Early Church Brochure

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References

Expectations of
members Bruce, F. (1964). The Church of Jeru-
salem. Christian Brethren Research
Fellowship Journal , 5-14.

New believers needed faith, Jackson, D. L. (1992, 1996). Lay Mem-


courage and dedication. The bers’ Role in the Early Church. Re-
trieved October 2, 2009, from http://
expectations of new believers
www.wcg.org/lit/church/ministry/
The early
were to have faith, the Holy
Spirit, love for others and a vi-
ministry2.htm church in
sion of a new life (Jackson, 1992, 1996). Life Application Study Bible. (1997).
Grand Rapids: Tyndale House Pub-
Jerusalem
Ananias was a new believer and he re- lishers.
sponded to the call of the Lord in Acts 9.
Ananias went and found Saul (later Paul) and Niswonger, R. L. (1988). New Testa-
told him that he was sent to help Saul see ment History. Grand Rapids: Zonder-
again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. van Publishing House.
Then Saul could see again and Ananias bap-
tized him.

Phillip went to Samaria and preached the


gospel. He was also led by the Holy Spirit to
witness to an Ethiopian.

Acts 11:19-21 states those who had been


scattered by the persecution in connection
with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia,
Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only
to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Jennifer Felsberg
Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and
began to speak to Greeks also, telling them Grand Canyon University
the good news about the Lord Jesus. The
Lord's hand was with them, and a great BIB 123, New Testament History
number of people believed and turned to the
Lord. October 4, 2009
The early church & its ministries

THE MAIN PURPOSE Human Need Ministries of the Word


OF THE EARLY The believers in the early church pooled their The teaching was simple: forgiveness of
CHURCH ARE THE resources. People voluntarily sold their prop- sins, proclaim Jesus was Messiah and was
SAME FEATURES THE erty and material items, then they gave the raised from the dead, and He was resur-
CHRISTIAN CHURCH money to the church. The money was a fund rected (Niswonger, 1988).
IS BASED ON TODAY: for any new Christian that needed help or had
Teaching the lessons a need to be filled. This sharing was done with Preaching and teaching about Jesus added to
learned from Jesus Christ, fellowship, spontaneity and abandon. It was also conta- the numbers of believers. The apostles also
breaking of bread or communion, gious. However, it wasn’t a perfect situation. shared Jesus’ life, ministry, and teachings.
prayer, mutual care of one another in- Barnabas sold a field and gave the money to The Old Testament was their only bible but
cluding material wealth and healing, the church. This was done in all sincerity. A their teaching was all about the gospel.
and lastly the gospel witness. couple named Ananias and Sapphira decided The apostles still continues to attend temple
Acts 2 gives the birth of the early to do the same but hold some of the money and synagogue. This caused tension with the
church, when the holy spirit came back for themselves. For their in sincerity Jews who did not believe Jesus was the Mes-
down during Pentecost. This is in ac- God struck them down dead. The giving of siah. They were forced to meet in homes
cordance with the promise of Christ in money and possessions was totally voluntary and witness in public places like Solomon’s
acts 1:8 (Bruce, 1964). but needed to be given with total sincerity. Colonnade (Acts 3:11). This was especially
The believers broke bread together daily. They true when the gentiles were converted to
Peter preached such an awesome les-
would share a meal in each others homes and Christianity.
son that 3,000 men form all over felt
led to repent of their sins and get bap- also partake in communion as they did during This also led to persecution of believers. In
tized in the name of Jesus. During this the last supper with Jesus. some ways it helped Christianity to grow:
period of time the holy church of the There was also healing taking place in the early when the people were persecuted they ran to
whole world was one local church. As church (Acts 3:6-10). The other parts, but continued to spread the
word started spreading and they in- apostles were healing in Jesus’ message of Jesus. "Those who had been
creased in numbers this did not last name, not their own name. scattered preached the word wherever they
long. The first church of Jerusalem went" (Acts 8:4, (Life Application Study
lasted about 40 years. Bible, 1997)).

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