The Early Church
The book of Acts describes the establishing of the early churches, which met primarily in homes. The Letters of the New Testament are the instructions written to those churches by the Apostles. Everything the Holy Spirit commanded and instructed the early believers applies to the church today.
The commitment of the early church was so strong, and their love for one another so great, that within three hundred years, Christianity had spread throughout the entire Roman Empire. Those Christians truly changed their world for Christ!
Example of the Early Church
To get an understanding of how committed the early Christians were to one another, read the Book of Acts in the New Testament.
Q What stands out the most to you in your reading of the book of Acts?
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Q How important were the other believers to Paul, Peter, and the other Apostles?
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Q How important are other believers to you?
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Q What are you doing to develop relationships with other believers?
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Getting Connected
One of the main reasons so many Christians live defeated lives is that they have isolated themselves from other believers. Paul told the early Christians that they were each vital “parts” of the “body of Christ”.
Every part of your body is important. If your little toe hurts, it can make your day miserable. The invisible parts, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys are vital for the life of the entire body. It is similar in the body of Christ.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-27, and write what Paul said about each part of the “body”:
Q Who is the “HEAD”?
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Q Who are the “MEMBERS”?
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Q Are any “MEMBERS” insignificant?
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Q What are some of the most important “PARTS”? (v.22)
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When you are joined together with other believers who are growing in Christ, you encourage one another, and keep each other “fired up” in your mutual faith. You enjoy each other’s company and build meaningful relationships together.
Coming together with other believers in Christ’s name is similar to hot coals, which keep each other hot when lumped together. However, a coal that is separated from the others will soon grow cold.