The First-Century Church in the Twentieth
The First Century Church in the Twentieth
The first century Church had tremendous power because
Christians believed that when they were saved they
received the power from the Holy Spirit, and thus could
operate the nine manifestations of the spirit. Besides having
such internal power, the early believers studied the
Word of God and acted on it as being the will of God.
The first century Church, as the record in the book
of Acts indicates, made tremendous progress. It moved
with an anointing such as we have never seen. The fact
that they progressed beyond the point which the current
Church has achieved cannot be accredited to God because
God has not changed. When some people talk about
God pouring out a special anointing in these last days,
it simply is not true. The Word says He sent His gift on
the day of Pentecost. His gift is here. The early Church
obviously was more alive and dynamic, not because God
was more powerful, but because it operated more effectively.
The early Church, the Body, as recorded in the book
of Acts and the Church Epistles, developed a pattern for
its growth in various localities:
1. Each person was responsible to witness with boldness
to the Word of God. When a person accepted Jesus
Christ as his Lord, “older” Christians continued to nurture
and shepherd him until the new Christian was grounded
well enough to stand and walk alone on that Word.
2. Small supervised meetings, called churches, were
held in private homes with a head elder or pastor overseeing
each home unit.
3. Personal revisits and written communications were
kept up with each group, each church, by apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers.
4. Christians were not to be side-tracked by material
possessions. Thus they sold their unneeded possessions
in order to further the work of the ministry.
The early Church was born into a society which was
just as indoctrinated and hardened as any society has
been at any time. The Romans were governmentally in
control and paganism was rampant. Yet the first century
Christian Church turned the world upside down—which
means they turned it right side up. They had the potential
spiritual ability which became kinetic in a most
wonderful and dynamic way. Within one generation the
early believers changed the whole spiritual and moral
climate of that part of the world. We do not know how
many Christians really walked on the Word of God in
the first century and witnessed to the then–known world,
but we do know that according to Acts 19:10, in two
years and three months “. . .all. . .Asia [currently known
as Asia Minor] heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both
Jews and Greeks.”
This feat certainly could not have been accomplished,
and was not accomplished, by one man. But under Paul’s
ministry and teaching the original “. . .about twelve. . .”*
men (households) were inspired and learned to walk on
the Word of God and share it with others. All Asia Minor
heard this wonderful Word of God as it spread out from
Ephesus because each believer endeavored to win one,
and nurtured that one until the new-born Christian was
strong enough to stand and walk on the Word of God,
operating the manifestations of the spirit. All this was
accomplished without the modern aids of radio, television
and printed matter.
One of the earliest accounts of a believer winning a
friend is found in John 1:40 and 41. This is the record
in which Andrew first found his brother Peter and brought
him to the Lord.
As in our day, not everyone in the first century believed
and was saved when a Christian witnessed. When
you preach the Word of God and share it with an individual
or with a group, you will discover that the
response will be as in Acts 28:24, “And some believed
the things which were spoken, and some believed not.”
In the unbelieving group, of course, were those who
according to Acts 17:32, when they heard the Word of
God regarding the resurrection of the dead, “. . .some
mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this
matter.”
The early Church leaders, including Peter and the other
apostles, were very bold in the presentation of the Word
of God; and because of their boldness, multitudes of both
men and women were added to the Church as Acts 5:14
tells, “And believers were the more added to the Lord,
multitudes both of men and women.” However as the
record in Acts 5 continues, the high priest and the Sadducees
laid their hands on the apostles and put them in
prison. Yet as soon as the Christians were released, God
told them, “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the
people all the words of this life.” So they went back
into the Temple to teach.
The high priest soon came also to the Temple and
called the Sanhedrin together to bring the prisoners before
it; but the apostles were not in the prison. When the high
priest, the captain of the Temple and the chief priests
(according to Acts 5:24) heard what God was doing and
how He had released these men from prison, they were
disturbed. They did not want the growth of this new
movement. It took great courage on the part of the
apostles to go into the Temple again and teach the people,
knowing ahead of time there would be trouble when they
spoke the true Word of God. According to verse 29,
“. . .Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We
ought to obey God rather than men.”
After they had been ruthlessly interrogated, the apostles
were beaten and commanded not to speak in the name
of Jesus. Yet the apostles persevered, for Acts 5:42 says,
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased
not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
Those in the synagogues could not tolerate them, even
as the true believers on the Word of God in many places
cannot be tolerated in the organized and established
churches today. This necessitated the second point in
this study, namely, small supervised meetings, called
churches, in the homes. I will give you the Scriptures I
have noted so you can read exactly what is written in
the Word of God concerning such meetings.
In Acts 5 we read that the apostles went from house
to house talking to the people about the Word of the
Lord. This is the first record demonstrating how the
apostles declared the Word of God very early in the age
of the Church to which you and I belong.
Later, in Acts 8:3 we read that Paul (whose Hebrew
name was Saul), before being saved, entered “. . .into
every house, and haling men and women committed them
to prison.” It was necessary to go into the houses to find
the Christians since these were their meeting places.
Acts 10 is the first record of a Gentile household coming
into the experience of the new birth and receiving
the power from the Holy Spirit into manifestation.
Acts 10:2:
A devout man [Cornelius], and one that feared God
with all his house. . . .
This meeting, again in a house, was characteristic of
the early Church.
Acts 16 tells of Paul’s and Silas’ ministering in a house
immediately after God had released them from prison.
The keeper of the prison spoke in Acts 16:30, “. . .Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:31, 32:
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and
to all that were in his house.
This is a significant verse of Scripture in that the precedent
is set for witnessing to entire households at one
time. We are not to attempt to win just one person out
of a household for the Lord Jesus Christ, but we should
endeavor to win the whole house: father, mother and all
the children.
The culture of the East differs from the culture in
America, but we can at least apply the principles of The
Word. If we can convince father and mother, I feel confident
that the younger children can be won, especially
if the father and mother are taught the accuracy of the
Word of God concerning their responsibility toward
God and their families.
Acts 18:8:
And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed
on the Lord with all his house; and many of
the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
The head of the house was converted; he was taught
the accuracy of the Word of God, and in turn the entire
household was brought into the household of faith, receiving
the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Another example of a house as a meeting place is
recorded in Acts 21.
Acts 21:8:
And the next day we that were of Paul’s company
departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered
into the house of Philip the evangelist. . . .
Philip’s house had become a meeting place for the believers.
Paul’s lodging place in Rome also became a
meeting place for the extension of the Word of God and
the teaching of it in the early days of the Christian
Church.
Acts 28:23, 30, 31:
And when they had appointed him a day, there came
many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded
and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them
concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and
out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired
house, and received all that came in unto him,
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those
things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with
all confidence, no man forbidding him.
This is the record of the early Church in the book of
Acts, which is the historical presentation of the founding
and growth of the Christian Church.
Turn to Romans 16:3 and 5 and note that Paul sent
word to the Romans saying, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila
. . .greet the church [the local Christian group] that is in
their house. . . .”
I Corinthians 1:11:
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren,
by them which are of the house of Chloe, that
there are contentions among you.
I Corinthians and Colossians give other examples of
local Christian groups meeting in a house.
I Corinthians 16:19:
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla
salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is
in their house.
Colossians 4:15:
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas,
and the church which is in his house.
A verse in I Timothy ought to be read very carefully.
I Timothy 3:15:
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou
oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God,
which is the church of the living God, the pillar
and ground of the truth.
The homes in which the churches met were called
houses of God. These homes were the pillars of the
Church for these fellowships were built on the foundation
of truth.
Philemon, verse 2:
And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier,
and to the church in thy house.
Since these verses which I have shared with you are
the Word of God concerning the early churches meeting
in houses under proper supervision, this must be God’s
method of winning men and women to the Church and
sustaining them. If you say the times have changed, then
I would like to say the Word of God has not changed.
When the churches met in the homes, the small groups
made possible participation by everyone, as well as the
giving of attention and help to the individual.
Inside the home or church group there must be leadership.
The work of the Lord cannot be done haphazardly.
I believe we could meet in homes, in groups of six to
possibly twenty people or so, depending on the size of
the room. Then we could take care of the believers in
every particular area. No one would need to drive very
far and yet the people would hear the wonderful Word
of God. Our children could meet in a separate room
with an adult teaching them the Word of God, or they
could sit with the adults. Hearing the Word of God properly
explained and the manifestations operated would be
the greatest thing that could be done for them. Remember,
it is the churches, the fellowships of believers, that we
are concerned about; nothing that man has built will suffice.
Regarding elders or pastors for each unit, let us look
at Paul’s example in Ephesus as recorded in Acts 20.
Paul calls the elders of the Ephesian church together to
admonish them.
Acts 20:28, 29:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves [which is the
first requirement of any leader], and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous
wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
The “overseer” refers to an elder who was the ruler,
the leader, the supervisor in the house, the church. These
elders were pastors for the local units, sometimes called
bishops. The overseers must be very, very careful as to
what goes on in the house where the church, the fellowship,
is meeting.
Acts 20:30:
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking
perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
In other words, Satan would trick some from among
the overseers themselves. There would be splits in the
churches which were held in the homes because people
were full of pride and wanted to draw away disciples
after themselves and not after the Word of God. Therefore
strong, accurate leadership was essential.
And this leadership was not determined by chance. The
overseer was chosen by the man of God who was led
by the Holy Spirit.
Titus 1:5:
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest
set in order the things that are wanting, and
ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.
The elders were told how to behave in I Peter.
I Peter 5:2, 3:
Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking
the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock.
Now, regarding the revisits by the apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers, the book of Acts constantly
tells of Paul’s starting fellowships at various places
and then revisiting them. We see other men—Timothy,
Titus, Sylvanus and others—revisiting churches, fellowships.
As we study the missionary journeys, we note that
Derbe, Caesarea, Antioch of Pisidia, Tarsus, Iconium,
Pessinus, Ephesus, Troas, Neapolis, Philippi, Amphipolis,
Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth were
among places revisited.
In Acts 20 we have the record of Paul’s return visit
to Ephesus where he called the elders of the church
together. The reason there were elders (plural) in the
church is that there were many houses where the people
met, each house being under the supervision of an elder.
Paul is speaking in the following verse to the elders in
Ephesus.
Acts 20:20:
. . .I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you,
but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly
[that is, in group meetings in large houses],
and from house to house.
The Apostle Paul not only went from house to house
to teach the wonderful Word of God, he also wrote letters
to the scattered churches, local fellowships, which made
up the Church, the Body. These letters were then read in
the various homes where the Christians were meeting.
This is how the early Church received instruction and
grew. You will note that I and II Timothy specify the
entire procedure and conduct for the leaders in relation
to the Church. We cannot read these epistles too carefully
because in them we find the truth which we need
to know to accurately manifest the greatness of God’s
Word.
The fourth point in accounting for the rapid growth of
the early Church was that Christians gave all material
possessions which they did not need to the furthering of
the Christian ministry. But before looking at this specific
point, let us build up to it in Acts 4 to see the other
“growth elements” which came before Christians gave
up their excess material possessions.
According to Acts 4 Peter and John had just ministered
healing to a man who was more than forty years old, for
which deed they were imprisoned and charged not to
speak at all and not to teach in the name of Jesus.** Upon
their release from prison, however, Peter and John immediately
began preaching The Word again.
Acts 4:29:
And now, Lord, behold their [the synagogue leaders’]
threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that
with all boldness they may speak thy word.
Isn’t that a wonderful prayer? This is the first recorded
prayer of the early Church. The apostles had been incarcerated,
humiliated, hurt and threatened for their teaching
and for the way in which they ministered healing. Yet,
when Peter and John returned to the group of believers—
instead of asking for a vacation—instead of asking for an
easier place to serve—they prayed, “Lord, behold their
threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all
boldness they may speak thy word.” Speaking The Word
got them in trouble to begin with, but only their perseverance
would further their mission.
The early Church always preached The Word and
nothing but The Word—no private opinions. They spoke
The Word with boldness; and often when they spoke The
Word, they got into trouble; the question is, are we teaching
The Word?
When we really present the Word of God and walk
in the light of the Word of God, we may get persecution
here and there. But this should not deter us. We should
simply say, “Well, if Satan is trying so hard to obstruct
our efforts, we must be doing something worthwhile. If
our goals weren’t worth anything, Satan wouldn’t bother
to intrude. He fights because we are battling him.”
Notice that the disciples prayed, “. . .Grant unto thy
servants. . . .” These men were sons of God in their heav-
enly relationship; but in their earthly responsibilities, they
were to serve God, and thus they were called servants.
Acts 4:31, 32:
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken
where they were assembled together; and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion], and
they spake the word of God with boldness.
And the multitude of them [The text is “every one
of them.”] that believed were of one heart and of
one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the
things which he possessed was his own; but they
had all things common.
Think of this in the early Church! All persons who
were born again of God’s Spirit and filled with power
from the Holy Spirit were of one heart and of one soul.
They had The Word and they agreed on The Word. This
is what gave the early Church power.
In studying “they had all things common,” there are
three words translated “common” from the critical Greek
texts. The word used here in verse 32, means “to the
end that in their believing and in their action they were
commonly united.” None of the things—the plurality—
which a person possessed were really his own. The
plurality that he possessed was common as far as need
was concerned.
When the early Church began to move, all plurality
that the members possessed was common among them.
If a member had a need, the plurality was used to meet
that need.
Acts 4:33-35:
And with great power gave the apostles witness of
the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace
[divine favor] was upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for
as many as were possessors [plural] of lands [plural]
or houses [plural] sold them, and brought the prices
of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution
was made unto every man according as he
had need.
Notice that the last word in Acts 4:35 is not “greed,”
but “need.” There were people in the Church who had
more than they needed of food, clothing and shelter.
Therefore, they sold their plurality—that which they did
not need—to help someone else in the Church who had
a need. Suppose there was a young couple in the Church
dedicated to the Lord, who loved His Word and wanted
to start farming; they had a need. The Church was to
help the couple get started.
In verse 34 carefully note the words “as many as were
possessors.” When these people who were possessors
of lands (plural) and houses (plural) were born again,
what did they do? They sold their plurality. They sold
that which they did not need. Plurality is greed, not need.
If we want the Church to move under the anointing of
the power from the Holy Spirit as the early Church
moved, we must be obedient to the Word of God and
conquer our greed. Excesses weight us down and Christians
are not to be bogged down with matters of this
world.
God never asked a man at any place in the Bible to
sell or dispose of that which he needed for his livelihood.
They sold that which they did not need, their plurality,
and brought the money to the apostles who distributed
according to the need of the individual believer. One
man’s need may be more than another. Every person
must determine his need within himself, according to
the renewing of his own mind after being born again.
You may ask, “Well, who would you trust with the
collected possessions?” Whom did the early Church trust
with it? The apostles. If you as a Christian do not trust
the person or the group or the organization to use your
gift properly, you ought to give it somewhere else—to
something and to someone whom you will trust to use
it as it is supposed to be used. The apostles distributed
the goods.
Acts 4:36, 37:
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed
Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of
consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land [singular], sold it, and brought the
money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
We just read that the early Christians sold only their
plurality. Yet, here is a man who sold his land, a singular
possession. Why? He was a Levite. According to the
Old Testament a Levite should not own any property.
Joses whose name was Barnabas from Cyprus, understanding
and believing the teaching, was converted and
saved. Therefore he sold his singular property which he
should never have owned, and he brought the money
there from and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
Now we have in a nutshell some idea of how the first
century Church operated and, thereby, prospered so that
many were won to the Lord Jesus Christ and manifested
His power. Time and again we see these principles:
1. Each person was responsible to witness with boldness
about the Word of God and then stand by those
new-born Christians until they could walk forth and, in
turn, witness on their own.
2. The Church prospered when small groups (churches,
fellowships) gathered in homes and ministered under the
supervision of capable overseers.
3. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers
kept in continual contact with each group by revisitations
and written communications.
4. Christians contributed to the welfare of the Church
and its members by giving to the common need, in contributing
the plurality of their material possessions.
By reading Acts and the Pauline Epistles, one quickly
notes the numerical growth and spiritual prosperity of
the first century Church. The twentieth century Church
obviously doesn’t compare in its vitality. Thus we have
everything to gain by following the early Church’s example.
God hasn’t changed. And since we still have His
power, we can surely adapt the techniques of the early
Church and couple it with the power of God within each
of us as Christians. We are the ones who must apply
these principles and this power and the apostles’ boldness
to make the twentieth century Church stronger and
more vital than the Christian Church has ever been. This
is our opportunity and challenge. Herein we must stand
fast.