Oh that I could look past even my by comparison insignificant circumstances to what awaits me. Another enactment required that magistrates, city people and artisans were to rest on Sunday; this was the first Sunday law (Webster 220-221). Great Leadership – Without a doubt the greatest key to church growth is leadership. Stephen, the First Martyr. And, more recently, the church in China blossomed during the twentieth century despite tremendous persecution. To lay down his life first to care for the widows, then literally as he stood by his belief in Christ unto death. In this verse, we find our second update on the newly founded church of Jesus. In 175 B.C. Jesus looked beyond the cross at what was to come. Everything you know about the collapse of the soviet union is wrong, Understanding Interstate and Intrastate Wars During And After The Cold War Through Levels Of Analysis, Communists vs. Nationalists in China’s Civil War. Christianity was able to attract many followers due to a variety of reasons. In England the Anglican church remained an ally of the throne, as did the Protestant churches of the German states. It will also help us work for the unity of all believers in Christ. It must have been testing to the faith to have so many people push against you once you know that God has a plan for you. Book of Acts . I think the looking beyond his present circumstance. The book of Acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ.Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of Jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. Peter is invariably mentioned first in the lists of the disciples and recognized as the spokesperson of the group (Pollock 18). Some widows were being neglected. : A Gladiator rebels against Rome. The early church increased in number so dramatically in a relatively short period of time for a variety of reasons. Christians formed communities bound to one another in which people could express their love by helping each other and offering assistance to the poor, the sick, widows and orphans. As the son of God, Jesus represents the person that all Christians must strive to be like. He walked through the history of Israel up until the time when Solomon built the temple where God would dwell. I have much to learn in this study from the founders of the church. 1. If we are willing to see how the early church existed among the Jewish, Roman, and Greek cultures, and implement their techniques, we too, can experience church growth. Second, Christianity was not entirely unfamiliar. For instance, most Christians agree that God is three persons in one: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit, creating the Holy Trinity. Pentecostalism - Pentecostalism - International growth of Pentecostalism: Inspired by Acts of the Apostles 2:1–13, which speaks of God pouring out his Spirit in the last days, many Pentecostals believe that their revival is a sign of the Endtime, and hence a call to bring the world to salvation before Christ’s Second Coming. Early European History. He is calling me to love and serve immigrants in my community--not to force them to conform to my culture but to share the love of God, which is infinitely larger than the box I put Him in. Just like Jesus did. The mediterranean was a source of communication between the lands and eased the growth of a thriving trading network within the empire. Christianity arose out of Judaism and rapidly developed as a faith with a separate identity, based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, referred to as the Christ (Pollock 9). After reading this passage, I realized how difficult it must have been for Stephan to turn away from the other believers and follow what God was pushing him towards in front of every discerning eye. Start studying The Growth and Spread of the Church 2. However, as he approached Damascus, he was struck blind. possibly to end the Roman’s invasion of his homeland, Thrace (Fields 28). It truly shows how he was filled with the spirit in that moment, because even though these people were doing a terrible thing to him, he still loved them and didn't want them to suffer the consequences of this sin. Finally, Christianity fulfilled the human need to belong. At IF: Local, God used this passage to show me the error of my belief that God is confined to the social norms of my culture. In comparison consider that just … Sparta was the undisputed leader of Continental Greece and of the Aegean during the period of 404-362 B.C., it ended the struggles for supremacy between rival cities; however, the Greek cities soon found that they exchanged the mild sway of Athens for the brutal tyranny of Sparta (Webster 110). May we follow in their footsteps! “Before time began” God purposed to offer salvation to the world through Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 1:9). The Jewish council was aggravated with Stephen because he implied that God could be worshipped outside of the temple (Shelley 2013). Christians believe in one all-powerful creator, God. I am moved by his conviction and confidence. Constantine favored the Christians throughout his reign. 3 pages (750 words). It challenges me to not allow any "inconveniences" keep me from living out my faith. What are the factors that contribute to the growth of the early church? McGavran was a third-generation Christian missionary to India, where his observations of How Churches Grow (the title of another of his books) went beyond typical theological discussion to discern sociological factors that affected receptivity to the Christian Gospel among non-Christian peoples. During the period of 264-218 B.C., the West is ruled by the kingdoms of Rome and Carthage, who at the beginning were in friendly alliance and eventually became the bitterest of foes; the three wars between them are known as the Punic Wars, which are the famous contests that ancient history records and in the end, they lead to the complete destruction of Carthage (Webster 156). Stephen's story seems so foreign to today but, at the same time, really strikes a chord. The belief that Jesus rose from the dead is central to Christians. The number of disciples grew greatly in Jerusalem. This is one of the ancient poems that preserved the beautiful legends during the Aegean age (around 1100 B.C.) The aupport of the pope as head of the Catholic Church A vast road system linking urban areas in Europe The invention of the printing press and improvements in literacy Economic changes and the growth if towns following the Renaissance. Spielvogel, Jackson J. The Word of God kept spreading. And to display that grace in the worst moments. This is an amazing number of books given the fact that the North American Church Growth Movement is only forty-one years old. Rome controlled most of Europe and spread its empire through Asia to North Africa. Jerusalem in Ancient History and Tradition. He faced opposition and was brought before the Jewish council for blasphemy. Peter’s original name was Simon; he was a fisherman called to be a disciple of Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. So often when presented or challenged by world views I am silent for fear of reaction. It staid … They met in private houses, where they sang hymns, listened to readings from the Holy Scriptures and partook in a sacrificial meal in memory of the last supper of Jesus with his disciples. At the meeting they recognized Paul as an apostle together with the founders of the Church. In partnership with Cornerstone Knowledge Network, Barna undertook research to learn more about the current culture and methods of planting and growing congregations. The development of Christianity’s influence on the character of society since the Reformation has been twofold. Clearly, this neglect was not in line with Jesus’ heart for the church; we are to look after widows in their distress (James 1:27). Even Jewish priests were coming to faith in Christ. Despite being chastised, imprisoned, and beaten by the Jewish council, the apostles continued to boldly proclaim Christ (Acts 4–5). In this verse, we find our second update on the newly founded church of Jesus. The twelve apostles called the multitude of believers together to discuss the matter. Spartacus spent some years as a paid auxiliary for the Romans who then became a gladiator and turned against the Roman Empire and was the sole military leader of the Slave War at around 73-71 B.C. Saul of Tarsus (who will later be called Paul after his conversion), who had been present when Stephen was stoned in Jerusalem, volunteered to take writs to Damascus to find members of the Way, arrest them and return them in chains to Jerusalem where they would be tried. (Source: http://www.4to40.com/culture/index.asp?p=Christianity_Disciples). The definitions, goals and metrics of church growth have evolved in the centuries since Acts. The legal authority includes the canon of Holy Scripture, the writings of the church fathers and the canons of the church. a portion of Jerusalem was constituted a city-state or “polis”, which is defined not by its physical formation but by its Greek/Hellenized citizenship and way of life; during the Hellenistic period, the Temple State and the subsequent Jerusalem State was a theocracy in which the High Priest ruled (Thomas & Jayyusi 80). Fields, Nic. This encouraged trade between large cities and regions 2. He professed love for Jesus and was capable of great loyalty. Through the Holy Spirit, he performed miracles and spoke God’s truth to all who would listen. Devotees of the Christian faith are identified as Christians. Three years after his conversion, Paul went to Jerusalem to meet Peter and James, Jesus’ brother. First of all, the Christian message had much to offer the Roman world. (Source: http://www.sspeter-paul.net/edge/index.cfm?load=page&page=542). What would they do? Augustus meaning “Majestic” was the more familiar name of Octavian, he was no military genius to dazzle the world with his achievements; he was a cool and passionless statesman who took advantage of a memorable opportunity to remake the Roman state and later on, he became a wise and impartial ruler of the Roman Empire (Webster 187). The Romans tried to persecute it out of existence, yet it spread the gospel throughout the entire empire. Download the app to get the full IF:Equip experience and join the conversation in your own creative way. In this passage, we see a conflict arise between two groups of Jews: the more traditional Jews and the Hellenistic Jews who were more open to Greek influences. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, the Catholic Church became a powerful social and political institution and its influence spread throughout Europe. The Jews on the other hand contributed their r eligion to the growth of Christianity . II. The conversion of Constantine is one of the most significant events in ancient history. These have evolved over the years often because of disagreements about teachings or through different ways of worshiping. Moreover, Christianity had universal appeal. Matthews, Warren. Also, in Stephen's last moments he cried out to God saying "Don't hold this sin against them", that is amazing to me. Writing in Canada. On the top of these was the Holy spirti who helped the church to grow in spite of presecution and hard times. His contribution to the development and promotion of the Greek culture and language is done through his conquests of the new lands and other cultures, thus enabling the spread of Hellenization within the period of his life, which was the fourth century BC (Eraman 34). Stephen's unwavering belief is incredible. None if it mattered because he knew what and who was waiting for him. These sources were and still are most important criteria for the religious and moral life of the Church (Meinardus 40). Every city had a congregation of Christian worshipers. Or the words of response come later. Peter dominated the community for nearly fifteen years following the Resurrection; it was he who raised his voice and preached at Pentecost, the day when the Church came into being, he served as an advocate for the apostles before the Jewish religious court in Jerusalem and he led the others in extending the Church, going first to the Samaritans, then to the Mediterranean coast where he introduced Gentiles … Thus, the most important belief for Christians is that the world and everything in it is an expression of God’s power and love (Pollock 16). I worry about our future as Christians in this world and though I know my Savior is coming for me, I want to make sure that I trust myself and have strong enough faith in Jesus to be willing to die (or suffer consequences & obstacles) in His name! This is … Ignorance and imagination. Which of the following contributed to the rapid spread of the Reformation throughout Europe? World Religions. The spread of Christianity was made a lot easier by the efficiency of the Roman Empire, but its principles were sometimes misunderstood and membership of the sect could be dangerous. NEWMAN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE The Spread of Christianity and Factors that Contributed to the Political and Religious Separation of the Early Church Submitted to Rev. His belief in Christ, his love for Christ, his desire to see all people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus led him to his death—a death he did not resist. The spiritual factos of the rapid growth od the church in the book of Acts were the five pusposes of the church from Acts 2: worship, teaching, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and mission. The promise of salvation, made possible by Jesus’ death and resurrection, had immense appeal in a world full of suffering and injustice. Augustine contributed to the spread of Christianity by writing about it. What do you think of him, his style of leadership, and his administration. His life and teachings were the groundwork of Christian faith. Social Networks are the Vehicle. Martin Luther precipitated the Reformation with his critiques of both the practices and the theology of the Roman Catholic Church. When a local church spreads to other cities to have more local churches, we call it the spreading of the churches. When he talks about how the temple was built and the curtain to the resting place of God was torn and the Holy Spirit lives in us instead of in the temple, t just reminds me that you don't have to be at church to worship God. There are three main inter-related factors that contributed to the growth and expansion of the church, and ultimately its success. Wave after wave of persecution was unleashed to squash it. THE SPREAD OF THE CHURCH. Egypt: The American University in Cairo Press, 2002. [n.p]: Forgotten Books, 2008. •Roman Catholic Church sells indulgences, spends lavishly •Martin Luther protests, publishes, and distributes 95 Theses •Pope Leo X excommunicates Luther •Protestantism takes hold across northern Europe, dividing Christianity •John Calvin forms offshoot of Protestant Lutheranism •A blank box is shown. Luther precipitated the Reformation undoubtedly were Martin Luther and John Calvin s.... 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