THE ACTSCHURCH TODAY

I THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

  1. The Acts Church
  2. The Early Christian Church (30–300 AD)
  3. Theses: Wolfgang Simson
  4. The minimum characteristics of the New Testament Church

IITHE CHURCH OF THE 21ST CENTURY

  1. The present situation in the Church in S.A. and the world
  2. Denominationalism
  3. House Church groups
  4. Frank Viola

IIIA CHURCH OF HOUSE GROUPS

  1. House Groups
  2. House Church Leadership
  3. District Leadership
  4. Core Leadership
  5. Finances
  6. Children
  7. Leadership in general
  8. Ministries

IV THE DYNAMICS OF HOUSE CHURCHES

I. THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

In the “Rooi Rose” magazine of April 2009 an article appeared with the title “IS THE CHURCH RUNNING EMPTY?” Here follows an excerpt of one of the paragraphs in this article (translated):

A Need for Reformation

“Dr. Dreyer, doing his doctorate on this subject, stresses that “the pressure on traditional churches is a worldwide phenomenon. It is the result of radical changes in society and the church struggles to keep up with it.

Researchers studying church-life in a postmodern, urban setting are in agreement about the fundamental problem: the church has changed from a movement to an institution that has solidified in fixed structures and mindsets, leading to a loss of flexibility and dynamics. We need a dramatic “church reformation”, similar to and even more comprehensive than the one in the 16th century with Calvin and Luther. The hearts and minds of people need to change so that the church may once again be what it is supposed to be: the Body of Christ becoming a serving community, joyfully proclaiming the gospel in unlikely venues.

The early church consisted of house churches that often had to meet in secret. There were no church buildings or formal church structures; the church was fluid and flexible. Normal people spread the gospel, and Christianity grew within the first two to three decades from 12 disciples to about 20 million Christians. It was only in 313, when emperor Constantine gave the church official status, that Christianity began to show signs of becoming an institution.

Through the run of the ages the church developed powerful structures. The offices, especially those of the minister, and structures of authority like synods took centre stage. But in the meantime our way of living has changed dramatically.”

The need for this ministry thus becomes crystal-clear:

  1. The Church is in a crisis.
  2. Church leaders and theologians do not know where the church should go from here.
  3. In South Africa God is moving mightily throughout the whole country and in most every city and town “new” Christians are gathering in small groups, seeking a new way to advance in terms of church life.
  4. Spiritual leaders worldwide are receiving the same message: THE CHURCH MUST RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL ROOTS AND BIBLICAL FOUNDATION.

For the purposes of this ministry we will:

  • take a bird’s eye view of the New Testament (NT) Church period,
  • evaluate the current situation in the light thereof,
  • present a model of the Acts Church today,
  • and finally reach certain conclusions on the basis of the above.

The Early Christian Church is a technical term for the Christian Church of the Apostolic Era of the first 200-300 years. It is the extension of the book of Acts and the purest form of the Church. No congregation on earth can afford to ignore this. Every congregation needs to measure itself by these standards.

All congregations that desire to reform, and all Christians who want to be involved in the construction of the true Church of Jesus Christ, but are at the same time confused in the sea of denominations, may find light and guidance here. Hence we cannot move one step forward without a proper reconstruction of this history.

  1. The Acts Church

1.1The Acts Church is built on four pillars, namely the cross, the resurrection, the ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Church in the book of Acts is thus constructed firstly on the theological significance of the blood and sacrifice of Christ in the Gospels (Acts 2:36).

1.2This implies our reconciliation with God and justification in Christ. Nobody is saved through their own merit. It is consequently based on the resurrection, for if the resurrected Jesus did not appear to the disciples, there would have been no church (Acts 1:3).

1.3The Christians in Acts were built up through the ascension and session of Jesus on the throne, from which He rules (Eph. 1:22-23).

1.4The Christians in Acts were empowered by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and prayer, without which they would never have confronted the world (Acts 4:31; 16:13).

1.5These four pillars speak of the action of God towards man. This means that the entire work of our redemption is based on grace alone.

1.6The reaction of man to this gracious action of God comprises three steps,leading to a fourth, namely the planting of the Church.

1.7According to Acts 2 it includes repentance, faith through which the Word entered their hearts (v. 41), baptism, and thus the 3 000 formed the first Church. These gracious actions of God and the obedient reactions of man form the foundation of the true Church.

1.8They continued in the the apostles’ doctrine (2:42), else they would have fallen into error.

1.9In fellowship or koinonia (:42), without which they would not have attracted the world.

1.10In the breaking of bread, in order to be constantly reminded of the atoning death of Christ (:42).

1.11In prayer (:42), without which their main artery would have been severed from the heart.

1.12The “fear of God” was in their hearts, keeping them from a flippant treatment of holy things (2:43; Mal. 4:2).

1.13 “Signs and wonders” – they experienced the supernatural working of the Spirit (2:43).

1.14They made sure that no one in their midst suffered depravation or poverty (2:44; 9:39 - Dorcas).

1.15They were not materialistic (2:43).

1.16Right from the start they gathered from “house to house” (2:46; 5:42; 8:3; 12:12; 16:40; 18:7; 20:20; 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; 1 Tim. 5:14; Philem. verse 12)

1.17Simplicity of heart, lifestyle and church life was characteristic of them (2:46).

1.18They were joyful and filled with praises (:47 Acts 5:19, 20).

1.19They influenced people and led them to Christ on a daily basis (Acts 2:47; 16:5).

1.20The Church starts with the end in sight. “The same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

1.21Right from the start discipline was a normal part of church life with a view to glorifying Christ and preserving the health of the body (Acts 5).

1.22The price the Early Christian Church pays for its faith becomes apparent as suffering and persecution increase in the history of the apostles and Paul (Acts 8:1).

2.The Early Christian Church (30–300 A.D.)

One of the few experts in this field, the Patristic, is prof. Dr. Hennie Stander of the Department of Classical Languages at the University of Pretoria. He reads Greek and Latin fluently and gave a talk based on his own research one weekend in 1988 at our church. I present to you a factual account of the contents of that talk.

The early Christian Church was scantily structured and organised and was stripped of external religion. Currently we have become so structured and organised that one could ask the question: “If the Holy Sprit were to cease all His activity in a church, would we not simply continue with our church service and meeting without noticing His absence?’’

Prof. Stander addresses the following nine aspects of the early Christian Church:

2.1 Evangelism

There were no missionary organisations, tele-evangelists, Y.W.A.M (Youth With A Mission) or other similar organisations, and yet the church grew phenomenally. By the year 210 A.D they reached all the towns, cities, military camps and even the Roman senate. What was the reason? Each member of the body was a missionary and a witness! Today we have the opposite tendency: the Christian church, especially in Europe, is shrinking; modern man has written off the church and lives in total oblivion of the church’s existence, in a post-christian era.

2.2 Meeting places

Due to heavy persecution, the Christians had only houses to meet in (Acts 8:30; Rom. 16:1, 5, 10, 11, 16, 23). Dr. Stander presented slides showing the ‘sitting room’ of a original house having been used as a church hall. The meetings were thus informal and intimate and the people could share their faith spontaneously. They met as it were ‘under ground’ and were labeled by the heathen as rogues, because they did not have their own temples and altars. The Christians’ answer to this was that each believer was a temple, each Christian’s heart was an altar and their prayers were offerings to God. The transition to the ‘recognised church’ with its public meetings and established church buildings in the time of Constantine the Great, brought about inflexibility, feebleness and formality.

2.3 Worship through song in the Church

It seems that the situation was exactly reversed from the position we have today. Prof. Stander tells of a bishop that was excommunicated because he did not allow modern songs! The lifting up of one’s hands during prayer and singing praises, was a common practice (1 Tim. 2:8).

The time of jubilation (jubules) was also a cause for great joy – and to sing in tongues without known words. Stander quotes Augustine: “If the people lack the words to express their joy, then they break forth into singing of vocal sounds. Thus the emotion of the soul could be expressed when words were insufficient to contain the feelings of the heart. He that sings in jubules, does not utter words: he utters wordless sounds of joy. The voice of the soul pours forth intense joy and it expresses what the person feels without the words having any meaning.

2.4 Liturgy

In the second century there are numerous descriptions of church services, but not a single liturgy corresponded to another. There is no proof that the church of the first century had a set liturgy. All the known elements of the Word, prayer, singing, the Lord’s Table, etc, were present, but not in the same order.

After the leader said a prayer of thanksgiving, everybody uttered a loud “Amen”. They read, received teaching and took up an offering for the orphans, the widows, the sick, prisoners, and Christian families who were without a bread winner and anyone else in need.

2.5Prayer and fasting

This was very important to them. They prayed together on a regular basis and prayer was to them like eating and sleeping. It was a normal part of their daily routine.

2.6 Persecution

These people suffered for their faith. The heathen had a separate idol for each aspect of life and it was no problem for them to be informed that the emperor should be worshiped as a god. In those days the veneration of the gods was intricately linked with the welfare and survival of the state. The state was the true god.

The Christians, however, only bowed the knee before Christ and God, and were thus burned, killed by the sword, thrown before wild beasts, rubbed with oil and brutally murdered, etc.

It captures one’s imagination to see the unflinching manner in which they proclaimed Christ. They were so brave and victorious that there are many reports of people that accepted Christ whilst taking Christians to be burnt at the stake or accompanying them to martyrdom.

2.7 Marriages and morality

To understand the Christians’ witness in this regard, one must understand that the heathen were absolutely immoral and without values. They could for a good harvest go to the temple for prostitution, where young boys and girls were serving. In this manner the goddess of fertility were appeased. Older men who had younger wives, were encouraged to give their wives to younger men so that strong sons may be born for the state. The state was fortified in this manner. Any man who was not satisfied with his wife, could take concubines for himself. For this reason divorces were not common.

In this area Christians were radically and utterly different. They were absolutely chaste and pure before and during matrimony. Tertullian wrote in or around 200 AD the following gripping words:

“Where shall I find the words to describe the joy of a marriage performed and blessed in the church, heralded by the angels in Heaven and sanctioned by the Father. Just as children on earth need permission from their father to marry, so must Christians obtain consent from their Heavenly Father.

“How beautiful, then, the marriage of two Christians, two who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the religion they practice. They are as brother and sister, both servants of the same Master.”

“Nothing divides them, either in flesh or in Spirit. They are in very truth, two in one flesh; and where there is but one flesh there is also but one spirit. They pray together, they worship together, they fast together; instructing one another, encouraging one another, strengthening one another. Side by side they face difficulties and persecution, share their consolations. They have no secrets from one another, they never shun each other's company; they never bring sorrow to each other's hearts… Psalms and hymns they sing to one another.”

“Hearing and seeing this, Christ rejoices. To such as these He gives His peace. Where there are two together, there also He is present, and where He is, there evil is not.”

In today’s situation the Christians reflect the same principles as the world. Research in the U.S.A. shows that the divorce rate amongst worldly and church people are the same.

2.8 Gifts

Prof. Stander quoted the following statement :

“Those who are truly Jesus Christ’s disciples, receive gifts and do wonders in His name to the advantage of the people.”

There are many descriptions of healings. Augustine told of a woman who had breast cancer, who was prayed for and received healing. Excavations show that women were already in those times operated upon for these conditions.

2.9 The Uniqueness of the Church and Disciples

The heathen and unbelievers did not go to the Christians because of miracles or

exorcism, for they practiced it themselves through magic and supernatural powers. The heathen praised the Christians’ love and humility, because their own virtues were self-centered and directed towards those that were above and higher than themselves, but never towards those of the lower classes or inferior to their situation.

“We who previously rejoiced in immorality, now only rejoice in self control. We who used magic, now only turn to God. We who sought above all to become rich and acquire possessions, now bring what we have to the community and share with every one who has a need. We who hated each other and killed one another, and did not want to live together with people of other races because of differing habits, can now after the coming of Christ live together and pray for one another.”

Tertullian also said in approximately 200 AD:

“You heathen forget that regardless of the fact that you are persecuting us, we do not plot against you, even though we could do it by virtue of our numbers. However, we pray for you and do good to you. We give to your poor. Our contributions to the poor in the street is far more than what you gather in your temples.”

The commentary of the heathen concerning the Christians were more or less in the same vein:

“It is unbelievable to see the zeal of the people of that faith to help each other in their distress. Nothing is too much trouble. Their first Lawgiver (Jesus) put it into their heads that they are brothers and sisters,” said Lucian (born in 115 AD).

Julian said in the 4th century:

“Those godless Galileans not only feed their own poor, but even our poor.” (The Christians were called atheists or godless, because they did not believe in the gods.)

Their love for one another and for the heathen was, more than anything else, the vital attraction of the church of the first century.

3. Theses: Wolfgang Simson

We include here a section from the theses by Wolfgang Simson: “Houses that Change the World”:

Millions of Christians around the world are aware of an imminent reformation of global proportions. They say in effect: “Church as we know it is preventing Church as God wants it”.

3.1Church is a Way of Life, not a series of religious meetings.

3.2The Third Reformation

In rediscovering the gospel of salvation by faith and grace alone, Luther started to reform the Church through a reformation of theology. In the 18th century through movements like the Moravians there was a recovery of new intimacy with God, which led to a reformation of spirituality, the Second Reformation. Now God is touching the wineskins themselves, initiating a Third Reformation, a reformation of structure.