It seems that a lot of churches today are in a race as to who can have the biggest church or the fastest-growing church or even the “coolest” church. But as a pastor, I am far more interested in having a biblical church. I am far more interested doing things the way God wants them to be done.
We find a template, if you will, for a biblical church in the New Testament’s Book of Acts. It is a template that was followed by a handful of believers who left their world a different place than the one they had found. They turned their world upside down.
Acts is the record of God’s work in the lives of first-century Christians over a 30-year period, from approximately A.D. 33-63. Throughout this book, we read of miracles, healings, people being raised from the dead and revivals breaking out. But there were also days in which none of these things took place, when believers simply lived by faith, every day, in the real world.
And the real world in which the church functioned was a difficult one. There was rampant immorality. In Corinth, prostitutes would openly walk the streets, beckoning men to follow them to their temples. The Roman government was corrupt, along with most of the religious establishment. Idolatry, spiritism and demon worship were practiced freely. Everywhere the Christians went, they were ridiculed, persecuted and even physically assaulted and killed. Yet within 30 years, the original 120 believers and their converts changed their world.
In A.D. 197, the Christian theologian Tertullian described how quickly the church’s impact had taken place.
Addressing Rome, he wrote, “We have filled every place belonging to you, cities, islands, outposts, towns … the palace, the senate, the forum. We leave you your temples only.”
Yet the first-century Christians faced dramatic opposition. Most historians agree there was a wave of persecution that came against the early church, starting with Caesar Nero and culminating with Diocletian.
History tells us that Nero was the Caesar in power when Paul went to Rome. Nero was responsible for the martyrdom of thousands and thousands of Christians who were taken to the Roman Coliseum and fed to wild animals for sport. Nero was so wicked and demented that he took Christians and, while they were still alive, covered them with pitch and set them on fire to light his gardens as he rode through them at night.
So confident of his success in eradicating the church, Diocletian minted a coin that read, “The Christian religion is destroyed and the worship of the Roman gods is restored.”
But did this destroy the church? Not even close. Instead of being destroyed, the church actually was strengthened. Where is Diocletian today? Where is Caesar today, other than being the namesake for a good salad? They are relegated to history, while the church marches on.
From the first century until today, there have always been those who have done their level best to destroy the work of the church, from emperors and dictators to professors and atheists. They all have failed – and they always will. Because Jesus said of the church, “All the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT).
So what was the secret of the early church? In addition to being filled with and sent out by God’s Holy Spirit, they understood that everyone was called to do their part. Every person mattered.
A story is told of a Spartan king who was boasting to a visiting king about the walls of Sparta. The visiting dignitary looked around and could see no walls at all, so he turned to the king and said, “Well, where are these walls that you speak of?”
His host pointed to his guard of magnificent troops and replied, “These are the walls of Sparta. Every man is a brick.”
It is true of the church as well. Every person is a brick, each with gifts that God has given for contributing to the work of the church. It is true of today’s Christians, and it was true of the first-century Christians as well.
Acts 2:42 tells us, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (NKJV). Note the phrase “continued steadfastly.” This speaks of real passion. Everyone was engaged.
It is important how we go to church. It is important that we don’t just arrive and take our spot in our pew or seat without first considering our attitude. Why are we there? What are we there for? What do we want? If we are coming to seek God, if we are coming with a heart that is hungry for God, a soul that is thirsty for him, then it can be a time of transformation for us. But if we are coming out of mere duty or habit (though it is a good habit), it may not make much of a difference in our lives, not to mention the lives of those around us.
The first-century Christians may not have had the biggest or the fastest-growing or the so-called “coolest” church. But they “continued steadfastly,” following the blueprint God had given them. And their work, which began so long ago, is continuing on. Church history still marches on.
