Overview of persecution in the book of acts in acts 1. Ive seen the growth of a bible study group out of a church, and the leaders ask the guy to leave. Studies in the book of acts previous page next page. In addition to the history, various kinds of the epistles to the churches record the words regarding the church growth. Acts has been called a transitional book because it serves as a bridge between the gospels and the epistles. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Oct 15, 20 when you look at the book of acts, you find at least eight characteristics of the early church that positioned them for this kind of blessing from god. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. Apr 27, 2002 well look first at pauls prayers for a growing church, 3. Acts thus affords the preeminent picture of church growth in the nt, and so it is. The language of growth in acts can be grouped into two broad categories. Thats why were reading it as part of our dangerous church series. Success of christian growth and people becoming christians will almost always bring out the spiritual enemies. As such it answers the question many firstcentury observers would have. Principles of church growth from the book of acts bontrager, edwin on. This dissertation arises out of my own interest and engagement in church planting that has led me to reflect on my own practice more biblically and theologically. Acts of the apostles, new living translation nlt the. Church growth, church growth principles, church growth factors. New testament church growth is fascinating and all too foreign to our modern church experience. But let me also warn you that explosive growth is difficult.
Now there were in the church that was at antioch certain prophets and teachers. Acts begins with jesus teaching the apostles about the kingdom of god outside jerusalem, and ends, about thirty years later, with paul teaching gentile christians about the kingdom of god in rome. In these chapters we see pauls eagerness to preach the gospel to all men, regardless of. It can happen today principles of church growth from the. The book of acts tells the story of the beginning of the church of jesus christ. Up to this point the apostles had been through a lot already. The book of acts sunday school lesson series by kelly henderson take your students on a journey through the book of acts where they will learn lessons from the early church after jesus ascended to heaven and believers received the gift of the holy spirit. 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. A detailed, intertexture analysis of the 2nd chapter of the acts of the apostles is instructive for this purpose. In chapter, we see the work of the holy spirit in several ways. How did the church grow so quickly and effectively in the book of acts. 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. And he will grow his church as we apply the biblical churchgrowth principles we see in the book of acts. While there are some areas of great detail of the acts of the apostles, many times you must use cross references to the gospels of matthew, mark, luke and john as well as some other epistles in the new.
Im not sure where the following article is from, but i have it on a sheet of paper in my office. Acts commentary commentary critical and explanatory. The disciples of christ prayed and fasted about their ministry. Acts 14 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
The book of acts is important because it shows what the first actions of the early church were as they were the ones closest to the teachings of jesus. Whereas the old testament depicts evangelism as people coming to god, the lucan perspective demonstrates that gods servants will go to his people. If we were to employ these same factors, we too, can have church growth. The book of acts church of christ in zion, illinois. Paul and the early church were not at odds with the laws of the old testament. Up to this point, the book of acts recounts the churchs growth among jews in jerusalem and judea. Which of the following are from the ists list of seven missionary principles from acts. This is the quantitative and qualitative development of the church. Ludlowthe book of acts was written by luke after his gospel as the second. Book of acts might inform church planting today theology. Because of this, paul can put into practice the principle that the gospel should.
This mission led to the establishment of branches of the church in areas far removed from jerusalem and opened the door of faith unto the gentiles. If we echo the actions of the early church, we can expect gods blessing on our church as much as those ancient leaders saw a blessing on the church in jerusalem. The beginning of the church and its growth t he book of acts records the growth and progress of the church in the first century. Antioch in pisidia was one of the principle cities of the area but should not be. Biblical strategy and shift to spiritual driven church growth. This is the growth of the church by the establishment of daughter churches within the same general homogeneous group and geographical area. Everything great for the kingdom of god or for jesus christ. 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. Whenever i read through the book of acts im struck with the number of times luke comments on the growth of the church. The title as we know it comes from the second century and only partially discloses the theme of the document. The early believers were constantly praying, both individually and corporately acts 2. Stay tuned for second half of this post where we will address 5 more key principles of church planting from the book of acts. Its basically a list of how prayer was at work in the book of acts. At the end of the gospel of luke jesus says that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in.
Rainer green valley baptist church birmingham, al 35226 wth the exception of m. A church of christ can and will grow spiritually and numerically when it is faithful to the word of god. Unfortunately, this seems to be a pervasive attitude among. Chapterbychapter bible studies acts kathleendalton. When you read through the book of acts, you see numerical growth. Dec 11, 2009 pauls church planting principles using the book of acts introduction the working of the holy spirit and the expansion of gods kingdom from jerusalem, judea, and samaria and to the ends of earth called for a radical transformation not just in apostle pauls life but to the direction of mission as a whole. Paul takes the gospel to cyprus and asia minor acts 12.
They had been following jesus and were witnesses of the many miracles he had performed. When you look at the book of acts, you find at least eight characteristics of the early church that positioned them for this kind of blessing from god. Saul is here for the first time called paul, and never after saul. The acts of the apostles church leadership resources. Background overview the book of acts the book of the acts of the apostles is the fifth book in the new testament christian canon. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. To my knowledge, however, no church growth book with a complete focus on acts has been written. Jun 19, 20 welcome to ivy baptist church s bible study on demand before beginning this study, please take an opportunity to download the worksheet for this bible study. In the same way, luke seems to emphasize that this expansion was a work of the spirit rather than giving us a definitive, normative description of. Paul said, if i fought wild beasts in ephesus for merely human reasons, what have i gained. Introduction when i come to acts chapter 27, it is like a breath of fresh air to me. The book of acts covers approximately 33 years from the ascension of jesus to the time when paul had been in prison in rome for two years see chart on the chronology of the book of acts. Principles of organization the local church from the book of acts vasile filat 08 june 2009 answers from the bible 99 while i was teaching the session revelation that took place in ukraine, one of the pastors asked me which are the principles of organization of the local church from the new testament.
The lord guides the growing church through this significant quorum of. They took the receptive ones and started a church that was lasted for hundreds of years and through that church, the word of the lord was being spread throughout all the region acts. A history of the early church gene taylor2an outline of the book i. From a small group of persecuted refugees, the church in antioch saw large numbers of people come to christ. Acts 15 the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Sermon preached at christ church duesseldorf, th january 20. But it is here, in our text, that i see paul as a very wise man in practical matters, a man who is a leader of men, and whose counsel is taken seriously because he knows what he. Is it merely that we live in a generation of hard hearted and stiffnecked people, or are there strategies or methods that we are. Opposition often accompanies the growth of the church see acts. But in the book of acts there is a verse that speaks of growth, and factors are named there that helped this growth occur. Acts niv bible now in the church at antioch there were. So, when you see god bless your church with growth, dont be surprised to experience resistance, sometimes even from within. The principle of unified prayer, or prayer with one mind and purpose, is a.
The record from the book of acts couldnt be clearer. In fact, three times luke underscores the large numbers 11. Sometimes remarkable works of god happen quite quickly. After being filled with the holy ghost, the apostles were told that barnabas and paul were to separate from them and go where god sent them. Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. Philips only requirement was that the man believe the message philip proclaimed to him. After the reading of the law and the prophets, paul stood up and addressed the jews and godfearing gentiles that were assembled there. The book of acts is the first history of the christian church. Welcome to ivy baptist church s bible study on demand before beginning this study, please take an opportunity to download the worksheet for this bible study. Principles of organization the local church from the book of acts.
Pdf the depiction of church growth in acts ben wilson. This focuses on the establishment of churches in different cultural and geographical areas. Acts commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. Greens evangelism in the early church,l the subjects of evangelism and church growth in the book of acts have been unaccountably neglected in recent years. Verse 42 lists four of the activities to which the church devoted itself. The purpose of this project is to utilize the four e principles of discipleship implicit in acts. Church growth statements in the book of acts bible charts. Book of acts might inform church planting today theology religion essay introduction. The first churches in the book of acts began in prayer acts 1. At this point in the early church, as described in acts and 14, we see. In acts 8 we read about philip, one of the seven leaders called to assist the twelve see acts 6. Acts chapter discusses the ministry in antioch, which started with teachers who had journeyed together, including barnabas, simeon, and paul. We arent all about the numbers like some other churches. The growth of the church in the book of acts ryan wentzel.
Up to this point, the book of acts recounts the church s growth among jews in jerusalem and judea. I have always looked upon the apostle paul as a godly man, a zealous servant of jesus christ, and a powerful preacher of the gospel. Principles of church growth from the book of acts scottsdale. Acts 14 contains events and teachings from sauls first missionary journey, during which time he began to be known as paul. It completely amazes me how anyone can read the second chapter of the book of acts and firmly say that a person doesnt have to be baptized in order to be saved.
Dynamic, explosive growth is gods will and design for the church down to its very dna. Church growth statements in the book of acts barnes bible charts 2. The acts of the apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the new testament. Its initial chapters describe the churchs founding and early years. Interpretation through the exegesis of acts 1 and 2. It alone presents an extensive picture of early church life and history. Verses 14 now there were in the church that was at antioch certain. Persecution arose at jerusalem, and the disciples had to leave for safety. Nevertheless, spiritempowered discipleship, undoubtedly, had played a crucial role in the explosive growth of the early church. In the first place, paul and barnabas were committed to the principle of preaching to.
It traces christianity from its beginnings in jerusalem, following jesus resurrection, to the arrest of the apostle paul in rome, the heart of the empire. These were the fertile ground for the next phase of growth in the early church. Its possible to double, triple or quadruple the size of a church. Jesus had shown himself alive by many proofs for 40 days. The following sabbath there was a mixed response, some very hostile and some very receptive. The book has more to tell us about the rapid expansion of the church than about historical peculiarities of the early church. It is different from swelling which is common and dangerous in the contemporary church. 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. Acts tells us how the christian movement came into beginning. I read a pile of books and attended most of the big churchgrowth conferences. For an example of one church growth writers use of acts, see c. The african church is dismissed as a mile wide and an inch deep which implies that other parameters other than numbers account for church growth.
But the reason this church experienced such remarkable growth was not that the leaders employed the latest church growth principles. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. It is the historical link that joins the life of christ with the growth of the christian church. The rest of the book of acts is dominated by the three missionary journeys of paul. Barnabas, simeon called niger, lucius of cyrene, manaen who had been brought up with herod the tetrarch and saul. Start a wildfire of spiritual growth in your church. Acts niv now in the church at antioch there were bible.
This article presents the concept of church growth alongside evangelism mainly in the book of acts. 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. It is a story that helps us understand the principles that ought to govern the church in any age. T he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. Prayerfully study acts 14and consider the following principles before. 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. These 3000 christians, who took part in the birth of the church, continued in the apostles doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer according to acts 2. There john mark left them and returned to jerusalem.
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