THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

The early church in the book of Acts was a powerful force that changed the world. In this series we’ll examine six essentials that serve as a gut-check for modern churches to make sure we’re biblically functioning communities.

The Essential Message of the Church

The book of Acts chronicles the birth of the Christian church and the essential message of Jesus.

Talking Points:

  • The Essential Message is that Jesus came to rescue you. Jesus is Lord as demonstrated through his life, death, and resurrection from the dead. Acts 2:23-24
  • The first wrong response is religion. This is legalism, which says I have to live a good life in order to be saved.
  • The second wrong response is relativism. This is believing that since I’m saved, it doesn’t matter how I live.
  • The right response to the essential message is faith. It’s more than just knowing the facts. It’s putting your total trust in Jesus and his work on the cross. Acts 2:38
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Share your faith journey. Who was instrumental in that journey?
  3. Read Acts 2:23-24. Why did Jesus have to suffer and die for us? How does our sin get in the way of a relationship with God?
  4. How have you seen religion derail people from pursuing God? What does a legalistic attitude look like and why is it unappealing to a seeker?
  5. How do you see relativism among your friends and family? How do you think God feels about that attitude?
  6. Read Acts 2:37-38. What must we do in response to this essential message? Why is the Holy Spirit important to our growth and maturity?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

The Essential Mission of The Church

The apostles followed Jesus for three years, watching him perform miracles and announce the Kingdom of Heaven. But after his resurrection, they almost got sidelined from their true mission.

Talking Points:

  • Many Christians get sidelined by ignorance-they don’t know their mission. But Jesus gave a clear commandment: go make disciples. Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8
  • Other Christians get sidelined by information. They seek deeper Bible knowledge yet never share the simple message they already know. Acts 1:6-7
  • Most Christians get sidelined by comfort. In the early church, it took persecution for Christians to leave their homes and make disciples. Acts 8:1
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Have you ever been sidelined for some reason in your life? (career, sports, ministry) How did that impact you?
  3. Read Matthew 28:19-20 and Acts 1:8. How do you think most Christians view these passages? Why do you think many Christians miss the call to action in these verses?
  4. In your own words, define what it means to be a mature Christian. How can just seeking information get in the way of the mission? How should it help the mission?
  5. Read Acts 1:6-7. What are some other issues where Christians tend to get in the weeds, distracting them from the more important things?
  6. Read Acts 8:1. Our world is full of turmoil right now. How will you step out boldly for Jesus and fulfill the mission he’s given us?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

The Essential Foundation of the Church

As the powerful, life-changing word of God, the Bible has always been the church’s foundation. We make it our foundation by shaping our ideas and choices around its wisdom.

Talking Points:

  • Scripture was essential to the early church. The apostles anchored their teaching and ministry in Scripture. This defined what was most important to them. Acts 2:42, Acts 15:35
  • The first Christians knew that the Scriptures are the word of God, and thus have divine power to change people’s lives. Acts 4:24-25, Hebrews 4:12
  • Christians today must be committed to the same foundation. We must let God’s word define what we think and dictate how we live. Acts 17:11-12, 2 Timothy 3:16
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Share a time you tried to build something without viewing the instructions. How did that project turn out?
  3. Read Acts 15:35. Why would Paul and Barnabas describe the Scriptures as the word of the Lord. What are the implications of that phrase?
  4. How would you describe people’s view of the Bible in our culture today? How about in the Church?
  5. What would you say currently dictates how you think and feel about life?
  6. Read Hebrews 4:12. Identify all that this verse says about God’s word. How do you need to let God’s word penetrate your heart and mind more?
  7. Share a time you read God’s word and felt great conviction over something. How did that insight impact your life?
  8. Read Acts 17:11-12. Describe the attitude of the Bereans. What can be learned from the way they approached their pursuit of God?
  9. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

The Essential Power of the Church

The Holy Spirit is the essential power given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. It gives us the ability to make disciples and to align our lifestyles with God's commands.

Talking Points:

  • The mission of the church is impossible without the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us the ability to share and others the ability to hear. Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4
  • The essential power isn’t just for some, it’s for all who believe. The Holy Spirit is the promised “blessing on all nations”. Genesis 12:2-3, Acts 2:5-6
  • The Holy Spirit is essential for every part of our lives today. He’s the reason Christians can actually be obedient to God. Ezekiel 36:26-27, John 14:23, Galatians 5:24-25
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. Have you ever felt faced with an impossible task? Explain. How did it turn out?
  3. Read Acts 2:1-4. If you were there that day, how do you think you would’ve responded to what you were seeing? What do you think the wind, fire and different languages being spoken demonstrated for the people?
  4. Read Acts 2:14. Peter was a guy who had denied Jesus and had experienced doubt. How do you see boldness in Peter from this verse? Have you ever had to stand up for Jesus publicly? Explain.
  5. Share about your salvation story. How did God show himself to you and who helped you on your journey?
  6. Read Galatians 5:24-25. In your own words, what does it mean to crucify your fleshly desires? How has the Holy Spirit empowered you to have victory in your life?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

Listen to the full sermon.

How Do You Grow a Church?

Click for Shownotes

Today we’re finishing up our study of Acts chapter 2. Can you believe it took us 5 weeks to get through this chapter? This won’t happen for every chapter throughout our study. In fact next week we’re going to cover all of chapter 3 in 1 week. but today we finished the chapter with a glimpse into what the early church was like. In particular, we get to see the secret sauce for church growth. We’re going to answer this question: How do you grow a church?

Church growth statistics:

  • As of 2020, there were approximately 2.3 billion Christians worldwide, making up about 31% of the global population.
  • Pentecostalism and Charismatic movements are among the fastest-growing Christian denominations globally.
  • Africa and Asia are experiencing significant growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to have the largest number of Christians by 2060.
  • In the United States, weekly church attendance dropped from about 39% in 2013 to around 29% in recent years.
  • Headed in Europe’s direction?
    • In the Netherlands, regular church attendance fell from approximately 50% in the 1950s to below 10% by the early 2000s.
    • United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark: regular church attendance at or below 5%.
  • Note: “church attendance” doesn’t capture the whole picture, but it gives us an idea. Truth is, many attendees aren’t even Christians! (stats don’t include house churches or nature Christians)

Today we’re going to try to learn from the early church to see what they did to grow…. I see 7 marks of healthy church growth; if you’re a pastor, leader, attender, consider how you do in each of these areas.

Seven Marks of Healthy Church Growth:

  1. Baptisms
    • Acts 2:41 (NLT) 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The population of Jerusalem at the time is estimated to have been between 180,000 and 200,000. Even 3,000 converts in the temple precincts would have been ‘a distinct minority of the crowd.’
    • Principle: Healthy church growth is conversion growth, not transfer growth.
    • Jesus: “Go make disciples…” meant something different than what it means in most churches today. (Pursuit)
  2. Biblical Teaching
    • (NLT) 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,
    • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) “The apostles’ teaching ” refers to a body of material considered authoritative because it was the message about Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed by accredited apostles. It undoubtedly included a compilation of the words of Jesus (cf. 20:35), some account of his earthly ministry, passion, and resurrection (cf. 2:22-24), and a declaration of what all this meant for humanity’s redemption (cf. 1Co 15:3-5)–all of which was thought of in terms of a Christian “tradition” that could be passed on to others (cf. 1Co 11:2; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 3:6).
    • 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NLT) 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT) 15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.
  3. Authentic Community
    • 42 (NLT) and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper)
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) to the fellowship (tē koinōnia). The koinōn- words in Greek normally mean ‘to share with someone in something’ above and beyond the relationship itself, or ‘to give someone a share in something.’ The sharing in this case could simply refer to material blessings, as described in vv. 44-5, where we are told that the believers had everything in common (koina).
    • This is key for our church. (expand)
      • Small groups
      • Mens/women’s groups
      • Student groups
      • Friend groups
  4. Commitment to Prayer
    • 42 (NLT) and to prayer.
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Finally, they devoted themselves ‘to the prayers’ (tais proseuchais). The plural form with the article in Greek suggests that the reference is to specific ‘prayers’ (KJV, NRSV, ESV), rather than to prayer in general (TNIV, to prayer). In the context, this most obviously points to their continuing participation in the set times of prayer at the temple (cf. 3:1 note).
    • Morning Prayer (Shacharit): around 9 am. It included recitations of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Amidah (the central prayer of Jewish liturgy).
      1. The disciples were likely at morning prayer on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was given.
    • Afternoon Prayer (Minchah): around 3 pm.
    • Evening Prayer (Ma’ariv): after sunset.
    • At our church:
      • Corporate prayer at services, small groups
      • Praying for the body throughout the week
      • Personal prayer lives of individuals
  5. Financial Generosity
    • Acts 2:44-45 (NLT) 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
      • Sounds extreme, but consider the example of the couple who literally gave their home away.
      • The Giving Pledge: Initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, it encourages billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. Over 200 individuals and families have signed on. Buffett committed to giving away 99% of his wealth.
      • Mackenzie Scott: Following her divorce from Jeff Bezos, donated billions to various organizations, including LGBTQ+ rights.
      • Christians: don’t let the secular world outgive you! Let’s be generous givers.
      • Reverse-tithers
        • R.G. LeTourneau practiced reverse tithing, giving away 90% of his income to charitable causes and living on the remaining 10%. 
        • Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” and pastor of Saddleback Church, has practiced reverse tithing for many years. After the success of his book, he and his wife decided to give away 90% of their income and live on the remaining 10%. He also returned 25 years of salary to his church and stopped taking a salary from the church thereafter.
        • John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism, practiced and preached the principle of living simply to give more generously. Despite earning a significant income from his writings, he lived on a modest amount and gave away the majority of his earnings.
        • David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby
        • Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A
        • Shoeshiner example: Albert Lexie, though not a millionaire, was a shoe shiner who practiced extraordinary generosity. Over 30 years, he donated over $200,000 in tips to the Free Care Fund at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, living on a minimal income himself.
    • V45 comes from Jesus himself: Luke 12:33-34 (NLT) 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
  6. Friendly to Outsiders
    • 47 (NLT) all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) it is possible to translate the Greek ‘having goodwill towards all the people’, which would be appropriate to the context.
    • Either way the point is the same: healthy churches are friendly to outsiders, so outsiders are hungry for what the church has to offer. 
    • “Seeker-friendly” is criticized by some today, but that’s a good description of the early church!
      1. User-Friendly Services 
      2. Avoiding Church Jargon 
      3. Casual Atmosphere
    • Seeker-friendly isn’t the problem; watering down the Bible is. 
  7. Christ-dependent 
    • 47 (NLT) And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
    • Church growth is Jesus’ work! 
      1. We make disciples. Jesus builds the church. (Steve Murrell)
    • Mt 16:18 (NLT) I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Close

Healthy things grow, and a healthy church is marked by disciple-makers.

Talking Points:

  • In today’s lesson we’ll look to the early church’s example to answer the question: How do you grow a church? 
  • The seven marks of a healthy, growing church are: baptisms, biblical teaching, authentic community, commitment to prayer, financial generosity, friendliness to outsiders, and dependency on Christ. Acts 2:42-47
  • Healthy things grow, and a healthy church is marked by disciple-makers. We make disciples; Jesus builds the church. Matthew 16:18

Discussion:

  1. Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
  2. Have you ever seen growth in numbers at a church? What about decrease? What are some reasons for this that you might have observed?
  3. The podcast talks about seven marks of healthy church growth. Which of these would you say your church is best at? Are there any that your church needs to grow in?
  4. Read Acts 2:42. Why is authentic community important to church growth? Name a few ways you can have authentic community in your church body.
  5. How often do you pray? What are some reasons commitment to prayer is not only important for your own walk with God, but the growth of the church as well?
  6. Would you consider yourself “financially generous”? Do you tithe to your church? Why or why not?
  7. Read Matthew 16:18. How does being a “disciple maker” in your church support all of these markers?

Essential Service in the Church

The Church is called to serve the poor and powerless in Jesus’ name. This demonstrates God’s love and opens peoples’ hearts to hear the gospel.

Talking Points:

  • The early church was committed to helping the poor and powerless because Jesus was. They were willing to address the underlying conditions of people’s pain. Acts 10:38, Acts 3:4-6
  • Christians carried on this love for needy people throughout history. Bible-believing Christians led the way in abolishing slavery, protecting exploited women and children, developing hospitals and more. 1 John 3:17-18
  • When we serve others, it paves the way for the message of Jesus. The strongest proof of our message is not a rational argument but our practical love for people. Matthew 5:14-16
Discussion:
  1. Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. How have you served others that didn’t involve finances? How has someone helped you in your life that had nothing to do with money?
  3. What interactions have you had with people in need in your community? How have those experiences impacted you?
  4. Read Acts 3:3-6. Describe how Peter and John viewed their interaction with the beggar. How did a physical healing impact that man’s life more than any amount of money he could’ve been given?
  5. Read 1 John 3:17-18. How do these verses challenge you? How will you challenge yourself to do more in your community?
  6. Read Matthew 5:14-16. Why do actions speak louder than words? How can meeting a physical need open the door to faith conversations in the future?
  7. Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
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