Looking Back, Moving Forward

 The believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the community, to their shared meals, and to their prayers. A sense of awe came over everyone. God performed many wonders and signs through the apostles. All the believers were united and shared everything. They would sell pieces of property and possessions and distribute the proceeds to everyone who needed them.  Every day, they met together in the temple and ate in their homes. They shared food with gladness and simplicity.  They praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 42-47, CEB)

What do you think of when you hear the word "church"?  If you're anything like me, you probably think of a building with pews and a pulpit, the place you go on Sunday morning to sing hymns or worship songs and have Sunday school, or associated words such as "worship" and "prayer."

Next question: What do you think of when you hear the word "fellowship"?  That probably conjures up images of the periodic pot-luck meal in the church hall, the chatter that happens in the foyer after service, maybe even your small group gathering.

Go back and read the passage I began with, from Acts 2.  This passage describes the fellowship of the early church.  I have to be perfectly honest.  My mental pictures of "church" and "fellowship" don't bear much resemblance to the picture from Acts 2.

Now let me be clear on one thing: This is not a discussion of denomination, worship style, or congregation vs. house church.  Frankly, I think those arguments have become a distraction and a huge stumbling block.  What I want to discuss is Daily Living Church vs. Sunday Morning Church.


Currently, I am reading "Pompeii" by T. L. Higley, a Christian historical novel, set in the days of the Roman empire and the early church.  For some reason, this morning I started really thinking deeply about what I was reading, nd I realized something: The early church is described nearly identically in all of the novels in this genre, regardless of author.  And the "fellowship of believers" I read about bears very little resemblance to the "fellowship of believers" I see today.

Consider this excerpt from the book:

Discreet inquiries around town had uncovered more than concern for those possessed by evil, trapped in prison, or hungry.  It seemed they also cared for orphans or widows, shared their wealth with the poor, performed healings, and welcomed prostitutes into their midst... And above all this humanitarian effort, or perhaps behind it, was something even more.  It was the look he had seen on the faces of those [believers] who had perished in the games of the arena.  Their willingness to die for what they believed made him ache for something so powerful, so important, something to live for. (p. 148)

I don't know about you, but this novelized portrayal reads a lot like the fellowship I read about in Acts and the epistles of Paul.  They didn't put up fliers describing all the great things they were doing.  They weren't in positions of political power, trying to alter the policies to be more socially just.  They weren't in committee meetings, trying to define an exciting new program to get people interested in attending.  They didn't just get together once or twice a week for a nice sermon and some great music and three minutes of corporate prayer out of obligation or habit, and then set it all aside in the business of the week.   They were part of a Daily Living Church.

When I read in Acts and the epistles about the early church, I read about people who lived everyday lives.  There are people who are rich, poor, and in between.  There are people with character flaws, forgiven and forgiving.  There are people in power and people who are powerless.  There are people, in fact, just like us.

And while some of them preached in the square and the temple, most of them just... lived.  But they lived in such a way that people were drawn to them.  They were filled with peace and joy.  They were generous and compassionate.  They very quietly attended to the neediest in their society, without seeking either permission or attention.  They sought to treat everyone with love and respect, regardless of social or economic status.  Wouldn't you be drawn to someone who lived that way? 

Now imagine if you yourself were given the ability to draw people to Christ.  Imagine if you could make people so curious about a peculiar peace and joy, without a single program, or tract, or verbal testimony.  Imagine if you had the power to change opinions, hearts, lives, without any political platform or position of power or a single protest walk.  Imagine so close and deep and strong a fellowship that you can be constantly encouraged as you encouraged, constantly learning as you teach, constantly lifted up in prayer as you lift others up in prayer, constantly forgiven as you forgive.  Imagine a fearless faith, confident of being generously supplied with your needs as you generously give.  Imagine a community so infused with love that you desire to be with each other as much as possible, and involved in every facet of each other's lives. 

Look back.  It happened in the days of the early church. 
Look around.  It still happens in the church around the world. 

Look ahead.  It  can happen right where you are.

Can we move forward together, seeking this exciting, empowering, fearless, powerful Daily Living Church?  Can we move forward together, allowing others into our intimate fellowship?
Can we move forward together, seeking God's Word, His face, His Spirit, His presence, His power?
Can we move forward together, living lives so filled with love and compassion, so aware of and engaged with the needs of those around us, so passionate about demonstrating to others all the blessings we ourselves have received,  that we cannot be ignored?

Imagine.