The Acts church presents us with a model of unity, corporate identity and growth and so when people write telling me that they can pay their parish share and have no need to evangelise because numbers are constant, they miss out on one of the realities of an aCts church model. There has to be growth!
Let's dissect the Acts model and see whether it can teach us something worthwhile:
Teaching - they believers met and shared the apostle's teaching. A great starter for ten in that this model demonstrates that we need to be meeting together to learn. Assuming something of the rabbinic teaching methods we could have 'hagadah'; the learning and unfolding of the Scriptures and 'halakah', which is the living and making the daily reality of the Scriptures.
So here we have it, that we engage with the Word of God so that we might understand what we are required to do (the how, why and what) and living out the realities of the Scriptures in our daily life. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy - 'knowing' and 'living' the Scriptures'.
Unity - for the believers were gathered in one place. A pretty easy thing when the believers form a minority in, what was then, a major city. Works well for us today as we find ourselves called to minister and witness to God's love as shown to us through His engagement with His created world and the salvific acts of jesus, the Christ. But the unity is also the unity of belief, for in our pre-Nicene existence error was limited and when present, dealt with swiftly and (as I see it) pretty aggressively! Unity of belief is a real challenge, even to the nature of Jesus and the atonement and all the other basics these days - but there needs to be a core set of beliefs. This is of course a contentious area where some condem others to hell and damnations whilst others simple mock and ridicule the dinosaurs with their 'antiquated' thinking. But there needs to be unity and where this can't be found then it is better to divide and come together where agreement can be found that live in conflict.
Fellowship and Love - Out of the unity came a love for one another that saw the believers living in their own homes and yet, whilst maintaining their own homes and paying their way, supporting others as they had need. The words, "See how these Christians LOVE one another," springs to mind here! LOVE not LOATHE! A love which regarded the other believers as family (an active rendering of the word koinonia) and acted within that context.
Witness - those around them saw how the believers believed and how out of that belief, lived. people responded because they could see the reality of the Christian's faith and the way the word became made real in a lifestyle that was consisten with it.
Someone I met today told me how they'd like to go to church but found, if they did, that what was contained in the building of the same name was a bunch of people who appeared to resent them intruding into their only personal fiefdom of mowing, making the tea and whatever else was on view. It was church for the select and newcomers were definitely no welcome!m If this is who and what Church has become then the final element, Growing, can be forgotten completely. After all, can't see the church the person I met today finding favour with those outside if my sample of one is accurate in their telling of the story!
Growing - It is from the 'finding favour' that the numbers were added. People tend to go to the places where what they see is what they like. Of course the problem with the Acts church is that it was no like the community or the society in which it was found and this 'counter cultural' element is part of the difference that attracts. So, if we keep striving to make the Church look exactly like the world why should be be surprised when the world stops choosing to enge with Church and increase the numbers of believers - they already have what's on offer! It's called the world! Time to proclaim Jesus and stand for the Bible truths (and if you don't believe it's true then you're a goal down in terms of believing - after all if you can't believe the documents and you can't believe the Christ )and in the Christ) then you have a major hill to climb.
Prayer - Something that we don't do enough of (well I don't I'm sure) and when I do come across it happening it's all about 'telling God what you need!' rather than asking God what you need or how you need to live. Mind you, many I meet wouldn't listen to God if they heard Him because it would infringe their personal liberties, choices and rights to live the way He might wish :-( But people appreciate and respect commitment in others and one of the visible signs of this is in the visibly praying to the invisible God.
Breaking Bread - is another element. We do this because Jesus did it at the end of the last supper and the last cup of blessing and the breaking of bread speaks of unity, love, fellowship and this oneness with each other depicts a oneness with Him! We remember the Passover and the Passover meal in the upper room and the wedding banquet of the Lamb in the now - all points in time coalescing in that one act! Breaking bread is an act of unity - never a weapon of war!
So here you are - a quick splurge from the top of my head. Quick and dirty but not without merit (i hope) and something for those who tell me that they live in an 'Acts Church' to ponder on.
I certainly will be.
Pax
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