chapter 6 during our last study in the book of acts we saw the first persecution of the church. Learning from first century dynamism and early church. Since luke wrote the book of acts to address a very broad set of issues, it seems reasonable to assume that he intended his work to be read by many different believers. Leadership lessons in acts april 18, 2010 nativitypastor. Ikechukwu michael oluikpe, phd,is a lecturer in the department of theology and religious studies, bugema university, uganda. The churchs first internal problem had been about collecting funds the case of ananias and sapphira in acts 5. This post will begin to take a look at the initial signs of leadership training development in acts with the jerusalem church, barnabas, and the seven and their connections. Intro to acts biblica the international bible society. The early church was referred to as the way i think. Its an exciting ride, from the coming of the holy spirit at pentecost, to shipwrecks and imprisonments, to life changing sermons delivered by exfishermen. We will see that the second internal problem concerned distribution of funds. Leadership in the early church during its first hundred years.
They had the best leaders imaginable in the twelve apostles. The men and women who had heard and seen the lord departed from the scene, but the gospels made their testimony available for all christians through the succeeding years. The leadership of the church in antioch responds to a crisis involving judaizers by sending paul and barnabas to jerusalem about this question. So paul took the matter before church leadership to be officially resolved acts 15. In the first few chapters of acts we are told how the early church centered her ministries in the city of jerusalem. I would like to examine the issue of leadership in two spheres. The church was never a physical structure but rather a spiritual building. It was a good problem to have as more people started to follow jesus. Acts lesson 16 solving problems in the church acts 6. This is especially necessary when reading the book of acts because it portrays the early church rather than the old testament people of god. Lukes continuation of his historical sketch of the early christian movement expands in the book of acts.
Leadership training in the book of acts, part 1 founders. Spiritual people orient everything in their lives to god through prayer and gods word. The book of acts external challenges which the early church faced the church of god had a wonderful beginning and experienced fantastic numerical growth in the early stages of its existence. The leadership at jerusalem is referred to as the apostles and elders. When we are discussing how jesus established leadership in the early church, and how that leadership functions, this passage is crucial. If we were to give an accurate title to this account we would call it, the acts of jesus christ by the holy spirit through the church. The book of acts is the history of the early church, not a mandate for church structure throughout the ages. Acts the book of acts provides us with numerous glimpses of the unfolding early church. Racial tensions between jews and gentiles, which was resolved by the disciples appointing deacons to care for the needs of all acts 6. The inclination is going to be much stronger to pattern ourselves after what we see in acts. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. However, what we read is not a formula for success. Learning from the book of acts be inspired by the examples of togetherness that the new testament church experienced as reflected in the book of acts. Here are some further thoughts on several characteristics dr.
After peters great sermon on pentecost sunday, 3,000 persons were baptized into the church acts 2. Ludlowthe book of acts was written by luke after his gospel as the second part of a great twovolume work on jesus christ and the early christians. While experiences like pentecost the initial outpouring of the holy spirit are unique, many of the activities provide models that we can wisely transfer into our campus context. Snapshot of the early church reformed bible studies. The book of acts external challenges which the early. Some of the problems of the early church included the following. Leadership training in the book of acts, part 2 founders. They were growing in a way that can only be attributed to the power of the. Immediately, luke gives us a portrait of these earliest christians. There are many areas of a church where conflict can develop. We would be saying, here are some more things for us to get busy with, and if we do this, we will solve all the problems of church life and be a success story.
Its initial chapters describe the church s founding and early years. The book of acts is the only authoritative and inspired account of the early beginnings of church history. These same principles continue to be applicable until christ returns. Ministry magazine life together for church leaders. We need to ask the spirit of god to guide us and our groups so that lifechange is the norm. Prayer in the early church patterns in acts focus online.
In the early church, there was a specific apostolic pattern of leadership that was passed on to the church. And maybe we can begin to correct some of the doctrinal problems and division so prevalent in the church of our time by trying to find the church in the book of acts instead of the alien sinner. Divine empowerment of the nazarene movement in acts the greek word translated power is defined by louw and nida 1989 as the. Yet the depth of the book of acts stems not so much from what the people of the early church do, but why and how they engage in this amazing burst of activity. But acts deals with all kinds of problems inside and outside the church. Just as with the previous considerations in lukes gospel. It sets patterns for us of how early men and women first obeyed the gospel and worshiped god under the new covenant. The paper would discuss the leadership style, which were dominated with concepts of self sacrifice, and identification. Once again, the church needs leaders who understand the times and know what to do. Interpretation through the exegesis of acts 1 and 2. Five reasons the early church grew acts 4 forthright.
A few nights ago, denise and i were reading the scriptures together when i was struck by what we see in regard to church leadership in acts 15. The early church i think in comparing the modern vs early church we need to be careful not to make some errors in looking at the church merely as a form or a fashion, a way of doing things. Serving god, serving colleagues, serving society, serving strangersservice is the motivation behind the work christians do throughout the book. Acts is the story of the first easter season, the weeks and months that followed the resurrection, as well as the first 30 years of the church. Our remarks for this article will come from acts 4. It is a story that helps us understand the principles that ought to govern the church in any age. In chapter 5, verse 40, peter and john were beaten for preaching and teaching about jesus christ. The following discussions below would discuss the predominant leadership style used by apostles in the early church as recorded in the book of acts. In our previous posts, we considered how lukes gospel set forth the practice of our lord in training leaders who would pastor, plant, and revitalize churches. One of the underlying and dominating themes of the acts is the great commission. Money has often been a center of conflict, whether in the early church or todays church. However, most of them tend to fall under one of three categories. 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. Spiritual people are committed to harmony expressed through diversity.